Client: Announcements
Date: June 07, 2011

Last October, BC Ambulance Service (BCAS) lost two exceptional paramedics when their ambulance left the road at Kennedy Lake. Unit Chief, Jo-Ann Fuller and paramedic, Ivan Polivka and were respected paramedics, and BCAS will always miss their dedication and passion for the EMS profession.

Following this tragic incident, BCAS initiated a Major Incident Investigation Team (MIIT). The MIIT’s mandate was to examine any specific factors that may have contributed to the incident as well as to put forward recommendations intended to help prevent future events of a similar nature. The MIIT has concluded its report and BCAS would like to make this available.

No mechanical, individual employee or external factors could be found to have directly caused the accident. As a result, the MIIT determined that no clear cause of the accident could be found. While no one single cause was identified, it is the belief of the MIIT that a combination of factors may have ultimately contributed to the accident. It is important to note that at the time of writing this report BCAS/MIIT had not received the final reports from the BC Coroner’s Office or from WorkSafe BC. While these are independent investigations, it is not expected that these agencies’ reports will differ significantly from the MIIT findings.

The MIIT has put forward five recommendations to BCAS to help minimize the chance of a similar incident from occurring. These focus on highway risk awareness, as well as policies related to seat belt use and patient escorts during inter-facility transfers. The recommendations from this report will be made a priority for the executive of the Emergency and Health Services Commission and BCAS.

For More Information
Major Incident Investigation Team Report
Backgrounder: Recommendations of the MITT​