Winter Driving Safety

With winter travel season upon us a review of winter road safety would seem appropriate. If you are planning any travel, either inner or intercity, ensuring your vehicle is properly maintained is always the first step. During the winter your vehicle should be equipped with emergency supplies such as a shovel, salt (or another form of traction), blankets, food rations, flares and/or signal flags and candles (and waterproof matches). If you need to use the candles in the vehicle (they are very effective in keeping a vehicle warm) ensure that your windows are open a crack to ensure enough air flow. If you have a cell phone, ensure it is completely charged before you leave. Also be aware of the emergency numbers in areas that you are travelling. 911 is not available everywhere nor is there cell phone coverage everywhere.

If you are trapped off the road during a snow storm do not leave the vehicle. You can lose your way very easily. Wherever your travels take you drive safely.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code. Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.-2727.

First Aid For Cold Emergencies

Hypothermia, the cooling of the body's core temperature, can happen twelve months of the year in the Ottawa area. The spring time temperature fluctuations and rain can cause a person to go into hypothermia very quickly. A person in mild hypothermia will shiver and complain of the cold, someone in moderate hypothermia will also shiver and complain of numbness, a lack of coordination and may act in a confused manner and impaired judgement. Finally, someone in severe hypothermia will not shiver (a sign their body cannot warm itself up) or complain of being cold along with the confused behaviour mentioned above. Someone in severe hypothermia can also lose consciousness and stop breathing.

The best treatment is prevention. Dress for the weather and in layers.

For someone in mild or moderate hypothermia seek shelter, remove wet clothing and re-warm with a blanket or an external source of heat. For severe hypothermia the person will need external sources of heat to warm up. EMS/911 should also be called for cases of severe hypothermia.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code. Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.-2727.

Who can use an Automated External Defibrillator

In 2006, the Ontario Legislature introduced the Chase McEachern Act. This Act protects people from using an automated external defibrillator (by a first aider) in an emergency or they have made an AED available in good faith (by an employer/landlord, etc.). The use of an AED is very simple and has been shown to save lives. All Canadian Red Cross First Aid and CPR courses include certification in the use of an AED.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code. We provide public and private courses. Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

First Aid for Nose Bleeds

Nosebleeds are a very common injury but some misconceptions still exist about their treatment. Most nosebleeds can be treated by having the person lean their head slightly forward while pinching the nostrils for about 10 to 15 minutes. Use a cloth or bandaging to catch the blood that does come out. Call EMS/911 if the person loses consciousness, if the bleeding continues after 15 minutes or if the bleeding was caused as a result of a medical condition or head injury.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code. Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

Handwashing 101

With the start of flu season and especially with the second round of H1N1 coming to Canada people are even more aware of the spread of viruses and bacteria. Proper hand washing is probably the biggest and most important way to prevent the spread of the seasonal flu & H1N1. Even the use of waterless hand washes cannot replace soap and water to effectively guard against viruses. Remember to use warm running water, rub your hands together until you see a soapy lather and keep rubbing for at least 15 seconds. Rinse your hands under warm running water and once your hands are dry use a towel to turn off the water.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code. Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

Pandemic Planning 101

It seems many government agencies and associations have created checklists for pandemic preparedness.

"...You should do this... you will need these... you have to do that..."

Then what?

Do they give you an operational plan, communication memos, infection prevention and control policies, Human Resources policies, a methodology to determine Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements for your staff?

Do they give you an exercise to test your plan?

Do they provide infectious disease training programs?

Do they offer a family program?

If not, you will now have to start from scratch and create all these documents and processes yourself.

They tell you WHAT to do BUT not HOW to do it.

WE CAN HELP!

The Pandemic 101™ program includes a Gap Analysis, Pandemic Plan Template, Table Top Exercise, Online Infection Prevention, Control Awareness Level training, Certificate of Completion, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) calculator, Antiviral strategies, a Family guide and Family DVD.

First Aid Ottawa has secured a discount for our clients with the Pandemic 101™ program. To visit the site, purchase toolkits or online training, please use our promotional URL when visiting the Pandemic 101 website:

http://FirstAidOttawa.pandemic101.com

Webinar dates and times will be listed in the website. Select the one that fits your schedule, fill in the required fields and submit. You will then be sent an email with a unique URL to click on and join the webinar.

Wilderness and Remote First Aid

Do you have employees who work in remote areas not immediately accessible to or by ambulance? Do you wonder whether the training you are proving will meet their needs?

The Canadian Red Cross has developed two Wilderness and Remote First Aid courses for those who recreate, live or work in isolated or wilderness settings and need to response to emergencies when advanced care is not immediately available. The courses cover material in Red Cross Standard First Aid & CPR plus special material on techniques for wilderness and remote areas as well as offers strategies to provide extended care for more than 24 hours. The courses are also recognized by WSIB and CLC.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code. Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

Summer Safety

Last week a Father and his young son were injured in a collision while on their bicycles. The Father, who was not wearing a helmet, was taken to Hospital with head injuries. The son, who was wearing a helmet, only had a few minor scrapes. Helmets, when worn properly and are well maintained, are proven to reduce if not prevent head injuries. Although under Ontario law only people under 18 are required to wear a helmet when bicycling, in reality everyone should wear a helmet. There are more vehicles (both motorized and not) on road today making collisions more likely and with higher speeds these injuries are likely to be more serious.

