Rich Rogers, a former firefighter, says he provided immediate lifesaving care after a bus crash near Mackenzie sent 20 people to hospital on Nov. 4, 2026.
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Rich Rogers was among the first people to respond after a shuttle bus crashed into a ditch near Mackenzie, B.C., on Nov. 4, 2026, sending 20 people to hospital.
Rogers said he was driving on Highway 39, just south of Mackenzie, when he noticed the bus entering his lane, followed by what he described as an “ultra-slow motion” moment before the crash.
He said he pulled over and told his family to stay put while calling for help, adding that one passenger appeared to be ejected and not breathing when he reached the scene.
Rogers said he began applying lifesaving measures and that the person started breathing again, while another passenger helped stabilize the ejected passenger as he moved on to other injuries.
Emergency Health Services reported that three people were in serious condition and four others were in “serious but stable” condition.
Rogers said it took six ambulances, five airplanes, and a helicopter to respond, and that a Code Orange was declared at the hospitals in Mackenzie and Prince George, roughly 200 kilometres south of the crash site.
Rogers said he had left firefighting earlier due to concerns about his mental health, but that the events of the crash brought back trauma he had tried to leave behind.
He said he is focused on helping his 12-year-old son recover, and on monitoring his own mental health going forward.
Rogers also said he does not see himself as a hero, describing his view as “wrong place, right time, right skills,” while stressing the importance of taking seriously when first responders or others say they are “hurting inside.”
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