From left, Brian Reichle, Brooklyn Deichert, Natasha Cameron, Jessica Masserey, Chantel Jantz, Jill Stefanick with Parkland Ambulance. (Submitted Photo/Parkland Ambulance)

By Rob Mahon

Paramedic Award

Parkland Ambulance communications staff honoured for efforts during James Smith tragedy

Jun 22, 2023 | 4:00 PM

Tragedies like the one on James Smith Cree Nation in September of 2022 require first responders to step up, and that’s true of those manning the phones as well. Today, members of Parkland Ambulance’s communications team were recognized for their efforts that day.

Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency President Marlo Pritchard presented the Sask911 Teamwork Award to Parkland Ambulance Medical Communications Centre and two other communication centres. They were singled out for effective task management, empathy for those affected, and more.

“It starts off, I’m sure, like any other day for our medical communications team,” said Lyle Karasiuk, director of public affairs with Parkland Ambulance. “They come to work in the morning, get themselves settled in… Then the call, in the early morning, comes in from many people, not only from our public safety partners but from the public themselves, to say that people have been hurt. And the calls just keep rolling in.”

The calls continued to pile up, and each of them was a small window into the unfolding tragedy. Witnesses and survivors were desperately looking for medical attention.

“Not only are they taking the tragedy as it’s unfolding, they’re hearing the horrific responses from the public to report their friends, family, neighbours are hurt in multiple locations,” Karasiuk said.

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Over the course of the day, communications staff had to coordinate with many other agencies, from ambulances and paramedics to law enforcement as they tried to track down the murderers. In that time, they displayed, as outlined by the award, outstanding teamwork, flexibility, adaptability, calmness, compassion, and focus among other things.

“Hats off to the incredible team,” said Karasiuk. “I am so incredibly proud of the work our team does each and every day. But in this tragedy, to be recognized by Mr. Marlo Pritchard and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency for this award… as a team, we handled this tragedy expertly.”

What made the calmness under pressure all the more impressive was that other aspects of their usual duties didn’t stop. Other people needed help in that time.

“While this is going on, there are still calls for help right across the city of Prince Albert,” said Karasiuk, “in neighbouring communities we answer for like Blaine Lake, or in Waskesiu, Pellican Narrows, Melfort, and Hudson Bay, the whole of northern Saskatchewan.”

Karasiuk added his staff worked all the way through the tragedy, and it was important to get them in touch with mental health professionals after the tragedy if they needed.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP