Sapporo experienced record heavy snowfall on January 25, leading to significant delays in ambulance response times, with 199 incidents reported in one day where ambulances could not dispatch promptly.
On January 25, Sapporo, Japan recorded unprecedented snowfall, accumulating 54 centimeters in just 24 hours, the largest amount for the month since records began. This severe weather led to numerous incidents where emergency medical services were delayed, with reports of 199 cases where ambulances were unable to respond quickly. In some situations, it took several hours for ambulances to arrive, showing the strain on public services when faced with extreme weather conditions.
In response to these delays, the Sapporo Fire Department took measures to increase ambulance availability by converting qualified firefighters to emergency responders and adding four ambulances, bringing the total to 40 during daytime hours. Nonetheless, even with these adjustments, road conditions remained dire, contributing to further delays in ambulance response between January 25 and 26, with reports of response times stretching up to three hours in certain cases. City officials stated that, although there were delays, none resulted in worsened medical conditions for patients waiting for emergency care.
Sapporo's Mayor, Kazushige Akimoto, addressed the situation by announcing an increase in the number of emergency response teams in the upcoming budget. While this may alleviate some pressure, the fundamental issues regarding road conditions during heavy snowfall remain, an acknowledgment echoed by emergency personnel who expressed concerns about their physical fatigue due to continuous operations in harsh conditions. They urged for more proactive measures in managing snow removal in a city that regularly deals with significant snowfall, highlighting the need for systemic improvements to support emergency services during such crises.
