Despite the rainy Saturday that marked the end of Paramedic Services Week, multiple local communities still came out to get an up-close look at the job of a Halton paramedic at Oakville's Woodlands Operation Centre.
Initially planned as an outdoor event, everything was moved indoors to an ambulance bay due to the rain. Stations were set up to allow attendees to get up close to paramedics and learn about their jobs. These stations included CPR/AED demonstrations, first aid, a tactical gear display, and various skills stations.
Responding to over 55,000 calls and transporting over 35,000 people each year, it takes a special type of person to be a local paramedic.
According to Greg Sage, Halton’s chief of paramedic services, "A great paramedic is someone who is compassionate, somebody who can think on their feet, somebody who doesn't need to live in the black and white, you need to be able to adapt."
Chief Sage was joined by Regional Chair Gary Carr, MPP Stephen Crawford, MPP Ted Arnott, and other elected officials at the event to commemorate the service along with community members and their families.
"Paramedic Day to me is a chance for the community to come out and meet the team and really learn about the amazing things they do," said Chief Sage.
"Most people will not interact with a paramedic in the course of their life, they may see them at a coffee shop, they may see them on the street, they may see them at an emergency, this gives them an opportunity to really meet them, get to know them as people and really get to hear from the team what they do and the things they bring to the community."
In an interview with event volunteer Alyssa Samayoa, she was asked, "What is something about the job of paramedics that everyday people might not know?"
Samayoa responded, "I don't think a lot of people know about the emotional toll that it takes on paramedics, the traumatic things that they see that normal people wouldn't see every day."
"That aspect of it and the amount of mental health opportunities and supports that we would need to have in order to stay healthy and in order to continue doing the job."
Halton Region has over 270 paramedics supporting four hospitals, 15 ambulance stations, and 36 ambulances.