B.J. Chute sits in his office at the ambulance station off Production Way.聽
Besides housing two ambulances and a disaster unit vehicle, the square building is a home away from home for the four full-time and 25 part-time paramedics. It鈥檚 8 a.m. on a Thursday, and there鈥檚 a hush around the station, as the night shift hunkers out the remaining hours before heading home. A typical schedule here slots for four days on and four days off.聽
鈥淚 think people are driven to the career because they want to help,鈥� Chute says. 鈥淚鈥檝e had a fascinating career.鈥�
Chute became a paramedic 22 years ago. He worked part-time in Pemberton for eight years before getting a full-time job in Vancouver, then, in 2010, moving to work in Squamish.聽
The 麻豆社国产paramedics cover calls coming from within an area from Furry Creek north to the salt sheds near the Orange Bridge on Highway 99.聽
鈥淕eographically, it鈥檚 a huge area,鈥� the unit chief says.
On average, the station responds to 3,500 calls per year. They deal with everything from transferring patients from 麻豆社国产General Hospital to the Lower Mainland to vehicle collisions on the highway.聽
麻豆社国产has the added element of outdoor recreation, which keeps the paramedics busy in the summer months, Chute says. Those athletes often tough out or downplay their injuries, he notes. 鈥淚 think there is a certain mindset of elite athletes.鈥�
Working as a paramedic is usually a behind-the-scenes job, Chute says. Paramedics are in and out of situations quickly. Once in a while, he鈥檒l get stopped at a coffee shop and thanked for work his team does.
鈥淲e do have people who get back to us and thank us,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t is nice to put the whole story together, to know what happened after the person was in the hospital.鈥�
麻豆社国产has a great group of first responders, Chute says. Seven of the station鈥檚 paramedics also volunteer with 麻豆社国产Search and Rescue (SAR). People enter the jobs because they are passionate about the community, Chute says.聽
Squamish鈥檚 small size means most of the firefighters, police officers, SAR volunteers and paramedics know one another, he adds. As such, it makes the processes on the job smoother, with each member understanding who is who and their strengths and weaknesses, Chute continues.
Chute鈥檚 team works under challenging conditions. They are a talented, dedicated crew, he says.
鈥淔or me, the best part of the job is working with the people I work with. I really do have a great team.鈥�
