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LETTER: Awful, hopeful random event showed Williams Lake’s best side

We stopped in your beautiful park behind the recreation centre
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Editor;

My wife and I were passing through your fair city the afternoon of Sunday, Aug. 14. As is our habit when on a long drive it was time for a walk and as many times before we stopped in your beautiful park behind the recreation centre.

As we pulled up a young lady ran over to our vehicle from the picnic shelter that was directly in front of us, in a state of panic. One of her friends, there were five with her, had collapsed on the floor of the shelter from an overdose of something. It wasn’t clear from any of the group exactly what he had taken. I don’t carry a naloxone kit in the car nor do I have any formal medical training, though I feel I can perform CPR. As I was talking to 911 ambulance dispatch fortune smiled on the young man when a local gentleman and his wife out for a walk came up. He happened to have level three first aid certification. The fellow on dispatch said that help was on the way and that he would stay on the phone until they arrived.

Help did come in the form of a local RCMP constable, and dispatch signed off.

The man with first aid was assessing and helping the barely conscious fellow. It was mentioned in the conversation taking place between the constable and him that there was no ambulance available. The young man had to be transported to the hospital. Our small SUV was not adequate, the one RCMP vehicle wasn’t either. The constable radioed for backup and when the larger unit arrived they carefully placed the collapsed fellow in the unit to head for the hospital.

I wish to commend the officers for their polite demeanour and considerate, pragmatic handling of the situation. They were nothing but concerned with the young fellow. The man with the first aid certification was thorough, thoughtful and focused.

It was both an awful and hopeful random event that highlighted the best and the saddest aspects of all of our communities, that Sunday afternoon yours showed it’s very best.

Grant and Elizabeth Harris,

Smithers



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