By Mark Allan
Record Staff
Jul 11 2007
Fifteen Comox Valley paramedics are willing to pay for uniforms
and bicycle helmets to help people in distress at community events.
They’re also willing to volunteer their time outside their
already-demanding duties with the B.C. Ambulance Service, spokesperson
Bill Coltart said in an interview.
To be operational by their target date of Aug. 1, they hope to
secure enough cash and in-kind donations to provide mountain bikes and
medical supplies, Coltart said.
Aug. 1 is important because it would allow them to be available
for Nautical Days. It’s a huge annual event that Coltart used as an
example of how paramedics on bikes might be able to respond sooner than
ambulances on Comox roads clogged by people attending Nautical Days and
the nearby Filberg Festival.
“It gives us the opportunity to introduce ourselves at a major event,” he added about the B.C. Day weekend target.
While clearly identifying the paramedic volunteers, uniforms
would be distinctly different than B.C. Ambulance Service uniforms, he
noted.
Coltart said two local bike shops have responded favourably so far to assisting them.
Medical response is only one of two prongs in their group’s strategy, he continued.
The other, involving a recent partnership with the Comox Valley
Head Injury Society, would include distributing gift certificates and
coupons to encourage youth who are biking safely and responsibly.
“In our job, we see tragedy and the result of not protecting
yourself properly, and we want to be able to go out and share that with
people,” Coltart said. “I’ve seen dozens of cases where helmets would
have improved an outcome, or did because people were wearing them.”
These paramedics will also volunteer to speak to students about safety.
Working with the RCMP to promote safety is also important, said
Coltart, adding that the 15 paramedics from the Courtenay and
Cumberland ambulance stations want to eventually expand their program
to cover the Island from Nanaimo to Port Hardy.
He described the Comox Valley paramedics as a diverse group that has at least one thing in common.
“I don’t think there is a paramedic who got into the job who is not a caring individual,” he stated.
Saying he’s proud to work with a group of dedicated
professionals, Coltart commented that a new generation is already on
the way.
“We’re seeing a huge influx of young, active paramedics in the Valley. It’s these guys who are driving the (volunteer) program.”
For more information or to donate, call Coltart at 338-3219 or e-mail info@bikesquad.ca.