Recently someone died in our backyard. He did not die alone; our neighbour and his two-and three-year-old grandsons, the staff and customers from both our stores and 12 to 14 RCMP, firefighters and ambulance personnel were there to see him on his way.
It was on “Welfare Wednesday,” or “carnival” to many.
This man’s life ended surrounded by drug paraphernalia on the cold and wet gravel, partially hidden by plywood from a recent renovation and the equipment the firefighters and ambulance paramedics used fighting to bring him back to life.
This was not a celebration of life; there were no smiles or laughter remembering the good times. There were only the grim faces of the emergency service providers who went about their jobs dealing with their own emotions and knowing at any moment another call could dispatch them to a similar scenario and they would once again have to step up to the challenge.
A yellow tarp was draped over the deceased and the group of men and women slowly packed up and left, leaving behind a ball cap and a shoe showing from under the tarp. The man had to wait again for his next “trip” in the back of the coroner’s van.
We are lucky to have these emergency response people, whose jobs must on some days feel like they are going around in circles. Their job is no “carnival.”
Perhaps we should take some time to reflect on the job that is done by emergency services first responders in Surrey – the paramedics, the police and the firefighters that seldom take the awards and accolades home with them, instead they take the memories like those above with them, memories that in the most part we the public never see because of those men and women who dedicate their lives to help others.
For the job you did yesterday and the job you will do today: thank you.
Pete Nichol
