RED SIRENS
2020 Local Heroes Documentary Edition
Funded

RED SIRENS

Her team risks it for us; we stay home. From the local paramedics we rely so much on, this is a story about them.

Length30:00
GenreDocumentary

Pitch video

Synopsis

Apart from the heroes we hear about as a whole, remains the day in and day out life of individual paramedics. They're not just sirens driving past us; they have loved ones, hobbies, and pivotally reasons why they choose to do what they do. They are the ones to answer the call, to provide critical-care, to move towards danger, to risk their own exposure to COVID, to witness the horrors and effects of said novelty, and to see that we are all safer. Their reasons are told in this story. With unprecedented times, the seriousness and courage found within every EMT in service in the city are untold. In their interview, you will hear their direct experiences as frontline paramedics.


Production

Interview Roster

Oksana Gagnon
Oksana Gagnon

Oksana's local service is in a different part of the city, which extends the perimeter of stories covered, and the diversity of patients from the community. A hero in the dark, Oksana shares impactful insights from someone behind the ambulance wheel, how patients and bystanders actually take advantage of her selfless courage. She shares stories that I hope to shed light for some that unjustly take advantage of our medicare, specially in such times. We may celebrate obvious heroes, but oversight is covered through Oksana's valuable experiences in this documentary.

Erika Bevan
Erika Bevan

Erika is a female paramedic that has persevered amidst the novelty in service. Not just a job, she has experiences we can all learn from. Experiences I believe to be worth sharing. Erika speaks of real dangers during transport, with vital policy changes on the daily. The story of paramedics like Erika, left questioning if each "new" safety protocols are actually sufficient, if every "new" procedures are real enough to contain and prevent. To service the community, paramedics ought to put safety first. Bevan's story will enhance the understanding of the documentary as is told from first person.

Production Design

Traditionally, ambulances flash red and white, however, the documentary has a twist in the story as it is intended to reveal a message about the need for deescalation. This concept of imposing a calming effect with the shades of blue and its complementary colours sheds light for the need to problem solve, not panic solve. EMTs face a lot of challenges, and one of the motifs is the requirement for cooperation by patients, bystanders, and the general public. Getting through the pandemic holds true the mindset that we are all in this together, certainly not vice versa. Paramedics need you.