A 14-year old youth from Victoria was the recipient of a Good Samaritan Award for his actions in saving his injured grandfather after they were involved in an all-terrain vehicle accident near Lake Cowichan on Nov. 2, 2022.
Carter Burkard and his grandfather, John Burkard, had been hunting in the Lake Cowichan area when they went over an embankment on their quad.
Carter, who was 13 at the time, was thrown from the all-terrain vehicle, while his 68-year-old grandfather was pinned by the quad and suffered significant traumatic injuries.
Carter was able to activate a GPS device, called a Garmin InReach device, alerting an emergency response call centre in Texas to their GPS location.
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On his own, Carter extracted his grandfather from underneath the quad and helped him up the embankment to a forest service road to wait for paramedics to arrive.
The emergency response call centre in Texas contacted BC Emergency Health Services and provided the coordinates of the Burkards’ location.
Vanessa Baker, an emergency medical call-taker and dispatcher in the Kamloops Dispatch Operations Centre, used a cell phone to text Carter directly while he waited for emergency responders to arrive.
“The entire time, Carter showed incredible bravery and resilience,” the BCEHS said in a statement.
“Carter was able to provide clear information on the condition of his grandfather and details of their location to responders so they could be found quickly.”
Paramedics reached John on the forest-service road, providing care and transport to a location where an air ambulance could land.
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John was later flown to Victoria General Hospital for treatment.
“Carter demonstrated heroic actions that contributed to getting his grandfather the care he needed,” the BCEHS said.
In recognition of his heroic actions in helping to save his grandfather, Carter received the Good Samaritan Award, which is presented to individuals who have provided unselfish and humanitarian assistance during a medical emergency, at a ceremony that was attended by family members and paramedics in Victoria on Oct. 26.
“This event and response shows how important these GPS or satellite-based communication devices can be in emergency situations,” the BCEHS said.
“If you are heading out to the backcountry and out of cell range, plan ahead. Know how to use your GPS device, add your emergency contacts and share your plans with friends and family.”