Oxford County Paramedic Services has officially expanded its emergency medical team, welcoming 16 new paramedics to serve residents across the region, including those in Tillsonburg. The new team members were recognized during an Epaulette Ceremony on May 8, 2026, where Chief Ryan Hall and Deputy Chief Ryan Orton presented them with their epaulettes to formally mark their start in the profession.
This hiring initiative follows the priorities set in the 2026 Business Plan and Budget, which was approved by Oxford County Council. Paramedic services were identified as the top community priority in a recent public budget survey, leading to the approval of increased staffing to help maintain response times as demand grows. Between 2020 and 2024, the number of 911 calls across the county rose by 56 percent, reaching over 23,000 calls in 2024.
The addition of these paramedics is intended to improve coverage across the county’s eight municipalities, which cover over 2,000 square kilometres. While many calls originate in urban centres like Tillsonburg, Ingersoll, and Woodstock, more remote areas have previously faced response times ranging between 15 and 19 minutes. These new staff members are part of a broader effort to address these distances and ensure timely medical support for all residents.
Oxford County Paramedic Services has been serving the area since January 1, 2002, when it was formed through the consolidation of the Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital ambulance service and Woodstock Ambulance Ltd. With this latest expansion, the service aims to continue meeting the needs of a population that has grown to over 106,000 people.
