By Daria Nowaczek and Karla Wilson
Frontline emergency response work takes quick thinking, resilience, and determination — even on an ordinary day. In British Columbia, we've faced several significant challenges in recent years, including mass casualty incidents, wildfires, floods, extreme heat events, and public health emergencies.
Each of these events has called for critical decisions and a strong commitment to helping others. Time and again, BCEHS employees have risen to the challenge, demonstrating their expertise, dedication, and care for the communities they serve. Their work is essential in making sure help is there when it's needed most.
This Paramedic Services Week, we are pleased to highlight BCEHS employees who have received the Chief Ambulance Officer’s Commendation for Excellence in Adversity, and to share just some of the amazing work done by BCEHS paramedics in recent years.
The Chief Ambulance Officer’s Commendation (CAO) for Excellence in Adversity was created in 2021. This special award celebrates BCEHS employees who go above and beyond, delivering outstanding service in the face of adversity.
Since 2021, more than 230 BCEHS employees have received this prestigious commendation, which includes a framed certificate, a letter placed in the employee’s personnel file, and a group or individual presentation. Soon, the CAO Commendation will also include commendation bars for each employee receiving it, both past and present.
Employees can be nominated for this commendation by their peers or by management.
On April 26, 2025 around 8:14 p.m., a black SUV drove through a pedestrian area at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in south Vancouver. Eleven people died, ranging in age from five to 65, and many more were injured.
Over 40 BCEHS units responded to the incident. This included 22 ambulances with primary care paramedics, 10 units with advanced care paramedics, critical care and infant transport team resources, link and referral units (units typically used for transporting patients with less urgent health needs who can walk on their own), multiple supervisors, operations directors and managers and equipment supply technicians.
The Vancouver Dispatch Centre coordinated the response, which included work by emergency medical dispatchers and call takers, provincial operations managers, the Clinical Hub, and Patient Transfer Network and Patient Transport Coordination Centre personnel.
The BCEHS employees who responded will receive a CAO Commendation for their response to this tragic incident.
On the early afternoon of Friday, June 21, 2024, 36 patients—most of them children—were involved in a school bus crash on Highway 97 near Lac la Hache, B.C.
BCEHS dispatched multiple resources, including 11 ambulances and response units with primary care and advanced care paramedics, seven air ambulances with critical care paramedics, and multiple supervisors and area managers, including some who responded in their personal vehicles.
Unfortunately, one patient died at the scene despite resuscitation efforts.
BCEHS crews transported seven patients to hospital via air ambulance and another seven via ground ambulance. Over 110 BCEHS employees helped with the swift and well-executed response to this incident and received a CAO Commendation. CAO Leanne Heppell also reached out personally to each of the recipients to express her gratitude.
On May 10, 2024, the Parker Lake wildfire was discovered outside of Fort Nelson. An evacuation order was issued for the area as the fire began to threaten the town of Fort Nelson, including its 4,000 residents, the Fort Nelson First Nation, Fort Nelson Hospital, and BCEHS Station 858.
Several station employees volunteered to stay and staff the station’s ambulances while additional ground resources were sent from the Peace region to relieve them. These employees responded to multiple 911 calls and worked with the Northern Health Authority to evacuate the hospital to the airport, where patients were transported to other sites by BCEHS air resources and Alberta Air.
By 3:00 a.m., the hospital and town were evacuated, and Station 858 employees traveled south to Fort St. John. These members truly went above and beyond in a very dynamic situation to ensure everyone was evacuated successfully.
On July 8 in Fort Nelson, several BCEHS employees were celebrated and honoured for their selfless efforts and service during the Fort Nelson wildfire evacuation event and received a CAO Commendation.
The commendations were presented on CAO Leanne Heppell’s behalf by Senior Executive Director Jenna Dietz and I/Director Jon Brnjas. The presentation was also attended by members of the BCEHS Honour Guard.
L to R: Mike Wright, Jenna Dietz, Lee Cook, Nathan Cook, Kyla Lynch, Matthew Porter, Noelle Strass, Jon Brnjas, Michael Lee
On July 18, Drew Patton received his commendation at Station 753 in Burns Lake.
L to R: Jon Brnjas, Brian Hobbins, Drew Patton, Cathy Scott
On December 24, 2022, a passenger bus crashed on Highway 97C between Merritt and Kelowna, killing four passengers and injuring dozens more.
The BCEHS response to this tragic Christmas Eve multi-casualty incident (MCI) required massive provincial teamwork, with close to 100 employees supporting the response. Ultimately, BCEHS assessed 47 patients on-scene and transported 43 to three hospitals for warming or care.
BCEHS held an event in February 2023 in Kelowna to recognize the many staff members involved in the response and to present them with CAO Commendations.
Director Jenna Dietz says that everyone involved was vital to BCEHS’ highly effective response to the difficult call.
“Saying I’m grateful and thankful to the team isn’t enough to summarize how proud I am—it's beyond words,” Dietz said. “It’s humbling to know that no matter what gets thrown at us here in the Interior, we can handle it as a team, and people are willing to step up and make sacrifices to answer the call for our community.”
Jenna emphasized that it takes great leadership and skill to respond to an MCI.
“The response ran exactly how it should, which is a huge testament to responders’ leadership, skills, and teamwork to organize an effective incident command system. Without those skills, it can be easy to get overwhelmed in a chaotic MCI environment.”
Chief Ambulance Officer, Leanne Heppell said the response to this MCI was nothing short of heroic.
“Our appreciation for those on shift attending the scene and those who answered the call to help is beyond measure,” she said. “While we all know that BCEHS provides care and support 24/7/365, it was especially heartbreaking to have this event happen on Christmas Eve, when many had hoped to be at home with their loved ones.”
In November 2021, BC was hit with an atmospheric river weather event that resulted in devastating flooding in various parts of the province. Twenty individuals were honoured as the first recipients of the CAO Commendation for their work as part of the HUSAR (Heavy Urban Search and Rescue) Task Force 1. These individuals waded through mud, overflowing ditches, and navigated flooded roads to provide medical care for patients.
The recipients were honoured at an event on February 16, 2023, in Vancouver.
These powerful examples show the unwavering courage and commitment of BCEHS employees across the province. Whether responding to natural disasters, mass casualty incidents, or urgent medical needs in remote areas, these individuals exemplify what it means to serve with heart, integrity, and professionalism. The CAO Commendation for Excellence in Adversity not only honours their efforts—it reminds us of the incredible strength found in teamwork and compassion under pressure.
