Two paramedics feared dead after ambulance crashes over cliff into B.C. lake.

[mariomike]

PORT ALBERNI, B.C. — Two paramedics may be dead after their ambulance plunged off a cliff and into a lake on Vancouver Island.:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/10/19/bc-ambulance-kennedy-lake-tofino.html

 

[Rafterman1]

I did my practicum in Port Alberni/Tofino.  I have to find out more info.

 

[Civvymedic]

  Sad news.....

  www.news1130.com/news/local/article/117113-two-paramedics-are-dead-after-ambulance-goes-into-lake

  CTV in B.C. is also reporting on it.

 

 

[wildman0101]

Sorry to hear the sad new's. Condolences. 
Scoty B

 

[Rafterman1]

http://www.theprovince.com/health/people+dead+after+ambulance+plunges+into+Kennedy+Lake+Vancouver+Island/3695197/story.html

Sad day for the EMS community. RIP.

 

[Ignatius J. Reilly]

May their memory live on, and that of their exemplary service.
R.I.P.

 

[mariomike]

I am sorry to hear that, Rafterman. Perhaps you knew them. Our Chief and Honour Guard attended the memorial service for the two BCAS Paramedics killed in a mine rescue in 2006. Hopefully, someone from our Department will be sent to pay our respects.
I used to carry this prayer in my wallet. It was written by someone I was proud to call my friend:
https://emsontario.ca/cms/index.php

 

[old medic]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/british-columbia/paramedics-killed-when-ambulance-crashes-into-lake/article1763863/

Two B.C. paramedics have been killed after their ambulance plunged into the icy waters of Kennedy Lake about 50 kilometres from Tofino.

RCMP divers located the bodies in the submerged ambulance on Tuesday afternoon, but steep terrain was hindering efforts to recover them and the vehicle, said Port Alberni RCMP Sergeant Kevin Murray.

“We’re concentrating our efforts on retrieving the bodies and the vehicle,” he said, noting the ambulance was at the bottom of a 30-metre high embankment. He added that he expected the work would be completed by evening.

Union president John Strohmaier said the crash occurred around 5 a.m. on Tuesday as the paramedics were returning to their home base of Tofino after transferring a patient to Port Alberni hospital.

The B.C. Ambulance Service notified Port Alberni around 7:30 a.m. when the crew failed to complete the trip as scheduled and could not be reached by pager or cellphone.

A highway worker found the submerged vehicle after noticing “a debris path” leading away from the highway toward Kennedy Lake, Sgt. Murray said.

The steep winding road from Tofino to Port Alberni is one of Vancouver Island’s most dangerous stretches of highway.

Mr. Strohmaier said the victims were a man and a woman with a combined 34 years of experience as paramedics. Their names were being withheld until authorities had contacted family members, he said late Tuesday.

“They were just a couple of ordinary people with a long record of life-saving service to the community.”

B.J. Chute, spokesman for the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C., said the union will do “whatever we can to help the families of the two paramedics through this tragedy.

“This is one of the saddest days in the history of the ambulance paramedic in B.C.” said Mr. Chute, who flew from Vancouver to Tofino on Tuesday afternoon to support grieving relatives and help plan the funerals.

While fatal accidents involving paramedics are rare, Mr. Chute noted that, including Tuesday’s deaths, five ambulance workers have died in the line of duty in past five years.

“It’s something that we as paramedics know, we do take risks to serve the public,” he said.

Mr. Strohmaier said the union will have “people on the ground working with Worksafe BC and the RCMP” as the investigation into the crash continues over the next several days.

He said the union hopes that anything learned “will guide us in ensuring this never happens again.”

However, Sgt. Murray said the cause of the crash may be difficult to pinpoint.

“We may never know, given that the only occupants on board have been found deceased,” he said.

The yellow hi-lites are mine.
Time for BC Ambulance to join the 21st Century and put GPS locators in the vehicles.

 

[Rafterman1]

Perhaps you knew them.

I thought I may have at first hearing the horrific news, I was wrong. 

 

[mariomike]

Time for BC Ambulance to join the 21st Century and put GPS locators in the vehicles.

I think they have it:
"BCAS also invested in an upgrade to in-vehicle technology, supplying GPS units for every ambulance in the BCAS fleet.":
http://www.bcas.ca/assets/About/PDFs/Annual%20Report.pdf
( page 8 )

Topic: 2 BCAS Paramedics killed near Tofino:
http://forums.milnet.ca/forums/threads/97139/post-981298/boardseen.html#new

 

[PuckChaser]

Definitely a sad incident. Condolences to the families.

 

[medicineman]

RIP folks...condolences to the families.

MM

 

[R933ex]

Condolences to the families. 

 

[mariomike]

"The B.C. Ambulance Service has identified two paramedics who died Tuesday when their ambulance plunged down a cliff into Kennedy Lake while driving back to Tofino after dropping a patient in Port Alberni. Jo-ann Fuller, 59, and Ivan Polivka, 65, of Tofino are seen in this undated photo."

