Sask. paramedics work to send medical supplies to Ukraine

(Lisa Risom/CTV News)

Prince Albert -

Members of the paramedic community are raising money for medical supplies to help people injured by war in Ukraine.

“If you don’t have the proper equipment to try and save lives, there’s only so much you can do. I know that they’re improvising with whatever they have now,” said organizer and CEO and owner of Parkland Ambulance Care Ltd. Trevor Dutchak.

He says the Ukrainian government notified the international community that their supplies are running low.

The Sask-Ukraine Trauma Kits 500 Project (TK-500) aims to help. The goal is to send 500 fully stocked trauma kits to Ukraine to treat people injured by missile fire and other acts of war.

The trauma kits will be made in Canada and contain quick-clot badges, gauze, blast bandages, decompression needles, burn bundles, chest seals, tourniquets, warming blankets, stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs.

“It will have all the things needed to deal with a trauma situation. It will be the same kind of kit that our tactical paramedics would carry that work with (police),” Trevor Dutchak said.

The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and chamber organizations across the province are supporting the cause by making their members aware of the TK-500 fundraiser.

“We’ve got businesses that are talking about purchasing ten at a time,” said organizer Dave Dutchak.

Individuals can also donate.

“We are hoping people can look to their family. So for me, I have a family of four, we’ll look to donate four bags,” said Trevor.

“We’re very fortunate and blessed to be living in Canada and so if we can give back to the people of Ukraine who aren’t so fortunate at this time, it’s one thing we can do to help them.”

The Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Saskatchewan (UCC-Sask) is collecting money for the TK-500 project on its website.

UCC-Sask will work with their international contacts to ensure the safe delivery of the trauma kits to civilian and military medics in Ukraine.

“They have the direct contacts in Ukraine, so that partnership is critical,” Dave said.

The campaign was started by the Dutchak family. They are of Ukrainian heritage and have ties to the ambulance industry.

“There’s many reasons why we’re involved in this and we’re just very proud to help the brave people in Ukraine,” Dave said.

He is a member of the Saskatchewan Ukraine Relations Advisory Committee and worked on a similar project in 2016 that sent 14 used ambulances and trauma kits to Ukraine.

The ambulances were donated by ambulance companies in Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.