By Tyler Marr

Ambulance struck by impaired driver

May 19, 2017 | 8:54 AM

Usually attending the scene of an accident, Parkland Ambulance was involved in one themselves over the weekend.

On May 14, an ambulance was en route to the Victoria Hospital around 3:18 a.m. on Highway 55 with a cardiac patient when an impaired driver operating a vehicle with no head lights on, driving on the wrong side of the road and collided with the ambulance.

No one was seriously injured in the incident and Prince Albert Police Service are investigating.

“Thankfully our staff reacted quickly,” Lyle Karasiuk, director of public relations said. “We are not immune to these collisions and the tragedies.”

Both paramedics were back to work within days. Support and resources will be provided to the paramedics involved in the collision.

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Karasiuk commended the quick thinking and skills of the paramedic who was driving for turning what could have been a tragedy into a minor collision.

He also wanted to do drive home the point how poor decisions can have dire consequences.

“That is what alcohol collisions do. They change your life. I don’t know what it takes to make people understand and get the message,” he said. “This example illustrates to us, that if you have the ability to make a smart choice and don’t drink and drive…please do it.”

The last time the organization faced a significant accident was in the early 1990’s, according to Karasiuk. 

“We are fortunate there was no loss of life. This could have easily been a head-on collision and this could have easily resulted in loss of life…and much worse than a vehicle being fixed.”

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr