by Karla Wilson
Carson Smith’s lifelong dedication to emergency medical services shaped the growth of the BC Ambulance Service – now known as BCEHS – and became one of the most respected people in the development of the B.C. ambulance system.
Known for his commitment, compassion, and strong leadership, Carson Smith's influence stretched far beyond the medical protocols and emergency procedures he helped develop. To many, he was a guiding light in the world of emergency health services—a man whose service went beyond the call of duty.
In addition to his professional achievements, Carson’s legacy is also profoundly personal. His niece, Marilynn Turner, says he inherited his desire to help others from his own mother and father. His great niece, Emergency Medical Call-Taker Amy Flannigan of the Langford Dispatch Operations Centre, remembers him as a great uncle who taught her lessons of courage, compassion, and commitment, both in life and in his work.
“I held such admiration for him growing up and loved hearing his stories,” Amy says. “I think he probably helped direct my decisions to become involved in emergency service work — and I even named my daughter after him,” Amy says.
Carson Smith was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on August 15, 1927. His mother, whose maiden name was Carson, taught in a one-room schoolhouse. His father was an accountant who also served in the Canadian army during WWI and in the air force during WWII, where he was assigned to the accounting department. When Carson was 12 years old, he and his family, which included five other siblings, moved to Vancouver.
When Carson graduated high school in 1945, he wanted to become a doctor. He started taking pre-med classes at UBC while working part-time with Kingsway Ambulance Service, one of Vancouver's private ambulance companies, to pay for his education.
Carson Smith delivering a baby while working for Kingsway Ambulance in 1947
When Carson graduated from UBC, the university didn’t have a Faculty of Medicine, and he was unable to enter one of Canada’s few other medical schools. In 1949, Carson joined Kingsway Ambulance Service full-time and eventually became a partner in the business. He was determined to turn Kingsway into the best ambulance company in the province.
During his time with Kingsway Ambulance, Carson standardized medical training for attendants, pursued innovations in equipment, and explored vehicle modifications to create a better environment for employees and patients. This led to Kingsway's growth, mergers with other ambulance companies, and eventually the creation of Metropolitan Ambulance — the largest privately owned ambulance service in B.C.
L to R: Carson Smith, Joan Pedersen (patient), and Walter McLauchlan of Kingsway Ambulance in 1952.
In 1973, the NDP government commissioned Dr. Richard Foulkes to take on a comprehensive review of the province's health care services. One of the recommendations from this review was that ambulance care should become a provincial government service. Dr. Foulkes hired Dr. Peter Ransford to form the Emergency Medical Services Commission (EMSC) and establish an ambulance service that would standardize medical care, training and equipment throughout the province. Dr. Ransford then enlisted Carson Smith, with his wealth of knowledge of emergency health services, to join him at the EMSC and lead the technical side of the Commission's mandate.
Carson visited ambulance operations in the United States and in Britain to understand best practices in emergency pre-hospital care, and used what he learned to help create the BC Ambulance Service. Years later, Dr. Ransford referred to 'JC' as the "genius" behind the provincial ambulance service.
As the BC Ambulance Service expanded in the 1980s and 1990s, Carson’s role within the organization grew, too. His work was instrumental in making sure that every paramedic in the province received the same high standard of education, regardless of where they worked.
The BC Ambulance Service underwent significant transformations during Carson’s tenure. Originally, the ambulance service operated in a much more fragmented and less regulated system, with varying standards across regions. Carson’s work helped bridge the gaps and introduce a more unified approach to emergency medical services.
One of Carson’s major contributions was his role in the integration of advanced life support (ALS) protocols. This system allowed paramedics to perform more advanced medical interventions in the field, giving patients a better chance of survival before reaching the hospital.
For many, Carson Smith was more than just a colleague or supervisor—he was a mentor, a guide, and a friend. His natural ability to teach and encourage others left a lasting impact on those who worked with him. His leadership went beyond the technical aspects of emergency health services; he was known for his compassionate approach to guiding others.
Amy recalls that her great uncle Carson had a remarkable ability to teach.
“He loved helping people find their way,” she says, reflecting on the lasting impact he had not only professionally, but also personally.
Carson found escape from the pressures of work on Gambier Island, where he and two friends had purchased a waterfront property at the entrance to Centre Bay.
