Muskoka Paramedic Jerry Barnes is retiring and as his work ends on this, his last day, he’s looking back on a vibrant, rewarding career.
Barnes has been a Muskoka Paramedic for just over 50 years.
The 69-year-old remembers many high points, one of which was watching the overall progression of ambulance care.
“Now we’re doing all kinds of different procedures and we are truly making a significant difference,” he says. “So I think that’s the greatest accomplishments here.”
One of the most rewarding calls out of the many he’s helped respond to was a truck accident south of Gravenhurst.
“From a personal point of view, the one call that has always stood out in my mind for the years was many years ago we had a truck accident south of Gravenhurst and the trucker was pinned inside the truck and the truck was on fire and we were able to rescue that man from that burning truck and it took us over six hours to extricate him from the wreckage,” says Barnes. “And that gentleman went on to live a long and productive life so that was a real ego boost for me.”
But it’s the average daily calls that are the ones that make the biggest difference overall, he says.
“The calls that make the biggest difference are those simple little calls that we often call the routine calls,” says Jerry. “You know, the one where we are taking grandma to a hospital for a procedure or for a blood transfusion… And she’s scared and confused and we can offer a little bit of comfort and compassion and make that just a little bit easier for that person and their family – those are the calls that truly make the difference.”
Barnes plans to enjoy retirement with his wife Krisztina, who is a 911 dispatcher and his five children.
The couple has a small farm and Jerry will be tending to his horses and working the land for the immediate future.
Thank you to Muskoka Custom Lawn Greetings for the sign to celebrate Jerry's last day, and 50 years as a #paramedic! pic.twitter.com/AEtVSMvVpJ
— Muskoka Paramedics (@MuskokaPS) April 15, 2021