by Cindy Leung & Karla Wilson
Located at the Number 1 Fire Hall on Johnson Street, the new annex provides ambulance crews with a lounge area as well as dedicated space to house two ambulances indoors. Annex 118 was previously located in leased hotel space in James Bay behind the BC Legislature.
“This place connects two services that work side by side, every day saving lives,” said Bowen Osoko, BCEHS manager, media relations and issues management.
At the grand opening on July 25, 2024, elder Rose Henry gave a blessing and sang a warriors’ song to lead attendees into the new annex. The song references: "Those of us on the front lines, we are like bears - running to fight the injustice.”
Chief Ambulance Officer, Leanne Heppell, Chief Quality, Planning and Coordination officer, Paul Vallely, and BCEHS board member Colleen Austin, joined several members of the Vancouver Island leadership for the grand opening, which featured a beautiful ambulance replica cake and an opportunity to check out the original 1968 Pontiac Bonneville ambulance that was in service with BC Ambulance in Cranbrook from 1968 to 1980!
As part of the celebrations, attendees also watched a special presentation to recognize three bystanders and an off-duty paramedic for their heroic actions during a cardiac emergency on May 28, 2024, in Victoria.
BCEHS Vital Link Awards were presented to three Thrifty Foods co-workers: Velda Shorsky, Alice Chee, and Kurtis Francis, for helping their colleague, Yulia Diachuk, after she suffered a cardiac arrest at the Quadra Street location. Velda called for first aid when she found Yulia unresponsive. Alice, the assistant manager, immediately called 911 and Kurtis, the store manager, retrieved the automated external defibrillator (AED).
Primary care paramedic Roland Wauthy, who was in the store and off duty at the time,
rushed over to help and began CPR after introducing himself as a paramedic. He continued providing CPR and used the AED before BCEHS crews arrived. He received a Chief Ambulance Officer commendation and a challenge coin for his life-saving actions.
“To be able to save a person’s life is truly a gift and you are all heroes,” said Leanne. “We want to teach children, adolescents and adults about the importance of learning CPR and the importance of using automated external defibrillators that are in the community. These are lifesaving tools.”
“And a big thanks to all the paramedics, dispatchers and the whole team who are involved in these life-saving events every single minute of the day across British Columbia,” she added.
In Victoria, BCEHS has a Central Reporting Station (Station 140) on Douglas Street and operates four annexes in Victoria, Saanich and Esquimalt to provide maximum coverage in the Capital Region. Paramedics start and finish their shifts at the Central Reporting Station until they and their ambulances are temporarily assigned to one of the Annexes (Annex 118 in downtown Victoria, 127 in Esquimalt, 121 in Royal Oak or 125 in Gordon Head).
Annex 118 has been operational since May 1, 2024.
