Loud music and superheroes: How this paramedic is coping with the realities of the job

When the pandemic hit in March, Claire Provost could do nothing but adapt.

As a paramedic, she attended daily briefings on the latest safety procedures. And with each new discovery about the virus came new rules on how to do her job safely.

She was quickly trained on how to use special protective gear. She now knows how to minimize the risk of spreading droplets when helping patients. And, perhaps most importantly, she's learning how to take care of herself while working a taxing job.

In the beginning, she spent her days staying ready for COVID-19 cases. She would rarely get calls for any other reason.

"People were afraid to go to the hospital," said Provost. She thinks they were afraid they would catch the virus.

But as summer turned into fall, regular calls started coming back along with an increase of severe cases of the virus.

"It hit us hard," she said. "It was overwhelming."

"Strokes, heart attacks, respiratory issues. It all just hit at once."

The stress took a toll on her. She broke down crying after a call on Christmas Eve. It was then she realized that she had to reach out for help.

Her boss connected her with another paramedic who had been on the job for 10 years. Together, they discussed strategies on how to cope.

"You arrive on a call, you have to do CPR on a 45-year-old man and you did everything you could," said Provost. "You have to tell the family and the kids that dad is not coming back."

When Provost responds to a call like that, she says it's important to do small things to take care of herself after. Something as simple as a coffee break can be enough. But for her and her partner, what helps is loud music and superhero movies.

"I'll take my iPad out and we'll put it on for 10 minutes max until we feel like we're good," she said. "We punch to the next call afterwards."

WATCH | Paramedic Claire Provost talks about her pandemic experience on Our Montreal:

She depends on her partner a lot something she wants her colleagues to remember when they are feeling stressed.

"If you feel comfortable talking about it with your partner, do so," she said. "We're a team. We go through stuff together."

Provost and her partner see four to six patients per day. Urgences-Sant, which serves Montreal and Laval, says paramedics have taken over 30,000 calls directly related to the coronavirus.

While things can be tough, she said it's worth it if she's able to help someone.

"I just enjoy waking up in the morning and saying to myself, 'Today, I'm going to save a life.'"