Image Credit: Ambulance Paramedics of BC/Paul Alberts

By Adam Donnelly

PARAMEDIC SERVICES WEEK

More BC paramedics accessing mental health support amid COVID-19 pandemic

May 28, 2020 | 5:04 PM

KAMLOOPS — They’re often the first people you call when something goes wrong. Ambulance Paramedics save thousands of lives each year, as first responders when citizens are sick or injured. This week is Paramedic Services Week across Canada, and it’s a chance to celebrate and recognize those caring individuals who often put others’ needs ahead of their own in responding to emergencies.

They come when citizens are most in need, often the first people to help treat an injury or sickness. Ambulance Paramedics are true first responders, trained to save lives in the worst of circumstances. It’s a challenging career.

“Particularly now, as we’ve been dealing with the [COVID-19] crisis that everybody’s well aware of,” Ambulance Paramedics of BC (APBC) President Troy Clifford explains. “Of the last couple of months, it’s really changed our focus and our work. It’s really been challenging.”

According to APBC, there are more than 4,500 paramedics, dispatchers and call-takers in the province. More of those members have been accessing mental health supports during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April of 2019, 122 members accessed the Critical Stress Program, which is a joint venture between APBC and the BC Emergency Health Service. In April 2020, that number jumped to 214.

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“And that’s directly related to COVID, and the pressures paramedics are facing, the fears they have for protecting their families, the pressures they’re having on-call. They have to go there, they have to gown up. Naturally, we want to run in and help people.”

Image Credit: CFJC Today/Adam Donnelly

However, that increase shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a negative.

“Preventative medicine, whether it’s psychological or physical, is a really good thing,” Clifford says. “Although I’m concerned about the number of people accessing it, I’m also very happy they’re getting help.”

CFJC Today tried our very best to get a local paramedic to speak about the challenges of the job. Each time we got the camera on the tripod, the ambulance crew was called out to another incident, leaving us high and dry, but potentially saving another British Columbian’s life.

“What this week really emphasizes is how valuable our paramedics are on the front lines for the citizens, and the patients, and the safety of everyone,” said Clifford.