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