Pat Bellisle has been an integral part of the Parkland Ambulance team for nearly 40 years. (Image Credit: Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Community heroes

Respected member of Parkland Ambulance team prepares for next chapter

Feb 10, 2026 | 3:55 PM

Crediting with helping to shape emergency medical services (EMS) in Prince Albert, Pat Bellisle has over the course of his 50-year career been a paramedic, a dispatcher, a coach, a teacher and above all a respected mentor.

On March 31, he will officially begin his retirement.

“There’s all sorts of ups and downs going on in my mind right now,” he told paNOW.

Bellisle’s EMS career began in 1975 and after 12.5 years working in Medicine Hat, he moved to Prince Albert and has been with the Parkland Ambulance team ever since.

A lot has changed in 50 years. To this day Bellisle has fond memories working out of a 1961 GMC panel van and the Cadilac Bonnyville and short box Chevy ambulance conversion. The schedule at the time was a 28-day rotation 10-hour/14-hour shifts and donating 100 hours to service and community.

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Back then call volumes were also much smaller.

Pat Bellisle, a well respected team member and mentor with Parkland Ambulance, has confirmed plans to retire on March 31. His EMS career has spanned over 50 years. @ParkAmbulance pic.twitter.com/LvyQztM3nh

— Nigel Maxwell (@NigelMaxwell) February 10, 2026

When asked about the biggest change in EMS, Bellisle noted upgrades to safety protocols but also of course technology. He cited the fact they now have hydraulic stretchers and chairs to improve patient comfort and safety

“But that’s progress, something is always gonna change and how fast it changes will depend on what technology is out there,” he said.

Another big change has been staffing levels and Bellisle said when he first started out there were seven people employed full time and 18 casuals. Now the company employs over 120 staff (communications, paramedics, and administration).

In addition to dedicating to decades of his career to Infection Control, Safety, and Training, Bellisle also coached an ALS Paramedic three-man Competitions teams (two different teams) in the 1980s competing in USA: their best showing was fourth place.

He’s also one of the founding members of EMS Hockey competition.

Pat Bellisle. (Image Credit: Submitted/ Lyle Karasiuk)

With respect to retirement, Bellisle confirmed he’s looking forward to not being woken up an alarm clock at 4 a.m., spending time with his dogs, and fishing. Amidst all his experience, Bellisle was asked what advice he would pass on aspiring paramedics.

“Definitely investigate the career. It is definitely a career and a profession that is longstanding now,” he explained.

Lyle Karasiuk has also been employed with Parkland Ambulance for decades and confirmed he has known Bellisle his entire career. Bellisle was actually the person who supervised Karasiuk’s entrance exam to paramedic school.

“One of my very first ambulance calls was with Pat where we transferred a person to Saskatoon with critical burns. He was teaching me things then and is teaching us all things now,” Karasiuk said.

Pat enjoyed teaching local youth about the job he loves. (Image Credit: Submitted/ Lyle Karasiuk)

Karasiuk explained Pat came to Saskatchewan when advanced paramedic care was very much in its infancy and added Pat brought a vision for the future of what things could be like from his previous experiences in Alberta.

“Within in our service, Pat will be remembered for his mentorship and guidance as he’s trained so many of Parkland’s present and past employees. We will all miss stories of the “good old days” but more importantly we are losing a great colleague, friend, mentor and shall I say, ‘elder statesman.'”

—

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell