On Monday, September 10, Canada Post unveiled a new stamp celebrating the nation’s paramedics − the first of five stamps to be unveiled this week in honor of Canada’s emergency responders. Shown here, the first stamp, which pays the basic “P” domestic letter-rate (currently 85 cents) was unveiled at Ambulance New Brunswick headquarters in the provincial capital of Fredericton.
Canada Post and the stamp designers consulted with the Paramedic Association of Canada, which represents more than 20,000 practitioners, to ensure the stamp image is representative of paramedics in Canada. The stamp shows a black and white sketch of a female paramedic in the foreground while a pair of paramedics assists a victim of a medical emergency an ambulance and a helicopter wait ready nearby.
The second stamp, saluting the Canadian Armed Forces in the Emergency Responder role, was unveiled at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier just northwest of Quebec City September 11.
The second stamp in the series again shows a black-and-white image of a female soldier with beret and binoculars in the foreground, while Army personnel in the background answer a flood with sandbags, rescue sodden survivors using a rubber raft and truck in needed supplies in a large transport vehicle. Just last May, troops with such vehicles and supplies from CFB Valcartier traveled six hours to bring much-needed relief when floods ravaged the Gatineau region of Quebec along the Ottawa River.
Three other Emergency Responders stamps will pay tribute to important roles played by search and rescue experts, firefighters and police. All five stamps reflect Canadians’ respect and gratitude for the skills, service and sacrifices of the men and women who protect Canadians, sometimes by risking their own lives.
The stamp for search-and-rescue experts will be unveiled in Banff, Alberta September 12, the firefighters stamp will be unveiled in Halifax, Nova Scotia, September 13, and a stamp to honor Canadian police officers will be unveiled in Ottawa on Friday, September 14, when all five stamps will go on sale simultaneously.
Special stylized pictorial cancellations and overall-design Official first day cover envelopes also will be available on the dates of unveiling for each of the stamps. Emergency Responders stamps and OFDCs will be available for purchase on canadapost.ca and at postal outlets across Canada. Orders also can be placed by phone from Canada and the United States at 1-800-565-4362.