“My family started going over there in the sixties and we started going when I was probably eight years old – visiting with him,” she recalls. “He was always so smart and so knowledgeable on all kinds of topics. He was so intriguing to listen to, and got my brother and I interested in a lot of different things. We listened to old radio shows for entertainment because there was no TV, and he always had a project for us. He really was an influence.”
Gerry (Amy Flannigan’s brother), Carson Smith, Amy Flannigan in 1985 at their uncle Carson’s birthday party on Gambier Island
Amy’s memories of her great uncle are filled with admiration and fondness. While Carson was a figure of authority and expertise in the professional realm, to Amy, her uncle Carson was a man who always made time for her, her brother and their interests.
Amy speaks about how, after a lengthy career in law enforcement, she decided to transition into emergency services. She says the opportunity to work for BCEHS felt like a natural continuation of the family legacy, connecting her to Carson's years of service in the field.
“I started off with a course called public safety communications and worked for the police for 16 years,” she says. “After I had my daughter, I took a break, but when I came back, I saw BCEHS was hiring, and I thought, ‘Wouldn’t that be a nice circle—someone else [in the family] going to work for the service?’”
She also speaks proudly of her role at the Langford Dispatch Operations Centre.
“My family is proud of the work that I do, and they know I’m helping people every time I go into work,” Amy says.
Carson’s niece, Marilynn Turner, is the eldest of Carson and his siblings’ 16 nieces and nephews. She and Carson were close, and she remembers him with great fondness.
“When we were on Gambier, he was always working on projects and so on. We’d go over and visit him. He listened to BBC classical music and opera in the evenings.”
Marilynn says her uncle was very serious and hard-working but also had an excellent sense of humour.
“He was very much married to the business,” she says. “One story I recall is that he told his mom that he had a dinner date with a nurse one night. He came home and got all gussied up and he was back home not long after. When Grandma asked him about the date, he said: ‘Well, that was supposed to be last night.’ So, there went that relationship!”
“One of the stories he told had to do with one of the drivers,” she continues. “They used to pair up different drivers, and one time one of the drivers asked for a different partner. Carson was curious and so he dug a bit deeper to find out what was going on. His staff member replied: ‘The fellow that’s driving – every time we race through an intersection, he closes his eyes.” I guess a switch was made and this guy that closed his eyes was reminded: ‘You still need to see!’”
By combining his business mind with his joie de vivre, Marilynn says success for Carson was inevitable.
“He came across very businesslike but inside that, as with all his siblings, they all had a good sense of humour. Being one of six kids and growing up during the depression, it was habit forming – there were things you needed to take care of in your lifetime, but we were born into a thoughtful, caring, intelligent family of fun-loving people.”
A family gathering on Gambier Island in 1992 for Carson Smith’s 65th birthday
In 1982, Carson retired as the Executive Director of BC Ambulance Service and moved full-time to Gambier, where he was frequently joined by family and friends. Marilynn Turner says her uncle had a great deal of pride in his work, and that his residence on Gambier Island was decorated with a variety of plaques and awards in recognition of his work with BCEHS.
In recent years, BC Emergency Health Services has expanded and modernized its approach to providing emergency medical care. Carson’s focus on education, training, and patient-centered care remains at the heart of the service's philosophy.
His legacy is also evident in the commitment to support and train the next generation of paramedics, a cause he was passionate about.
Reflecting on Carson’s career and lasting impact, Amy believes that he would be proud to see how the service has evolved since his time, and how his contributions continue to shape and influence emergency services for years to come.
On December 31, 2021, Carson Smith passed away in Gibsons, B.C. at the age of 94.
His legacy is one of service, compassion, and dedication. Through his work with BC Ambulance Service, now BC Emergency Health Services, Carson helped shape the future of emergency care in British Columbia.
The BC Ambulance Service 10-7 Association, comprised of retired members of the service, funds two educational bursaries each year – one of which is in the name of Carson (J.C.) Smith. The bursaries are open to the children, grandchildren or any other direct relative of any member of the Association.
“He happened to be there when one of the young recipients received the bursary and it was presented,” Marilynn Turner says. “He was very pleased to have that honour bestowed on him and to know it was going to help further the careers of other paramedics as well.”
Carson Smith’s commitment to others, his passion for education, and his nurturing spirit continue to inspire both his colleagues and his family. His legacy endures, carried forward in the work of those who knew him and the service he helped build.
Carson Smith on the boat he used as transport to and from Gambier Island