Stay Safe, Wear the Gear

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code. Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

First Aid for Cuts and Scrapes

Cuts and scrapes are a normal part of everyday life so when should we worry? With all types of wounds the main concern should always be bleeding. If the wound is bleeding heavily apply direct pressure and do not remove the first layer of bandage. Once bleeding is controlled, wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and rinse for five minutes with running tap water. If there is a great deal of dirt or contamination seek medical attention. Always watch for signs of infection. A wound may require stitches if the edges do not fall together, the wound is more than 2.5 cm long, the wound is near joints on the hands or feet or the wound is on the face.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code. Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

First Aid for Tick Bites

A recent study published by the Canadian Medical Association Journal states that with the current climate changes ticks, and the Lyme disease they can transmit, are spreading across Canada including the North.

Ticks are small insects (the size of watermelon seeds) that dig into the flesh of humans and animals. Because they use a pain killer when they bore into the flesh most hosts do not notice they have been bitten.

When going into wooded or grassy areas: wear long sleeved shirts and pants, wear light colours and don’t wear perfume. When you leave those areas check yourself thoroughly for small black dots especially in areas such as the underarms. If the tick has not bored in yet you can brush it off otherwise use tweezers and pull straight out (avoid twisting). Lyme disease can appear as a rash that starts small and spreads up 18cm across, may cause flu-like symptoms. Later symptoms include arthritis, numbness, problems seeing or hearing, memory loss and high fever. Lyme disease can cause serious medical problems and you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code. Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

Drowning prevention

We have already entered a new season in the Ottawa area, the summer drowning season. Every year lives are lost due to drowning, all of which are preventable through simple safety measures.

If you own a pool then you need to ensure that your yard is fenced in, if you have children even the pool itself should be fenced. A baby can drown in as little of an inch of water and there have been cases of drowning in washing machines (as most parents can attest children move very fast).

By law there needs to a life jacket person plus 1 extra in every boat, even this is not enough since a life jacket is of no use if you are not wearing it. Most people will put life jackets on their children but not themselves. If the boat should tip how will you take of the children if you are trying to find and put on your lifejacket (provided you can even put it on)?

Alcohol should be left onshore and you should not boat while intoxicated.

This summer: Prepare! Stay Safe! Survive!

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code.  Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

Diabetic Emergencies: Did You Know?

A diabetic emergency happens when the body cannot control the level of sugar in the blood. The blood sugar level may be too high (hyperglycaemia) or too low (hypoglycaemia). Hyperglycaemia develops slowly, so it is less likely to be a first aid emergency.

 

Preventing diabetic emergencies involves taking your medications as prescribed, checking your blood sugar often, if required, and keeping some quick sugar foods with you at all times.

 

Diabetic emergencies can sometimes be mistaken for drunkenness so keep this in mind. Other signs and symptoms are: changes in level of consciousness, changes in behaviour, rapid breathing, cool, sweating skin and skin that is paler than usual. Some diabetics wear a MedicAlert® medical identification product. You do not need to know the difference between the two types of diabetic emergencies because the first aid is the same for both.

If the person is unconscious call EMS/911. If the person is conscious offer them a sugary drink, if the condition does not improve or worsens call EMS/911. If the person’s condition improves, recommend having a complete meal.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code.  Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

Hypothermia: Did You Know?

Hypothermia, the cooling of the body’s core temperature, can happen twelve months of the year in the Ottawa area. The spring time temperature fluctuations and rain can cause a person to go into hypothermia very quickly. A person in mild hypothermia will shiver and complain of the cold, someone in moderate hypothermia will also shiver and complain of numbness, a lack of coordination and may act in a confused manner and impaired judgement. Finally, someone in severe hypothermia will not shiver (a sign their body cannot warm itself up) or complain of being cold along with the confused behaviour mentioned above. Someone in severe hypothermia can also lose consciousness and stop breathing.

 

The best treatment is prevention. Dress for the weather and in layers.

 

For someone in mild or moderate hypothermia seek shelter, remove wet clothing and re-warm with a blanket or an external source of heat. For severe hypothermia the person will need external sources of heat to warm up. EMS/911 should also be called for cases of severe hypothermia.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code.  Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.

Seizure Do's and Don'ts

A Seizure is a temporary alteration in brain function that may produce physical convulsions, minor physical signs or thought disturbances. Some Seizures can be caused by medical conditions (such as epilepsy), physical injuries (head injuries) or illnesses (high fever in children). As a general rule no matter the cause if the seizure happens in a public place or if they have never had a convulsion before then 911 should be called. You also never want to physically restrain the person while they are in convulsions since this may cause further injury. Protecting the person from self injury is the main priority and once the convulsion stops then the priority becomes monitoring their breathing and if necessary performing CPR.

Contrary to popular believe nothing should be placed in the person’s mouth. A head tilt chin lift performed after the convulsion will keep the tongue from blocking the airway.

A person in convulsions will lose bladder control therefore maintaining privacy is also important.

As an Authorized Training Provider of the Canadian Red Cross, all First Aid Ottawa Standard and Emergency First Aid courses are recognized by WSIB and its Federal counterpart the Canada Labour code.  Visit us online at www.FirstAidOttawa.com or at 613-225-2727.