Bill Rossiter Speech
On September 29, 2003, Nova Scotia Paramedic John Rossiter was killed in the Line of Duty as Hurricane Juan struck the city of Halifax.
He was on an emergency call in his ambulance when a tree blew over and crushed the vehicle. "While the public was taking cover, John and his fellow paramedics were continuing to help protect the lives and health of the community," said Paul Morneau, president of the Paramedic Association of Canada. John was only 31 years-old at the time at the tragedy.
Four years earlier, John had spoken at the Nova Scotia House of Assembly about Bill 68 and its ramifications for collective bargaining.
He passionately described just a few real-life examples of the risks and traumatic experiences faced by fellow emergency services workers.
His stirring and haunting words can be heard in this excerpt from his speech on October 26, 1999.
Special thanks to the Rossiter family for their generous support and permission to share John's speech.
At the 2005 Tema Conter Memorial Trust Gala, Bill and Brenda Rossiter spoke of their son, the role and effect of family, and the importance of recognizing post-traumatic stress among all emergency services workers. To read a transcript of their presentation, please view the pdf file in the right column.
John Rossiter
"John’s life was well lived and while it was cut short by Hurricane Juan, we
sincerely appreciate his gifts, his talents and his time with us."
Hear John's Story
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