Who we are, what we do

Bill McComb, EMR, Vehicle & Equipment Tech: 54 Years with AHS. As a teenager, I always had an interest in emergency services. While working for The City of Calgary as a labourer, a posting came out for "Emergency Vehicle Operators" in the fledgling Ambulance Division of the Calgary Fire Department. Qualifications? - Chauffeur's Driver's License (Class 4) and St. John's Ambulance First Aid Course! The job can be stressful, but we are here to help people in some of their darkest moments and the rewards can be tremendous! Helping people was always my goal as a Paramedic. As a supervisor, my goal was to support the frontline staff in that task, and it still is in my current role with BSOS (Business Systems and Operations Support). A couple of moments in my 54-year career stand out for me. One, a long time Paramedic once told me that his motivation to become a paramedic stemmed from watching me look after his father who suffered from frequent severe seizures. He said my calm and reassuring manner was an inspiration which led him into his paramedic career. Two, on another occasion, a senior Paramedic told me how I had restored his self-confidence when he was considering dropping out of his student practicum. It was at the scene of a serious motor vehicle collision when he approached me, identified himself as a student paramedic and asked if he could be of assistance. Without hesitation, I assigned him to look after a carload of 4 serious patients. Years later, he said that inspired him to carry on with his (very successful) career.