Zsolt Varga. (Coaldale & District Emergency Services)

By David Opinko

Coaldale mourns the passing of paramedic Zsolt Varga

Apr 29, 2020 | 12:12 PM

COALDALE, AB – Working in emergency services can be tough and stressful, especially when you have to respond to one of your own.

Fire Chief with Coaldale & District Emergency Services Kevin McKeown says they were called to a home on the morning of Monday, April 27.

“Initially, we didn’t recognize the address right off the bat so it didn’t really clue in that it was Zsolt’s house until we pulled up front.”

Zsolt Varga suffered a cardiac arrest. A family member was performing CPR prior to the arrival of EMS and firefighters. He was taken to Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge where he was later pronounced deceased.

Varga worked as a firefighter in Coaldale from 2001 to 2006 before relocating to Calgary, Medicine Hat, and Brooks. He returned to Coaldale in 2010 as a paramedic with Alberta Health Service’s EMS and had been there ever since.

What's Happening in Lethbridge this weekend: April 26, 2024

1h ago

Week-in-review: Federal Budget, water agreements and success for tourism industry

Apr 20, 2024

What's Happening in Lethbridge this weekend: April 19, 2024

Apr 19, 2024

“We’re just as much a family with EMS as our fire department brothers and sisters so we work closely with them. We know Zsolt very well. There’s a lot of our firefighter members that have worked with Zsolt when he was here.”

McKeown says just about anyone who has worked in emergency services in the South Health Zone over the last 20 years has heard of him.

“He just kind of had a very unique personality and behaviour, I guess. He was very blunt sometimes and definitely had a good sense of humour.”

The fire chief fondly recalled the times where Varga would tease the firefighters for being firefighters, and they would tease him for being a paramedic.

Varga was also seen by many as a mentor. He was well known within the service as someone who would take younger personnel under his wing and share his knowledge and experiences with them.

“He was just kind of a fun-loving guy and he got along with a lot of people, so definitely, the impact is definitely felt across the province in all the emergency response personnel.”

“Our community definitely owes him a huge amount of gratitude for all of his service that he has given to all the residents in this area. It’s a tough loss for the entire community as a whole.”

McKeown wants to do everything he can to support the mental health of their first responders at this time. There are peer supports established within the fire department and they have an agreement with a psychologist if anyone needs somebody to talk to.

Due to restrictions on large gatherings in the wake of COVID-19, it might be a little while before they are able to hold a traditional service for Varga, but McKeown hopes to work with his family on setting up a “proper sendoff” for him.