PETAWAWA - Earl Andrews, the innovative businessman behind the private ambulance service that was the prototype for today's Renfrew County paramedics and who later worked to secure the region's first 'Jaws of Life,' has died. He was 82.
It was after a disastrous car crash on the Old Highway 17 in June, 1962 that prompted Andrews to start his own independent ambulance using his own stationwagon. He felt first responders coming from Pembroke were late arriving at the collision near McGregor's Hill. The worst vehicle accident in Petawawa's history ultimately claimed the lives of five artillerymen.
"He did it solely out of concern for other people," recalled his son, Steven Andrews, who worked alongside his father for many years in the ambulance service. "He never took holidays and most times took calls that he was never paid for."
Andrews, who was also a former deputy reeve of Petawawa Township, passed away on Aug. 18 at Miramichi Lodge in Pembroke. Born in Newmarket, Ontario during the Great Depression, Andrews left school in grade six to get a job to provide for the family. In 1959, he joined the military and was deployed to Germany as a member of the Canadian Guards. Afterward he was stationed at Camp Petawawa.
Leaving the Army in 1963, he opened a TV repair shop in the basement of his Silke Drive home and subsequently founded Upper Ottawa Valley Ambulance Limited. Five years later, the province began noticing these independent outfits and signed him to a contract. As his firm grew, Andrews moved it to different locations before building a $80,000 two-bay garage and dispatch facility on Doran Road in 1983.
He engaged in several trial initiatives for the Ontario Ministry of Health including the four-wheel drive ambulance and the use of air ambulance to evacuate patients. He also promoted the utilization of pagers for doctors.
"He brought the emergency services of Renfrew County into the 21st century," said his son, Greg Andrews.
Andrews joined Petawawa Village fire chief Larry Charette in vigorously lobbying for the purchase of the 'Jaws of Life,' the state-of-the-art equipment capable of tearing open a wrecked vehicle to free trapped victims. When he started up Renfrew County Communications as an extension of the ambulance service, Andrews succeeded in getting a 280-foot tower erected at the former Foymount radar station.
"Earl really was a pioneer in the early days of the ambulance and paramedic service as we know it today," said Michael Nolan, the county's chief paramedic and director of emergency services. "He served a very large and complex community in Petawawa trying to meet the needs of the civilian and military population. He really needs to be applauded for the leadership that he took in those days to extend health services quite a distance from the hospital."
In 1981, Andrews entered politics getting elected to Petawawa Township council. He then served as deputy reeve from 1986 to 1994 and sought enhancements to the township's fire department as well as infrastructure upgrades to subdivisions and a better quality of life for municipal employers.
"He was an advocate for people," noted Steven Andrews. "He was a scrapper and not afraid to fight city hall. He was only happy when he was being productive and had a cause."
When he was first elected to village council in 1988, Petawawa Mayor Bob Sweet considered Andrews to be a mentor who provided him with very sound advice in his early days as a councillor. The two men later sat on the Civic Centre board of management during a time when the facility was expanding beyond a community rink.
"Earl is going to sadly be missed by our community," said Sweet. "He was a very solid, upstanding gentleman and citizen who had his community at heart."
Andrews continued working as an ambulance fleet driver until the age of 62 becoming the oldest active operator in the province. He retired in December, 2000 when the province took over land ambulance and subsequently downloaded it to the county. He was a member of the Petawawa Accessibility Committee and the Rotary Club of Petawawa which honoured him as a Paul Harris Fellow.
Earl Andrews is survived by his wife, Deanne, daughter, Carolee, and sons, Steven, Peter, and Greg. He is pre-deceased by son, Wayne. He will be interred at All Saint's Cemetery in Petawawa. A memorial service be announced at a future date.
Sean Chase is a Daily Observer multimedia journalist
