Edmonton man refurbishing medic bus for Ukrainian paramedics
Posted February 10, 2023 10:21 am.
An Edmonton man is refurbishing a medic bus for paramedics in Ukraine.
Sergiy Verovkin was a medic in the war, before returning home to Edmonton just a few months ago. He’s taking it upon himself to help out Ukraine, after a medic bus in the country was destroyed by a tank.
destoryed bus
“I’m a medic, it’s my goal to help Ukrainian soldiers and all those people,” says Sergiy Verovkin, who is revamping the bus.
Verovkin is fundraising enough money to ship the newly refurbished intensive care and evacuation bus from Edmonton to Ukraine and says it needs to be done as soon as possible.
“Because in the springtime, Russia will start to advance on Ukraine one more time,” he says.
It’s been nearly one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. Verovkin says the medic bus will be much needed for long-distance evacuations of seriously wounded soldiers.
The bus is equipped with stretchers, foldable seats, heaters, and has a ramp at the rear entrance to easily load wounded soldiers in the bus.
“10 places for 10 people, it’s ten ambulance vehicles, but this is just one vehicle. Great possibility of moving from the front line to the hospital, it’s a big deal. It’s a nice vehicle with good potential.”
Inside, a Canadian flag bears the names of each person who helped bring this project to life. Verovkin says he will be naming the bus ‘Smurf’ after a dear friend who was killed in the war.
Canadian flag signed
Verovkin says they are still finalizing details on how to get the bus to Ukraine, but says all the help is needed. “Right now is a hard time for Ukraine,” he says. “We need help, from you guys.”
He says the new medic bus was manufactured by the US Army and was purchased for $29 thousand dollars, and says more fundraising efforts are needed to ship it to Ukraine.
