Canadian Medic Honors a Friend with a Legacy to Assist Disaster Victims

Rahul Singh worked his first ambulance shift as a full-time paramedic on New Year's Eve in 1989. Given his life experiences since, it seems appropriate that he would start his career on one of the most celebrated nights of the year. After all, his resume starts with his service as a medic for Toronto EMS in Canada, progresses through his founding of a disaster aid relief charity in honor of his late best friend and is currently highlighted with a nomination for TIME Magazine's 2010 Top 100 list. Each year, TIME Magazine compiles a list of the world's most influential people (in five categories including heroes and icons, leaders and revolutionaries, builders and titans, artists and entertainers, and scientists and thinkers), then encourages readers and online visitors to vote for their favorites. Singh made the short list of 200 nominees, with the final list of 100 being revealed on April 28.

Singh modestly shrugs off his nomination, indicating that humility is common in his profession. "We tend to take ourselves for granted," he says. "We forget that what we do saves lives and has a significant impact on the lives of the people we take care of and their families."

Making an impact may be what Singh does best. When his best friend, David McAntony Gibson, passed away in February 1998, Singh focused on finding a way to honor David's memory, who always believed in taking time to help those in need. At about the same time, Singh was volunteering as a medic in Nepal, responding to the devastation caused by landslides. "I saw the inefficiencies of the aid delivery mechanism," he says. "Rather than be a part of it, I wanted to create something that was better, something that would honor my friend and do good work."

Singh accomplished both goals by founding the David McAntony Gibson Foundation (DMGF) and GlobalMedic, the foundation's operational arm. It seeks to empower people and increase the independence of communities in the developing world while improving the efficiency of international disaster relief.

FROM BANGLADESH TO ZIMBABWE

GlobalMedic utilizes the trifecta of public safety professionals (paramedics, fire fighters and police officers) who volunteer their time and skills by providing emergency relief to those affected by natural disasters and complex emergencies. To date, GlobalMedic teams have been deployed on more than 50 missions to a long list of countries that starts with Bangladesh, ends with Zimbabwe and includes recent missions to nations such as Haiti and Chili to assist with earthquake relief.

Global volunteers are coordinated in three rapid response teams: a search and rescue team, an emergency medical team and a water purification team. All teams work independently to offer skills most needed for each disaster.

The search and rescue team does everything from sending in dogs to rescuing victims from flood zones, Singh explains. The team works with a highly trained K-9 unit in the search for survivors of structural collapse, as well as swift water and high-angle rescue.

The emergency medical team uses innovative technology offered by inflatable field hospitals to restore medical infrastructure. "We can roll into an earthquake zone, pop up a hospital and start working right away," he says. "In Haiti, we sent two emergency field hospital units that have treated more than 7,000 people."

The water purification team specializes in providing clean drinking water to those in need. With the use of mobile water purification units and water purification tablets, the team establishes easily accessible water stations for rural and urban centers in addition to mass distribution programs. To date, more than 5 million tablets and 64 machines have been sent to Haiti. "Thus far, we've provided 11 million liters of clean drinking water to the people of Haiti," he says, "water they wouldn't have had if it wasn't for our teams of medics going down there and training and empowering locals."

OVERCOME AND RALLY

GlobalMedic also operates capacity building programs in developing nations to enhance the level of medical care, as well as build medical clinics and schools, and gather and deliver books and computers. Currently, a 16-member team is being deployed to Cambodia to do everything from organize and run medical clinics in villages and orphanages to painting schools.

"As a democratic country, we pride ourselves in trying to prevent and stop conflict," he says. "But the job isn't done when the soldiers stop shooting and go back to their barracks. It's quite the opposite; the job is just starting. The problem is there are remnants of war such as unexploded bombs and landmines. Fields can't be plowed and schools can't be built until that debris is cleared. And you can't put people in to clear the debris if you don't have medical support. It's our mission to train local medics. So not only do we get to do good work, but we get to pass on our skill set and help a country rebuild. It's neat to think that a downtown Toronto paramedic who may assist in shootings and deliver babies can help rebuild a nation just by passing on their skills.

"It's wonderful to see people overcome and rally from adversity," he continues. "All we have to do is look at what's happening in Haiti. There are several young men who lost their homes and are living under tarps in a camp in a field. They get up every day to run these water units to get clean water for their family, friends and community. It's remarkable for us to see the result, to see the impact of our efforts and to give people the tools they need to overcome adversity."

Reflecting on the past and present are certainly rewarding, but Singh also focuses on the future of GlobalMedic. "We hope to revolutionize how aid is distributed," he says. "Right now we are able to purify and distribute a liter of water in Haiti for less than half a penny. We'd also like to expand, in particular into the U.S., so when a disaster such as the earthquake in Haiti happens, we can send in eight or 10 teams, rather than two or three, to make a bigger impact and save more lives."

And while he appreciates his current honor as a 2010 TIME 100 nominee, his humility shows through once again. "It is an honor, but I don't accept it as a personal honor," he says. "I feel I was nominated because of the hard work and effort of all the people who volunteer for us. I accept it as an honor for all emergency workers."

For more information about the David McAntony Gibson Foundation and GlobalMedic, visit www.globalmedic.ca.