The assistant director of an art supply store swapped brushes and pencils for a 911 emergency medical dispatcher headset.
"It was not really me to sit back and do nothing at home. When I saw that the Laurentides-Lanaudière Health Communication Center (CCSLL) was recruiting, I didn't hesitate, ”says Jordane Forest-Hamel.
With the closure of non-essential businesses, the 25-year-old woman, who worked at the DeSerres boutique in Boisbriand, on the North Shore, found herself without work.
The woman who studied arts and humanities worked for seven years in the store where she rose through the ranks.
She planned to redirect her career towards the emergency services. The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences have accelerated its decision-making.
"It looks like everything is aligned. The Center paid for the training in addition. They received 1000 CVs, passed 200 interviews and I was selected for one of the 30 positions, "she says.
Help others
M me Forest Hamel also has emergency experience. She is a volunteer with the auxiliary firefighters in the Laurentians and Lanaudière, who help disaster victims during events.
"Helping people, I like that. Being able to be a pillar at a critical moment in people's lives motivates me. I feel like I'm giving a bit, ”she says.
As an emergency medical dispatcher, the woman from Saint-Eustache will have 911 calls transferred which require the intervention of paramedics and an ambulance.
"We must ask questions, assess the priority of calls and guide the person who calls us so that they can offer first aid while waiting for help to arrive," said Ms. Forest-Hamel.
Still in training, she has to start her internship on Monday and is very eager to start taking her first calls in order to make a difference.