Victoria General Hospital is soon to get a new labour and delivery bed thanks to the latest donation from the Professional Firefighters of Greater Victoria Community Foundation.
The firefighters presented a cheque for $25,000 to the Victoria Hospitals Foundation Thursday (Aug. 24) while also taking time out of their day to drive their trucks with lights flashing around the hospital grounds to bring cheer to the patients.
“A donation like this is phenomenal. The firefighters have been supporting us for 12 years now, and with that they have been able to help us buy really awesome equipment,” said Emma Carrick, manager of pediatrics and PICU.
Since 2011, the firefighters foundation has donated $300,000 to the hospital for life-saving equipment. An initial $250,000 was raised over a 10-year pledge period which ended in 2021, and the group is not in the midst of a second $250,000 over 10 years fundraising pledge.
For Saanich firefighter Taylor Britton, Thursday’s donation was even more personal than those he has participated in before as he and his family recently spent time in the hospital’s pediatric intensive care unit and neonatal intensive care unit.
“Learning how much equipment comes through donors is pretty humbling, and when you are in there understanding that, it all comes around and you have this better understanding of what these donations do,” said Britton.
Britton’s son Hayes spent four weeks in the NICU after being born prematurely, giving him a first-hand look at the good work the department does, and how important donations like this are to that work.
After presenting the cheque and touring the hospital grounds with their trucks, the firefighters then spent some time hanging out with some of the young patients, even introducing them to Sparky the Fire Dog and giving tours of the firetrucks from Victoria, Saanich, and Esquimalt.
“First responders supporting other first responders is really special,” said Greer Handy, a nurse whose daughter Romy spent time in the NICU.
“I know the health-care system is always in need of more equipment and more staff, and these babies need it the most.”
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