Paramedics from across Saskatchewan received their field’s highest honour on Monday, the Exemplary Service Award.
The Stars of Life Award was also presented for “outstanding commitment and acts of bravery”. For two of recipients, it was a very bittersweet moment.
During the ceremony at Government House, Lieutenant Governor Vaughn Solomon Schofield pinned the medals to the deserving honourees. In the ceremony full of respect and admiration, two men received a standing ovation: Kalvin Jones and Darryl Morin.
Jones and Morin were the first two EMS workers on scene in La Loche on when a fatal school shooting took place on Jan. 22.
“That’s a situation I never ever thought I’d be in,” Jones said.
Both work for the Keewatin Yatthe Regional Health Authority . Jones is stationed in Ile a la Crosse and Morin works out of Buffalo Narrows.
The shooting happened over five months ago, but the psychological wounds are still fresh.
“Still today, I’m still meeting with a psychologist. I’m suffering from PTSD right now, so I’m recovering,” Jones said.
He’s currently off work undergoing physiotherapy.
Morin says the recovery just has to happen one day at a time. He’s been a paramedic for 16 years and says he aims at returning to work next week.
“We’ll see how it goes. It’s going to be a strong, tough kind of thing,” Morin explained.
“I got my wife, family, friends, my kids that support me in what I do, and I love what I do.”
Jones and Morin’s emotional scars are not unique to them. Many paramedics and other first responders suffer in similar ways because their job frequently brings them into the worst situations.
Paramedics and first responders help each other through these situations though, because there will always be another person that needs their help.
“It’s what I signed up for. It’s what I love to do,” Morin said.
“That’s why I’m here. I love helping people.”