My name is Debbie Chene.

I can trace my career aspirations back to my early years in the suburbs of Toronto, where I grew up for most of my young life.  Hearing that ambulance go by, I wanted to be a part of helping sick people get better and respond in life’s most critical moments.  I wanted to be a Paramedic….

Sometimes life takes us on an entirely different path due to necessity and practicality. For me, that path was spent in the administrative world.  I eventually found myself relocating from the suburbs of Toronto, landing in downtown Calgary in the oil & gas industry.  My key roles were Logistics Coordinator for oil & gas rig crews and Executive Assistant to the CEO while managing an office and administrative staff. 

Throughout my extensive administrative career, I was very fortunate to have the opportunity to travel to areas like Siberia, Russia and Ukraine, supporting oil rig crews through joint ventures with oil & gas companies. These positions and experiences offered me many opportunities to connect with some inspiring and amazing people along the way.

During my career transition from the oil & gas industry, a tragic and unexpected event lit a fire under that old dream to become a Paramedic.  I decided to take a leap, try something completely different and pursue that long forgotten goal.  There it began, full-time classroom days with around the clock studies and a completely new life challenge. Good-bye high heels….and hello steel-toes!

Empowered by my own personal motivation, my classmates, instructors, family and friends, I am now a registered Primary Care Paramedic.  Special thanks to my extremely bright study buddy Devan, who helped me get through studying around the clock and endless flash cards! At the end of the day, I believe we helped each other forge through those years.

I am currently employed as a casual Primary Care Paramedic with Aaron Paramedical Services in Calgary and am the owner and trainer of Debco Safety teaching First Aid and CPR to organizations and the community.

In loving memory of Shelby
Forever in our hearts.