Kids at Play
Kids love summer! Biking, swimming, going to the playground and playing sports these are all great ways for kids to stay fit and have fun, but they can also cause serious injuries and sometimes even death.
According to Statistics Canada, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children in Ontario. Additionally, every year hundreds of kids are injured at play - from sprained limbs, to broken bones to concussions. Would you know what to do to help?
Every second counts when a child is injured and being able to respond quickly until emergency medical services arrives is essential. Be prepared and get trained in first aid.
Visit St. John Ambulance to find a first aid course in your area. |
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As a Canadian, you're 5 times more likely to die from a stroke than in a car accident?
So it's important to understand the risk factors of a stroke because many
of these factors we have control over. Choose to live a healthy lifestyle- exercise regularly; consider what you eat; if you smoke, quit; try to keep stress levels low.
How will you recognize the signs of a stroke? Remember this term... F.A.S.T.:
Facial droop - the face is fairly symmetrical, a person having a stroke may not have the ability to move one side of his face so well or it may appear slack. Smile Test - do both sides of the mouth turn up?
Arm drift - the strength of the limbs on both sides of the body is similar, a person having a stroke may experience a lack of feeling or strength on one side of the body. Arm Test - squeeze my fingers, do both hands have the same strength? Does one are drift down compared to the other?
Speech - is a complex function, a person having a stroke may suddenly not speak clearly, make nonsensical sounds or understand when spoken to. Speech Test - say your name, can he do it?
Time - get medical help NOW! A person having a stroke is experiencing the death of brain tissue, the longer it takes to get help the more damage occurs.
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Summer Safety Tip - Make a Plan |
 As people across Ontario get ready for their summer vacations, it's important to remember that a little bit of prevention can go a long way. This summer before packing the car for your getaway have a plan to stay safe. Here are some tips: - Leave yourself plenty of time
- Drink responsibly
- Plan for extreme heat
- Don't forget your medication
- Know your route and check-in
- Take a first aid kit
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The Success of Early Defibrillation 
Surviving a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital is less than 5%.
Depending on where you're located, an ambulance can take anywhere between 8 to 20 minutes or more from the time you call 911 to the time paramedics get to the bedside of a cardiac arrest victim. However, ones chance of survival with an AED in a workplace environment applied within 2 minutes of a cardiac arrest is between 50% and 70%. Learning how to use an AED is simple and fast and can be successfully utilized by any lay person properly trained, with no legal risk to you whatsoever.
Early activation of EMS (calling 911), starting CPR, and hooking up an AED is the key to making the difference between life and death. Lay first aiders have consistently demonstrated skill and speed without hesitation in rescuing their fellow workers, an unforgettable and rewarding experience. Even in situations where unsuccessful at resuscitating of a colleague or a friend, rescuers uniformly say that they have comfort in knowing that they did all that they could do in giving a co-worker the best chance of survival, as oppose to doing little or nothing at all. Reunions between successfully resuscitated cardiac arrest victims and their rescuers are both thrilling and heart-warming.
To complete the Chain of Survival and ensure the successful resuscitation of a friend, relative, or work colleague; learn how to do CPR and how to use an AED. You can make a real difference in a fellow worker's life. |
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First Aid Tip - Bites & Stings |
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Signs/Symptoms |
First Aid | |
Pain at site |
Position casualty at rest | |
Heat & swelling at site |
Remove stinger if appropriate | |
Redness, itching |
Clean affected | |
Rash or bumps on skin |
Monitor consciousness & breathing |
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Volunteer Instructors Save Lives |
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  The Medical First Responders and Instructors at the St. John Ambulance Peel Branch have been educating staff, volunteers and new parents about first aid and CPR at the Vita House Family Centre for a few years now. The Centre is dedicated to providing life-affirming community support to all pregnant and parenting women in Peel. There were two life-saving incidents that owe their success to St. John Ambulance volunteer instructors Erin Birkenbergs and Ryan Smith.
The first incident involved a child who almost drowned when he fell into a backyard pond. The mother who had recently learned CPR skills in a class at the Vita House Centre, decided to start CPR on her son until emergency services arrived to take over. The child survived because of his mother's CPR skills. The second incident involved the Centre's co-op student whose child accidentally choked on a coin which obstructed her airway. The mother, who had been trained on choking and CPR skills just a few hours earlier, had no clue that she would require them so soon. She quickly recognized the signs and symptoms of an obstructed airway and did back blows. The blows helped clear the airway and within a few seconds, her child started breathing normally. The mother couldn't have been more grateful and agreed that learning first aid and CPR are skills that can save lives at work, home or play. |
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If you would like to learn more about St. John Ambulance and our first aid training, services and products, or if you have a comment or suggestion you'd like to share, please feel free to contact us. We're always happy to hear from you. |
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Stroke Awareness
Early Defibrillation
Volunteer Instructors Save Lives |
Camp 911 - First Responders Summer Camp
The St. John Ambulance Thunder Bay Branch is having its first youth summer camp program!
The camp is geared towards children ages 10 to 14. There are two age categories: Junior (10 to 12) and Senior (12 to 14). The program will run in the months of July and August, and will consist of 4-week sessions: Juniors (July 8-12 and July 22-26); Seniors (July 15-19 and August 12-16). Each session will have activities and games that will teach participants how to react in emergency situations. |
St. John Ambulance Thunder Bay has partnered with the Thunder Bay Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Thunder Bay Fire Fighters, Search and Rescue, and many other great first response organizations. For more information, contact St. John Ambulance Thunder Bay. |
St. John Ambulance
Kawartha Branch
Summer Craft Sale
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Victoria Park Armoury, Lindsay, ON
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