Lorraine Downey is a primary care paramedic and Acting Superintendent with the Ottawa Paramedic Service. After a 10 year business career,  in 2006 she graduated as a paramedic and worked part-time in Lanark (retired in 2018) and full-time in Ottawa.

She has been an member of the peer support team since 2010 and coordinator since 2014. Since 2019 she has been dedicated to coordinating the peer support program with a team of 50. During this time, she has expanded the size, scope, and support for the team by collaborating with various partners. She has been invited to participate on municipal, provincial, and federal peer support initiatives, public safety personnel research and information sharing.

More importantly she has vibrant life away from work as a Nanny to 2 grand-daughters, small hobby farmer and volunteer in her families various agri-tourism businesses.  As a wife, sister and daughter of firefighters’ she has lived experience on the impact of public safety careers on family.