I retired the month I turned 55. Not to say that age was a factor in these two LODD's, but due to the "physical, mental and emotional demands", the job takes a toll that becomes harder to ignore as you age:

2005
OTTAWA, ON - Today Members of Parliament recognized that paramedics should be included in the list of occupations defined in the Income Tax Act as "Public Safety Occupations" (PSO).
Police officers and fire fighters have been included in this designation since 1990. It is now recognized that the physical, mental and emotional demands placed on paramedics are of a similar nature.
"Paramedics work in uncontrolled and challenging environments everyday. Despite the obvious dangers to their health and safety paramedics continue to put themselves in harms way to do the best for some of the most vulnerable of our society-the sick and injured" said Paul Morneau, Chair of Government Relations for the Paramedic Association of Canada.
http://www.firehall.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2552

Memorial Service:
http://www.bcas.ca/assets/News/PDFs/857542%20EMSCC%20Poster%20format%20-%20Memorial%20Service%20for%20Jo-Ann%20Fuller%20and%20Ivan%20Polivka.pdf


"He ( Ivan ) was in the process of selling his house, with dreams of retiring and spending his days fishing at his cabin."

I am sure he is there right now. 


"Ivan and Jo-Ann were best friends so, in a sense, I'm happy they were together because it would of been too hard otherwise"

"Province mourns loss of paramedics, Campbell says: Our province mourns the loss of these two dedicated paramedics, and we offer our sympathy to their loved ones, their colleagues and their friends at this difficult time," the premier said in a written statement":
http://www.timescolonist.com/health/Province+mourns+loss+paramedics+Campbell+says/3704390/story.html

By Keven Drews TOFINO — Thousands of paramedics, firefighters and police from across Canada and Washington state are expected to attend a Nov. 6 memorial service for two fallen colleagues in this resort community on Vancouver Island’s west coast":
http://www.westcoaster.ca/tofino/10147-Thousands-Expected-Attend-Memorial-Service-For-Fallen-Tofino-Paramedics.html

 

[duke5307]

I have driven that highway before and it gets icy fast and it is wicked hard to see the ice when it forms. I have many friends with BCAS and none of them are having a good time lately. RIP

 

[mariomike]

The American College of Emergency Physicians ( 2002 )
"Occupational Fatalities in Emergency Medical Services: A Hidden Crisis:
"This study identifies an occupational fatality rate for EMS workers that exceeds that of the general population and is comparable with that of other emergency public service workers.":
http://home.gwu.edu/~mikeward/Maguire_OccupationalFatalities.pdf

"Emergency Medical Services: Unique Transportation Safety Challenge:
"the crash fatality rate for these EMS vehicles per mile traveled is estimated to be in excess
of 10 fold higher than that for heavy trucks. Additionally there are ambulance ‘wake
effect’ crashes, with rates in excess of five fold of the identified ambulance crash rates.":

"The rear patient compartment has been demonstrated in both
biomechanical and epidemiological studies to be the most dangerous part of the ground
ambulance vehicle with regards to vehicle occupants."

"There are also hazards to ground EMS providers at an emergency rescue scene, where they are at risk of being struck by a passing vehicle due to poor visibility."
http://www.objectivesafety.net/LevickTRB08-3010CD.pdf

"Use of technologies such as the electronic driver monitoring and feedback devices to optimize safe driving and vehicle handling has been demonstrated to be highly effective,"

 

[marshall sl]

Re: Memorial Service for Jo-Ann Fuller and Ivan Polivka

British Columbia Ambulance Service and the Ambulance Paramedics of British Columbia – CUPE 873 have made plans for an honours procession and memorial service to honour fallen paramedics Ivan Polivka and Unit Chief Jo-Ann Fuller who died in the line of duty on October 19, 2010.

The memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, November 6, 2010, at 1:00 pm (Pacific Standard Time) at the Wickaninnish Community School at 431 Gibson Street in Tofino, British Columbia.

The muster point for Honour Guard and uniform members and anyone wishing to be in the memorial procession will be at the school gymnasium no later than 12:00 noon.

 

[mariomike]

CTV
"Driver likely asleep when ambulance plunged into lake":
http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20101101/bc_paramedics_101101/20101101/?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

"Investigators strongly believe that Fuller, the unit chief, fell asleep and drove off the roadway while Polivka was sleeping in the passenger bay ( patient compartment) strapped to a gurney – but officials have yet to speak publically."

Highlight mine.

"But practice is often far different in remote communities, where partners often trade off long-distance driving duties while the other sleeps in the back."

"Investigators are now hoping the vehicle's black-box data recorder will help them piece together even more clues."

Former nurse Priscilla Lockwood rode with the pair hundreds of times, and described them as conscientious and safe.
"They were wonderful, warm people. You trusted them coming into your home at a time of great tragedy or great urgency. You knew they would give you their best and they did," Lockwood told CTV News.

 

[Rafterman1]

Memorial Procession for the Medics. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9EBLtTCkAo

 

[mariomike]

Interesting comment:
"So what if he was 65 years old. He was in better shape physically and mentally than most people I know. The only people who can afford to work for the ambulance service in this area are either retired or semi-retired.":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTVbQnG7Jf8&feature=related

I wonder what would have been said if a patient had gone into the lake with them.

Paramedics are a Public Safety Occupation PSO:

The purpose of the early retirement provisions for the public safety occupations is to protect the safety of the public and the health and safety of the women and men in those occupational groups.  The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency CCRA describes the reason for the provisions as follows: 

"The more generous early retirement eligibility criteria for public safety occupations recognize work situations where the limitations associated with ageing are common and have the potential to significantly endanger the safety of the general public. These special rules are intended to assist employers who, out of concern for public safety, wish to encourage or require employees in these occupations to retire early.”

Nov. 8, 2010
"Tribunal to rule on mandatory retirement issue":
http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Canada/20101108/air-canada-mandatory-retirement-101108/

"Hall says this particular case is being watched very closely by other federally-regulated bodies, some of which are already changing their policies to allow employees to work after previously imposed mandatory retirement ages."