Michael Smirl

Emergency Medical Call-Taker, BC Emergency Health Services

After graduating Brentwood Michael started teaching piano as well as attending the business program at Camosun College. During that time he obtained multiple teaching diplomas and became an assistant director of the studio managing different business aspects of the studio. After 19 years of teaching music, Michael organized a first aid course for all the employees of the studio and during this course, discovered a strong interest in first aid and pre-hospital medicine.

 In 2018 Michael completed his Emergency Medical Responder course and in 2019 was successful passing his licensing exams with the Emergency Medical Assistants Licensing Board. He started working on-car as a paramedic with British Columbia Emergency Health Services in 100 mile house in 2020, travelling between Victoria and 100 mile house. Michael's wife and kids were still in Victoria, so he started to search for open job postings on the island closer to his family. In 2021 Michael accepted a position in Chemainus but hours before his station orientation he was offered a spot in dispatch and accepted that. Through BCEHS he completed his Emergency Medical Call-taker license with the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch and started working in Langford Dispatch Operations Centre.