KJ Mullins-Toronto: As the night was starting to wrap up Saturday Alex Peirson was smiling. Peirson is on duty at the EMS station on the CNE grounds supervising a large crew of scouts, paramedics and EMS staff.

Two days into this year’s CNE Peirson, Co-ordinator EMS Education for Emergency Medical Services, said that there hasn’t been any serious issues to deal with this year so far.

A Level 3 Paramedic Peirson has seen the department grow into an award winning service with International awards at every level. He is one of the trainers for the Level III team when they go out for the yearly International competitions.

“This year everyone will be gunning for us because we’ve won the competition so many times,” Pierson said with a proud smile.

Stationed at the Exhibition he is also very proud of his team which includes the bike EMS, mini ambulances that can zip through the crowds, type 3 ambulances and Medical Venturer, vocational scouting program at Scouts Canada.

Peirson said that about half of his team are Level III paramedics, the highest level of emergency medical first responders. During events like CNE the team is huge and the need is just as huge. While there haven’t been any major problems so far this year whenever there’s a large amount of people there will be medical emergencies like heat exhaustion. It keeps the team busy.

As we talked about the fleet one CNE guest came up needing medical advise for a family member located inside the park. Peirson was quick to access her problems and help make sure she was able to get her family to the right place. He did it will a smile and true concern, making sure that the guest was calm during the process. It’s just standard procedure in the day of Toronto’s EMS.

While EMS Day at the CNE is on August 30 the station is hosting visitors throughout the event. Kids can come by and make an ambulance model and colour with Medical Venturers.