Paramedics relive responding to fatal Laval daycare bus tragedy last year

The tragedy that struck Laval one year ago when a city bus crashed into a daycare and two children were killed and six more were injured, not only impacted the community there and all Quebecers, but the day and scene have stayed with paramedics.

Urgences-santé quickly reacted to the call on February 8, 2023 at 8:03 a.m.

“We have a job to do,” says spokesperson and paramedic, Jean-Pierre Rouleau. “It’s always harder when kids are involved because you get emotional, it’s right into the heart.”

Nine ambulances and 18 paramedics were deployed along with several other staff of Urgences-santé.

“You run on adrenaline, on the call, you have to focus, you have to do what you have to do,” Rouleau said. “It’s after how you’re going to react once the adrenaline comes down.

Some people they’re just fine, they want to go back on the road and life goes and some others need therapy, some others need help, some others need time, depending on how you’re dealing with the case.”

Rouleau was on the ground on Feb. 8 supporting his colleagues. 

“We often think of the parents when we’re on scene, we put ourselves in their place and it makes the intervention more difficult, especially when we see a child not doing well,” he said.

Rouleau says paramedics are constantly exposed to tragedy, and the bus attack was among the more severe calls, as paramedics treated and transported children to hospitals in Laval and Montreal.

“It’s usually after the call that we give help to the paramedics and the medical dispatchers,” he said.

That day, a crisis center was set up for paramedics to receive psychological support.

“25 years ago, you were weak if you spoke about it, it was taboo,” he said. “Now, time’s have changed and we have to talk about it.”

Rouleau responded to the 2006 Dawson College shooting in Montreal when one student was killed and 19 others were injured.

“Every paramedic carries their history, their background, so we all had to live different situations,” he said. “We can’t erase what we’ve done, but we have to learn how to live with it.

The driver was charged with nine counts in connection to the daycare case, including two for first degree murder.

“The people of Laval, they’re with us in our thoughts even today and we offer our condolences,” says Rouleau.