Shantel has been a paramedic for almost 10 years now. Her and her team starts each shift doing their daily unit checks to ensure their ambulances are ready to respond to emergency calls with all their necessary equipment. Her team spends their spare time refining their medical skills by completing professional development through online modules, skill station & scenario testing. If they have a slower day they take advantage by unwinding and trying their best to keep things light and airy when not on medical calls.
She became interested in the first responder role in Grade 10 while taking a first aid and CPR course that was offered at her high school. It wasn’t until 2010 when her cousin was killed by a drunk driver that she applied to take the Primary Care Paramedic program at SIAST; She remembers feeling angry and sad that he tragically died alone. She knew from that day forward that she wanted to be a small peace of mind for the parents/siblings/family/friends who won’t be there when their loved one passes on due to tragedy or natural causes. After being a Primary Care Paramedic for 5 years, Shantel knew she wanted to do more. So she enrolled in the Advance Care Paramedic program offered at Saskatchewan Polytechnic to enhance her skill set and provide more lifesaving skills to all the patients she continues to care for. She is also an instructor for First Aid/CPR and First Responders, as well as, a car seat technician with SGI for the past 7 years.
COVID 19 has definitely changed their day to day job requirements, it has become a lot more taxing on them as emergency responders, with all the added personal protective equipment required to keep their patients and themselves safe. This is a different type of stress level they are dealing with on a daily basis and the fatigue they feel can be overwhelming at times.
Shantel has experienced many touching moments that make her job so rewarding; nothing is as rewarding as delivering babies in their home, the back of her ambulance or the front seat of a vehicle. It truly is one of her favourite calls to respond to.
Shantel would like to bring awareness to their personal safety as emergency medical responders. They often face unsafe environments; especially while out on the highway. She would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that as paramedics they love what they do; they respond to emergency calls 24hrs a day, 7 days a week but they would like to go home to their loved ones after their shifts, so please slow to 60km while passing ALL emergency services vehicles and stay home when the weather is dangerous.
Shantel would like to send out a heartfelt thank-you to all residents of Moose Jaw and the surrounding communities that they serve each and every day. They are humbled to be the ones you look to in your time of need. They appreciate your constant support. Stay Safe, Stay Healthy.
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