Paul Hills likely won’t forget Sunday’s tragic crash north of Saskatoon.

The advanced care paramedic was the first paramedic on scene of the Highway 11 collision, which killed a family of four.

“Words can’t really explain sort of what we went through and what the family is going to go through,” Hills said.

According to RCMP, the family of four were in a car that was struck by an SUV crossing Highway 11 at Wanuskewin Road early Sunday.

Jordan Van De Vorst, 34, and his wife, Chanda Van De Vorst, 33, were pronounced dead at the scene. Their two-year-old son, Miguire, died later in hospital, and police confirmed Monday the couple’s five-year-old daughter, Kamryn, also died.

“When you walk up to the vehicle you can never really fully comprehend or expect what you are going to see,” said Hills, who works with MD Ambulance.

“This was an exceptionally hard tour for our crew. They rose to the occasion but, at the end of it, I know it really wore down a lot of the guys on the streets.”

MD Ambulance offers anonymous counselling services to staff and is working to create an environment where employees feel comfortable discussing issues that weigh on them. Asking for help used to be seen as a weakness among paramedics, according to MD spokesperson Troy Davies.

“Now we’ve taken large steps to creating that culture where it’s okay. It’s okay to come forward,” said Davies.

Psychologist Dennis Coates, who works with emergency workers, said the earlier someone seeks help with post-traumatic stress disorder, the better.

“It’s just impairing them — their joy, their satisfaction, their well-being — in their career and in their life.”

Hills said speaking with family, friends and co-workers helps. Still, he knows there are things he’s experienced he’ll likely never be able to talk about.

The job’s tragedies aren’t things he gets used to, he said. They are just things he learns to deal with.

Catherine Loye McKay, 49, of Saskatoon has since been charged with four counts of impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing death in connection with the crash.

--- based on a report by CTV Saskatoon's Angelina Irinici