On October 11, 2008 at the age of 87, Mr. Michael Dutchak, founder of Blaine Lake Ambulance, one of the founding directors of the Saskatchewan Road Ambulance and founder of the North Central Ambulance Association, the largest privately operated ambulance service in Canada, passed away.
Michael Dutchak was a longtime resident of and business owner in the Blaine Lake community.
Michael always had the passion to be a businessman so at a young age he attended barbering school in Saskatoon and by 1938, at the age of 17, he had opened his own barber shop in Blaine Lake. Four years later, during the Second World War, Michael enlisted in the army. He was sent to Dundurn, then transferred to Port Alberni, British Columbia and finally served at Esquimalt for four and one half years. In 1943, Michael married Ida Anderson in Nanaimo, British Columbia. When he was discharged from the army in 1946, the couple returned to Blaine Lake.
The couple purchased and operated the CNR café, then complemented the existing business with an appliance store. Michael and Ida raised a family of five children, Barry, Wayne, Barb, Gail and David.
Michael's medical knowledge from his army training enabled him to treat and transport the sick and injured to the nearest hospital. For ten years, the Dutchak couple transported local residents when required. In 1957, Blaine Lake Ambulance was established and the first transport vehicle was a black station wagon with a manually installed siren and 'cherry'.
The furthest trip that Michael undertook was one from St. Paul's Hospital in Saskatoon to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in 1959. This trip broke in the first brand new ambulance.
Michael was also one of the founding directors of the Saskatchewan Road Ambulance. Today the association is known as the Saskatchewan Emergency Medical Services Association representing 83 out of 109 services in Saskatchewan.
In the early 1970s, other communities were anxious to secure an ambulance service. Michael and his son, Wayne, established Spiritwood Ambulance in 1974. Wayne went on to Prince Albert and together with his brother Barry, established Parkland Ambulance. Wayne left George Beaulac as head of operations at Spiritwood Ambulance and later Michael's daughter Gail and her husband Garry St. Onge purchased the business and continue to operate Spiritwood Ambulance today. By 1976 MD Ambulance in Saskatoon was in its infant stage. North Central Ambulance Association was formed in the 1970s and continues to be the largest privately owned and operated ambulance service in Canada.
Besides being prominent in the emergency service industry, Michael was also actively involved in his home town of Blaine Lake. He served as a council and board of trade member, as mayor of Blaine Lake for several terms, as director of Hafford Hospital Board and Parkland Health District, and as Justice of the Peace. He was instrumental in assisting a committee to acquire the Petrofka Bridge and spent 64 years as the Blaine Lake barber.
Michael's continued involvement in both the emergency service industry and local community events earned him numerous prestigious awards. In 1999, he received the Governor General Medal for Exemplary Service in EMS. He received other awards from the Province of Saskatchewan including his most recent presentation of a national award from the EMS Chiefs of Canada, the President's Award for Leadership. Michael was also honoured to have a park in Saskatoon named after him, the Michael P. Dutchak Park.
Today, there is evidence that a third generation of the Dutchak family has worked their way into the EMS field. Keith, Barb's son, and Diana Woytiuk purchased Blaine Lake Ambulance Care Ltd. in 1998 and Trevor Dutchak, Barry's son, is involved with Parkland Ambulance in Prince Albert. The grandchildren continue the building of the legacy that Michael Dutchak has left behind.
Funeral services for Michael Dutchak were held October 17 in Saskatoon. Many paid tribute to this prestigious figure in the EMS industry by attending or participating in the cavalcade of ambulances during the procession. Eighteen ambulances from across Saskatchewan and a representative from British Columbia Ambulance participated in the historic event.
