Family delivers special thank-you to paramedics

A pair of Saskatoon paramedics got a chance to enjoy the results of their work on Friday.

Luc Duvall and Tom Barbier got a visit from Samantha Warren and her twin sons, five-year-olds Aiden and Kayden.

The family came to MD Ambulance’s Michael Dutchak Center to visit the two paramedics and take a tour of the ambulance bay at the facility.

Duvall and Barbier were called out to pick Warren up just outside of Langham back in 2011. Warren had started going into labour in North Battleford. Hospital workers there told her they thought she’d have plenty of time to get to a delivery room in Saskatoon.

But Aiden had other plans. Warren’s labour progressed rapidly as she was on her way into the city. By the time she was outside Maymont, she called her mom for help — that led to the call to MD Ambulance.

Duvall said he’ll never forget the call. First responders had met Warren near Langham. So Duvall knew he and Barbier were headed to an imminent birth. He also knew the babies were premature, which is common with twins. But there was more. Aiden was a breech birth — meaning he was coming out feet-first, a situation which can dramatically increase complications.

Duvall said he and Barbier quickly worked out a plan, then headed out to pick Warren up as fast as they could. Barbier drove as Duvall prepared equipment in the back of the ambulance.

Warren said she remembered being terrified as she was waiting for the ambulance to arrive.

“I remember getting the IV and I remember them telling me: ‘I think we’ll make it to Saskatoon,’ but nope — there was no waiting at all,” she said.

Duvall and Barbier had to deliver Aiden parked on the side of the highway. Kayden would arrive about 45 minutes later in hospital.

On Friday, Warren said she wanted to bring the boys by to say thanks. She said people often talk to Aiden about the circumstances of his birth, and she wanted the boys to get a better idea of just how lucky they were to make it into the world.

“So I definitely thought it would be a good idea for them to actually see, instead of just hearing what people say, to experience this. So hopefully they can remember it when they’re older,” she said.

Duvall said meeting the boys was a special moment for him. He said it’s rare for a paramedic to get to find out what happened with a patient after they left the ambulance.

“To me that’s huge. It brings the bad moments away and brings in the positive moments and keeps you going with a big smile on the next call,” he said.

Barbier said he got into being a paramedic to help bring calm to situations that can seem out-of-control. He said he hopes a chance to climb through the ambulance that saved their lives might convince the boys to think of becoming paramedics themselves.

“I can’t wait to see them in, say, another ten years when they’re in high school and stuff like that, and see what kind of men they’ve become,” he said.

Friday was the last day of a nationwide celebration of Paramedics Week.