by Karla Wilson
On May 6, 2025 in Victoria, the sounds of marching boots and bagpipes filled the air at the B.C. Legislature as paramedics, families, and dignitaries gathered to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Fallen Paramedics Memorial. The ceremony paid tribute to the paramedics who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty and marked a decade since the monument’s unveiling.
The event was hosted by the Ambulance Paramedics of BC (APBC) and the 10-7 Association, a society dedicated to supporting retired paramedics.
In 2013, BCEHS, APBC, and the 10-7 Association formed the Fallen Paramedic Memorial Project Committee (FPMC) and started the application process to have a monument installed at the BC legislature. At this time, 10 BCEHS paramedics had lost their lives in the line of duty since the organization’s inception in 1974.
On November 12, 2013, the Speaker of the House at the time, Linda Reid, granted the FPMC permission to construct the memorial tribute. The Speaker’s office agreed to pay for the infrastructure to support the memorial, while BCEHS, APBC, and the 10-7 Association funded the black granite monument itself.
What followed was months of dedicated work. This included designing the memorial and obtaining permission from family members of the fallen paramedics to display their loved one’s name on the memorial.
The work to prepare the ground for the memorial on the Southeast lawn of the BC Legislature Grounds began on March 16, 2016 and involved weeks of labour including ground excavation, pouring concrete footings, forming and pouring a concrete pad to support the weight of the monument, and ensuring rods were in-place and structurally able to hold the 15,000-pound granite monument in-place.
In the process of readying the ground for the installation of the monument, a black wrist band was placed beneath the earth where the monument would eventually stand on behalf of all members, as a means of saying goodbye to the paramedics who have died in the line of duty. Many paramedics have worn these black wristbands over the years in honour of fallen colleagues.
In 2016, the monument travelled across the country from Quebec on a flatbed truck. The Quebec quarry that was selected was the only Canadian granite quarry that carried the rare black granite used for the monument. On April 29, 2015, a crane lifted the 15,000-pound block of carved and engraved granite from the truck and set it on to the prepared concrete on the legislature lawns.
Further preparations ensued for the unveiling of the monument just weeks later, including re-sodding the lawns around the monument, pouring additional concrete features, and setting up lighting to illuminate the monument at night.
On May 6, 2015 the Fallen Paramedics Memorial was officially unveiled in a ceremony dedicated to all BC paramedics in recognition of the challenging work they do.
May 6 was also proclaimed Fallen Paramedics Day in the Province of British Columbia.
Speaker Linda Reid, Leader of the Opposition John Horgan and Health Minister Terry Lake unveil the Fallen Paramedics Memorial monument on May 6, 2015.
On May 6, 2025 a crowd of uniformed personnel, retirees, families of the fallen, and invited guests gathered for a memorial service to honour the ten years since the unveiling of the Fallen Paramedics Memorial.
Among the key speakers at the event was the Honourable Josie Osborne, Minister of Health, who acknowledged the sacrifices made by paramedics and the essential role they play in the province’s healthcare system.
“I want to commend paramedics who continue to go above and beyond in serving people, and acknowledge specifically the support that was provided as a response to the tragic events of April 26 that occurred after the Lapu Lapu Day festival,” Minister Osborne said. “I want to acknowledge the paramedics who are here – with their names carved on this granite memorial behind me, who died in the line of service."
Following Minister Osborne, BCEHS Executive Vice President and Chief Ambulance Officer, Leanne Heppell delivered a heartfelt message reflecting on the courage and commitment of frontline paramedics.
"Today's event is to honour the ten-year anniversary of this memorial being unveiled," Heppell said. "Since 2015, on May the sixth, our colleagues have gathered here to pay tribute to paramedics who have lost their lives while in the service of others."
"As we have seen recently with the tragic events at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver, paramedics are often the first point of hope in times of crisis – and their professionalism and courage in the face of adversity is outstanding," she continued.
"These brave individuals choose this profession – and they do it with great pride."
Also addressing the attendees was Jason Jackson, President of the Ambulance Paramedics of BC, who spoke of the tight-knit paramedic community and the enduring legacy of those lost in the line of duty.
“Each name on this monument tells a story, and it’s a story of courage, dedication, and sacrifice,” Jackson said. “These were not just paramedics – they were also our colleagues. They were our friends and our family.”
The 10th anniversary event was also an opportunity to bring generations of paramedics together — from active frontline BCEHS staff to retirees who helped shape the organization.
At the 10th anniversary event, Chaplain John Lowe, representing the 10-7 Association, read the names of fallen paramedics. Lowe then delivered a benediction that reflected not only on grief, but also on the shared strength and resilience of the paramedic community.
A Wreath Laying Ceremony was carried out by representatives from BCEHS, APBC, and the 10-7 Association. The Last Post, bugled by retired BCEHS member Ron Jordan and retired firefighter Joe Fraser, echoed across the grounds, followed by the Piper’s Lament, played by David Hilder.
A moment of silence offered time for private reflection, which concluded with the playing of the Reveille. Then, the ceremony concluded with a rendition of "God Save the King".
For the 10th anniversary event, the 10-7 Association organized transportation from the Lower Mainland to allow greater access for retired paramedics and family members. Charter buses ferried attendees to and from the ceremony.
Although there have been no line-of-duty paramedic deaths in BC since 2010, the Fallen Paramedics Memorial stands as a permanent testament to past sacrifices of paramedics in our province, and as a symbol of ongoing awareness.
Though this year's event marked a significant milestone, organizers emphasized that remembrance is not limited to anniversaries. The legacy of BC’s fallen paramedics endures through both the physical presence of the memorial and the collective memory of those they served beside.
