In small-town Saskatchewan, it's not hard to find connections between people. And that is even more evident during the tragedy that hit the community of Humboldt. A member of the Carlyle RCMP, Cst Tanya Gordon, is currently working on that investigation. 

Staff Sargent Darren Simons with the Carlyle RCMP explained that Cst Tanya Gordan is a file coordinator for that investigation. 

"She's stationed out of Regina with the Major Crimes Unit so her involvement would have been after the initial response."

"She is doing fine. There is a good team of support around her. I know the Chaplain has been involved in the investigation as well. She has a good core of people supporting her. Plus those of us here reach out to her and talk with her. She's doing good."

"We're a big family and I know some of the members who were first responders and it affects all of us. I have friends who are volunteer firefighters. I actually have friends who responded as first responders to that as well."

"Even if we haven't responded, we 'what if' the situation. What if it was in our area? What if it had to go? Plus, it also brings back memories of other collisions or tragedies we've been to. Not as severe as that but it makes us think of things we've dealt with in the past and it brings back memories that we don't want to deal with."

As for support, Simons shares that there are several available.

"We have a peer to peer program. And we also have a program through the federal government we can reach out to but I know our peer to peer members are involved in it, our Chaplain is involved. And our Major Crimes Unit, because they deal with serious matters, they are always looking after each other's wellbeing."

"But I think anyone who is a first responder, there's been a lot of talk and communication of people checking on each other over the last two weeks for sure."

He also shared that he was assigned to help with the VIP security for the Prime Minister while on his visit to Humboldt.

"We all seem to have duties that we carry on the side of our desks, be it as an emergency response team, or tactical group."

"I've done that duty before. The Prime Minister has his primary detail and we're the secondary detail. Once the area is secured, we keep people from entering that area. This one was a little more difficult. I couldn't see the event but I could hear it. I could hear the singing, I could hear the speeches and it was tough. This one affects the whole country, actually the world. We've all been on a bus trip. We've all put our kids on a bus trip and many of us know people associated with that team."

"I met a friend who played for the Mustangs for four years. He lost several friends on this bus collision. Another friend of mine who was on the board of the Humboldt Broncos for four years is a Mountie so in a province our size, there's always a connection somehow."

He added that he isn't even sure if the reality has sunk in yet or if it ever will. 

"This is something we're all going to reflect on for years to come."

"One thing we have to reflect on is, we all have to look at our volunteer firefighters and thank them for what they do. They're the first ones on the scene at a lot of these collisions. It's a part-time job for them and it's something they volunteer to do to make their community safer and I don't think they get the recognition they deserve."