For a handful of RCMP officers in the village of Midway, B.C., the line of duty goes far beyond crime prevention.
Officers recently responded to a residence in that small community near the U.S. border to assist paramedics on a medical call.
An elderly man was taken to hospital with one of the officers taking it upon himself to visit the home and check on the man’s wife.
What he found was heartbreaking.
“The officer interrupted the elderly woman as she was in the process of breaking up household furniture to burn, in the home’s wood stove, for heat,” said Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey, spokesperson for the B.C. RCMP’s Southeast District.
The officer wasted little time springing into action.
“The officer immediately rounded up the troops, who travelled into the backcountry to chop wood, which they sorted, split, delivered and stacked for the local elder,” said O’Donaghey.
He called that a clear example of RCMP officers stepping up and lending a helping hand to others during these unprecedented times.
“We hope this small act of kindness encourages other British Columbians to step up, reach out to those around them and help out where they can.”