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Every year during Paramedic Services Week, Demers Ambulances and Crestline Coach invite paramedics across Canada to share a glimpse of their reality through our annual photo contest.
This year, we received more than 200 photo submissions from coast to coast, another record-breaking year for the contest. The number alone says a lot about the pride paramedics have in their profession, their teams, and the communities they serve every day.
The photos captured everything from intense emergency scenes to quiet moments between calls, rural landscapes, night shifts, teamwork, and the deep connection crews have with their vehicles and communities.
To help showcase the many sides of paramedicine, this year’s contest included three categories: Team, Vehicle, and Action.
Choosing winners was not easy, but three photos stood out for the stories they told and the emotion they captured.
The winning teams received a gift card to enjoy a team meal or group activity together in recognition of the incredible work paramedics do every day.
Action Category Winner
Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services — Ontario
The Action category winner came from Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services in Ontario.
The diagonal positioning of the ambulance, combined with the ORNGE helicopter in the background and another emergency vehicle in the foreground, immediately gave the image a sense of movement and urgency. It feels like stepping directly into the middle of a critical call.
The crew explained that the photo was taken during a response involving an injured patient who required transport to a trauma centre. Multiple crews responded to the scene, including a transport ambulance, before care was eventually transferred to the ORNGE air ambulance.
The image perfectly captures the coordination and teamwork involved in high-pressure situations. It also highlights how many moving pieces can come together during a single call to make sure a patient receives the care they need as quickly as possible.
Team Category Winner
Saskatchewan Health Authority – Kindersley EMS — Saskatchewan
The winning photo in the Team category came from Saskatchewan Health Authority – Kindersley EMS.
At first glance, the image feels warm, authentic, and full of personality. The smiles, the ambulances, and the grain elevators in the background immediately paint a picture of rural Saskatchewan and the people who proudly serve those communities every day.
The paramedic who submitted the photo explained that the goal was to help promote rural paramedicine within the Saskatchewan Health Authority and highlight the work being done outside major urban centres.
“We take great pride in providing coverage to our rural communities and want to be recognized as much as some of the more urban centers,” she shared. “We thought it was a perfect placement with the grain elevators in the background to show our rural roots and the beauty of Saskatchewan.”
She also explained that the Kindersley EMS team runs two crews daily while covering a large geographic area, adding that despite the long shifts, the crews genuinely love what they do and try to “have as much fun as we can.”
That sense of pride and camaraderie is exactly what made the image stand out. It captures the human side of paramedicine in a simple but powerful way.
Vehicle Category Winner
Coopérative des Paramédics du Grand-Portage — Rivière-du-Loup, Québec
The Vehicle category winner came from the Coopérative des Paramédics du Grand-Portage in Rivière-du-Loup, Québec.
Taken during a night shift near the Parc des Chutes in Rivière-du-Loup, the photo immediately caught our attention with its atmosphere, lighting, and composition. The reflections on the spring ice, the surrounding darkness, and the positioning of the ambulance created a striking image that felt both calm and dramatic at the same time.
The paramedic behind the photo told us she and her partner had stopped near the falls during their shift after noticing how beautiful the ice and water looked during the spring thaw.
“We were charmed by the colours on the ice,” she explained, adding that their service had recently received three new ambulances like the one featured in the photo, making the moment even more meaningful.
After 11 years working for the cooperative, she also shared how proud she is of her profession, her colleagues, and the connection they have with their community.
“We are proud to take care of the people in our community as if they were members of our own family.”
The image reflects that pride perfectly. More than just a vehicle photo, it tells a story about belonging, teamwork, and the strong connection paramedics build with both their crews and the communities they serve.
More Photos That Caught Our Attention
With more than 200 submissions received this year, there were many other photos that left a strong impression on our team. From breathtaking landscapes to candid moments between crews, the creativity and pride behind every submission made this year’s contest especially memorable.
Here are some of the additional photos we particularly enjoyed, grouped by category.
Team Category
Vehicle Category
Action Category
Thank You to Everyone Who Participated
To every paramedic, dispatcher, manager, and service that participated in this year’s contest: thank you.
Thank you for sharing your stories, your communities, and your reality with us through these incredible photos. Every submission reminded us why Paramedic Services Week matters and why we are proud to support the people behind the profession.
