Just a week after Matt Anderson successfully completed his paramedic licensing exam he was practically bursting to talk about the possibilities that come with his training at the Justice Institute of British Columbia (91¶¶Ňő).
After all, as the lone certified paramedic in Moricetown, a village in Central BC halfway between Smithers and Hazelton, he and a licenced Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) were to be the main regular providers of health care to the approximately 800 residents.
It was yet another role in the community for Matt, who is also a high school teacher for at-risk youth, the town’s driving instructor, one of 12 members of its volunteer fire department, and one of only two certified EMRs.
As a first responder, he said, “It’s 24/7. I have a radio on me and I just go when I’m called.”
The town’s fire chief asked him to become the fire department’s “medical guy” because no one else wanted to do it. In a First Nations community, the close knit nature and location can often result in Indigenous firefighters and first responders attending to emergencies involving their own families. This can lead to some uncomfortable situations, unique to a small community. Matt, however, is one of the few non-Indigenous residents, from a family that’s called Moricetown home for almost 40 years.
He agreed to the role, was trained in Occupational First Aid Level 1 and enjoyed it so much he started thinking about becoming a paramedic. He attended 91¶¶Ňő to get his EMR certification and eventually community leaders agreed they wanted him to pursue further training.
I just loved it. I ate that program up ... The instructors in Chilliwack are phenomenal and I hear that from everyone. Really great course
His school supervisor and the fire chief both gave him leaves of absence so he could go through the eight-month process of training for the Primary Care Paramedic Certificate at 91¶¶Ňő’s Chilliwack campus and completing the licensing requirements; the Moricetown Volunteer Fire Department and the Kyah Wiget Education Society he works for helped cover some of the costs; and the Moricetown Band is also behind him.
The 91¶¶Ňő training was everything he’d hoped.
“I just loved it. I ate that program up. I loved the instructors. The instructors in Chilliwack are phenomenal and I hear that from everyone. Really great course.”
His training has been invaluable to residents of his hometown, which is about 20 minutes away from the nearest hospitals in Smithers and Hazelton.
With his EMR training, Matt recalled, he could, for example, help heart attack victims with simple interventions such as providing oxygen, Aspirin and nitro. He knew the proper protocol, basic things like keeping them warm, and positioning them properly.