Funerals for 2 P.E.I. paramedics killed in N.B. crash to take place Friday

The funerals for two Island paramedics who died in a crash in New Brunswick last week will be held in Charlottetown on Friday.

Funerals for 2 P.E.I. paramedics killed in N.B. crash to take place Friday Members of public invited to honour paramedics in procession following private services The funerals for two Island paramedics who died in a crash in New Brunswick last week will be held in Charlottetown on Friday. Mike MacKenzie, 56, and Jenna Croucher, 23, died on July 7 when their ambulance and a transport truck collided in Melrose, N.B., about 12 kilometres southwest of the Confederation Bridge near Port Elgin. Anne Martell, a 77-year-old patient from Montague who was being transported in the ambulance, also died.

A private service for Martell took place earlier this week. The services for the two paramedics will take place Friday at the Delta Hotel in downtown Charlottetown. Croucher’s service is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. followed by MacKenzie’s at 2 p.m. Thousands of fellow paramedics and first responders are expected to attend, along with friends and family.

The services are not open to the public but will be livestreamed on the Island EMS Facebook page. Processions along University Ave. Members of the public are invited to honour the two paramedics in processions along University Avenue between Province House and Royalty Crossing Mall following the funerals.

Croucher’s procession is expected to start around 11:40 a.m. and MacKenzie's at around 5:30 p.m. Croucher and MacKenzie were brought back to P.E.I. on July 10 in an emotional, hours-long procession that began in Saint John, N.B., and culminated in Souris, P.E.I. First responders and members of the public lined the route to honour the two paramedics. "What we saw last Friday was just amazing, I'm still at a loss for words for the number of Islanders that came out to show their respects," said Island EMS general manager James Orchard.

"So we know that Islanders are rallying around Island EMS, they're rallying around the families of not only Mike and Jenna but also the patient that died in our care." Around 40 paramedics from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick will be working on P.E.I. on Friday to allow Island paramedics to attend the services. - Video 2 paramedics, patient from P.E.I. die in N.B. collision - Video First responders, residents in N.B. and P.E.I. come together to honour Island paramedics "They are helping us staff our trucks for the day tomorrow and it's really probably the biggest, most important thing that our paramedic family can do for Island EMS right now," Orchard said.

"We're just eternally grateful for all those folks." In a release, the City of Charlottetown said drivers should expect temporary road closures and traffic delays Friday as the funeral processions are held. With files from Taylor O'Brien