(AGENPARL) – Tue 01 April 2025 City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:
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News Release
April 1, 2025
City of Toronto honours 44 new Toronto Paramedic Service graduates, awards Long Service Medals to staff
Today, Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Davenport), Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee and Bikram Chawla, Chief, Toronto Paramedic Services (TPS), welcomed 44 new Primary Care Paramedics and Emergency Telecommunicators to the City of Toronto. The ceremony also saw four TPS staff members awarded Long Service Medals and Bars.
The graduates who completed comprehensive orientation and training programs include 33 Primary Care Paramedics and 11 Emergency Telecommunicators.
TPS is staffed by skilled paramedics who provide 24-hour pre-hospital emergency treatment that can make the difference between life and death for ill or injured individuals.
Telecommunicator staff at the TPS Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC) are a critical link between the community and paramedic-based health care. The CACC receives 9-1-1 calls, triages them and dispatches the appropriate resources to respond to emergency situations.
Emergency Medical Dispatchers and Call Takers provide immediate life support instructions using an accredited call triage system and telecommunications technology that ensure people in need have timely access to emergency medical resources.
As part of today’s ceremony, four Long Service Medals and Bars were awarded to dedicated TPS staff with a minimum of 12 years of service, with each additional 10 years of service being recognized with a Bar.
Quotes:
“Congratulations to the Toronto Paramedic Services graduates who will become essential additions to the City’s frontline emergency services. We appreciate your dedication to the health and safety of our residents and visitors. I am honoured as well to recognize Long Service Medal recipients, and acknowledge your admirable commitment to public service.”
– Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Davenport), Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee
“The dedication, compassion and expertise of all Toronto Paramedic Services staff help ensure calls for emergency medical assistance are met with a swift, compassionate and skilled response. I’m thrilled to welcome today’s graduates to our team of compassionate and dedicated professionals, who ensure the health and safety of Torontonians, every day. It is also an honour to recognize the recipients of the Long Service Medals and Bars. Thank you for going above and beyond in your commitment to public service.”
– Bikram Chawla, Chief, Toronto Paramedic Services