By Adam Frisk
For some people, 30 years on the job may feel like a lifetime, but for Haliburton County Paramedic Service Chief Mike Slatter, it felt like it went by in the blink of an eye.
“There’s no way I’ve been doing it that long, but I have,”Slatter said with a laugh in a recent telephone interview. “I’ve always loved this profession.”
The chief is approaching 33 years on the job and was recently among 49 Ontario paramedics who received the Governor General Emergency Medical Services Exemplary Service Medal bars for providing exemplary emergency medical services for 30, 40 and 50 years.
While he is a new face in the Highlands, having taken over the chief position in February of this year, just in time for a major ice storm, the medal was a nod to a career spent largely serving Hastings, Lennox and Addington, and Frontenac Counties.
It was Hastings County that originally put forward the nomination for the award, a testament to his long-standing dedication before moving to Haliburton.
Looking back at his career, which began in the early 90s, the veteran paramedic explained that while ambulances are slightly bigger today, the true evolution lies in the technology and the scope of care.
“The biggest piece of equipment that has changed is the stretcher,” he explained. “The stretcher that I started with, you essentially had to do a deadlift from the ground level up to load a person. Nowadays, we’re moving to what’s called a power load system, where it’s a hydraulic system.”
The medical capabilities of paramedics have also shifted dramatically. Slatter described his early days as “advanced first aid,” where the philosophy was often to simply get the patient to the hospital.
“Now we’re providing many different medications and providing many different treatments to people to help stabilize them prior to arriving at the hospital,” he said. “The job is more than driving an ambulance.”
For many, longevity in emergency services is rare due to the high-stress nature of the job. The chief credits his endurance to strong support systems and the ability to disconnect. Whether it is golfing, curling, or cycling, he emphasizes the importance of having a life outside the uniform.
“I’ve always had a friend group not related to paramedics,” Slatter said. “You know, I have my friend group within paramedics and then a friend group that’s outside of paramedics where I can just be a person and not have to talk about the job with people if I don’t want to.”
He also drew inspiration from family. His father-in-law was a paramedic for 38 years and one of the first to take the Ministry of Health training program in the 1960s.
“He was always an advisor and a mentor for me,” Slatter said.
When asked about the specific calls that have stayed with him over three decades, the chief said it isn’t just one single event, but a collection of memories. Those memories often surface at different times, sometimes while driving, other times while sitting in his office.
And the duty of his job has ranged from the beginning of life to the end.
“I’ve delivered several babies… and I’ve been with people during their loved one’s last moments,” Slatter said.
Then there are the calls that stand out simply because they are bizarre or unexpected.
“You don’t hear every day about a plane that crashed in a field,” he said. “So you tend to remember those types of calls.”
As for looking ahead, when asked if he plans to hit the 40-year mark, the chief remains open to the possibility.
“I’ve been contemplating that,” he admitted. “I do still love it. As long as I’m contributing and still making a difference and not just showing up to work to collect a paycheque, then I will keep doing this.”
For now, he is happy to be in Haliburton County, where he describes the staff and community as “fantastic,” despite ice storms nonetheless.
