Carberry bus crash first responders inducted into Order of Buffalo Hunt

Emergency crews who rushed to the scene of last year’s crash between a bus and a semi-trailer that killed 17 people in western Manitoba are being awarded one of the province’s highest honours.

In a solemn tribute to courage and sacrifice, the first responders in the fatal collision on the Trans-Canada Highway near Carberry, 160 kilometres west of Winnipeg, were inducted into the Order of the Buffalo Hunt on Wednesday.

“When I think of hero, I think of people who run towards the danger when the rest of us run away. And on that fateful day, that’s what you folks did,” Premier Wab Kinew said at a ceremony at the Manitoba legislature.

“Me and the rest of the people in this province stand in awe of what you do on a given day, and this is our turn to say thank you.”

The 134 inductees are members of the Carberry North Cypress-Langford Fire Department; Brandon Fire and Emergency Services; Neepawa Volunteer Fire Department; Shared Health Emergency Response Services; STARS air ambulance; Manitoba RCMP; and provincial call takers and dispatchers.

STARS brought in reinforcements from Saskatchewan, and those pilots and medical staff were also inducted.

Kinew says while honouring heroes is the least the province can do, officials continue to take steps to provide supports for those affected. Manitoba is currently funding three mental health counsellors dedicated to these services, but Kinew says more needs to be done.

“Not only did you save lives and have each others back, but I can also only imagine you took some stuff home with you that day too,” the premier said.

The minibus, which was carrying 24 seniors from Dauphin to a casino on June 15, 2023, was travelling south on Highway 5 when it came to an intersection with the Trans-Canada. The bus stopped, made it to the median, then proceeded through the yield sign. Investigators say the driver never saw coming the semi-truck, which had the right of way.

The crash caused the bus to burst into flames and end up in a ditch.

Survivors were taken to hospital in Brandon, and many were airlifted to the province’s major trauma centre in Winnipeg. Some of those survivors later died in hospital.

A memorial for all those who died was unveiled earlier this year in Dauphin.

Yves Guillas, chief of the volunteer fire department in Neepawa, says the crash was a mass casualty event unlike anything he’d ever seen, but everyone worked together.

“We had not idea what we were getting into when we went there. All we knew that there was a bus accident,” said Guillas.

While the award came with mixed emotions, Guillas says he is grateful the volunteer firefighters were recognized.

“These guys do a lot of stuff for a lot of people, and nobody gets recognition for it, you get a thank you and that’s all they want, but this makes it that much better.”

The Order of The Buffalo Hunt recognizes individuals and groups who demonstrate outstanding skills in the areas of leadership, service and community commitment.

–With files from The Canadian Press