The Russian invasion of Ukraine has hit ordinary Ukrainians hard, and Parkland Ambulance in Prince Albert hopes to help out in their time of need.
Parkland Ambulance is part of the Sask-Ukraine TK-500 Project where they collect trauma kits for Ukraine. Parkland Ambulance owner Trevor Dutchak said this will get medical supplies to those who desperately need the help now.
“I just think of all of the poor people that are in Ukraine and that are not as fortunate as we are in Canada,” Dutchak said.
Dutchak said family connections also played a role. His uncle, Dave Dutchak, formerly ran MD Ambulance and was instrumental in founding the “Ambulances to Ukraine” project in 2016. That project sent 14 ambulances from across Canada to Ukraine, but Trevor said they felt like they had to do something more to help Ukrainians.
Their response was to start collecting trauma kits and send them to Ukraine.
“These kits are built on what we would use for our practical paramedic that works alongside the SWAT Teams,” Dutchak explained. “Tese bags are built with quick clot combat gauze and blast bandages and decompression needles and burn bundles and chest seals and tourniquets. This is all built for what they could come across.”
He added that they would do anything they could to help out the medical community in Ukraine.
“There are shortages and the Ukrainian authority have reached out globally for medical equipment and supplies. We thought if we can help out, this is certainly our way,” Dutchak said.
The idea was also inspired by the success of the 2016 project which sent one decommissioned ambulance from Prince Albert among the 14 ambulances to Ukraine.
“They were just so thankful and so appreciative to receive these ambulances that we had decommissioned,” Dutchak said. “For them, they were just fantastic ambulances and when you see how much they appreciate that you want to help them out that much more.”
Partners in the project include the Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Saskatchewan (UCC-Saskatchewan), Saskatchewan Ukraine Relations Advisory Committee (SURAC), SANDS Medical of Brockville, Ontario, The Dutchak-St. Onge-Woytiuk Families and all Chambers of Commerce across the Province.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress will be looking after logistics and payment side.
“When you go on and do that donation of $500, then this Ukrainian Council will get the bag and it will be shipped over to Ukraine,” Dutchak said. “They have areas that are already looking for bags to be deployed.”
Parkland is asking residents to consider contributing towards the cost of purchasing one, two, three or five trauma bags to be sent to Ukraine. Each bag costs $500.00. To contribute online go to www.ucc.sk.caor call UCC Saskatchewan at 1-888-652-5850.
michael.oleksyn@paherald.sk.ca
