Did You Know?: Winter Car Preparedness

The temperatures are dropping. Now is the time to make sure that your vehicle is ready for winter travelling.

Winter tires are a must if you drive when there is snow on the ground. A reminder that winter tires do not mean you have 4 wheel drive or vice versa. No matter what, safe winter driving means slowing down.

Inside your car you should have the follow:

• first aid kit, 
• ice scraper, 
• shovel, 
• salt (or kitty litter) to put under your wheels if you get stuck,
• booster cables, 
• flares, 
• food and water (if you are travelling any significant distance an emergency supply of food and water is essential if you get stuck), 
• tea candles and matches (these can keep you vehicle warm but remember to leave the windows slightly open), 
• cell phone (even if you do not have a plan for the phone as long as, there is power and cell service you can call 911)

Always remember to tell people where you are going and when you will be getting back so that if there are issues they know to get help.

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.

Did you Know?: Childhood Illnesses

As the kids head back to school parents and guardians need to be prepared for the inevitable sharing of illnesses.

Head lice are tiny insects that live on the skin covering the top of your head, called the scalp. Lice can be spread by close contact with other people. Head lice may also be found in eyebrows and eyelashes. Tiny eggs on the hair look like flakes of dandruff. However, instead of flaking off the scalp, they stay put. Head lice can live up to 30 days on a human. Their eggs can live for more than 2 weeks. Having head lice does NOT mean the person has poor hygiene or low social status.

Symptoms of head lice include intense itching of the scalp, small, red bumps on the scalp, neck, and shoulders (bumps may become crusty and ooze), tiny white specks (eggs, or nits) on the bottom of each hair that are hard to get off. Lotions and shampoos containing 1% permethrin (Nix) often work well for treatment. They can be bought at the store without a prescription. If these do not work, a doctor can give you a prescription for stronger medicine. Such medicine should be used exactly as directed.

Conjunctivitis (pink eye) is swelling (inflammation) or infection of the membrane lining the eyelids. There are many causes of conjunctivitis. Symptoms include blurred vision, crusts that form on the eyelid overnight, eye pain, gritty feeling in the eyes, increased tearing, itching of the eye, redness in the eyes, sensitivity to light. Antibiotic medication, usually eye drops, is effective for bacterial conjunctivitis. Viral conjunctivitis will disappear on its own.

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.

Road Rash

Road rash is a term for the type of wound that occurs when a person falls on pavement, gravel etc. at the dirt is pushed into the wound.

In most cases the bleeding is minor and the major concern is cleaning the wound to prevent infection since many bacteria can be found on our roadways.

With most minor wounds soap and water is a good way to clean the wound. If you cannot get the wound clean this way then medical treatment should be sought.

If the wound is not properly cleaned the body will heal over the wound and make cleaning more complicated later.

Signs of an infection include redness, pus, swelling and fever. If you suspect infection medical treatment is required.

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.

Did You Know?: Fainting

People faint for many reasons but the question is always should I call 911 or not. The first decision point is "does the person lose consciousness?". After they they can they respond to you? If not you should call 911 immediately and check their breathing and if necessary start CPR.

If they are conscious then we need to determine what happened. There is always a reason for the fainting. One of the easiest ways to determine this is asking SAMPLE questions.

Signs and symptoms 

Allergies 

Medications

Past Medical History

Last Meal

Events leading up to the fainting

By gathering this information you should be able to determine what caused the fainting. If not then the person should be checked by a Physician. If the person has a serious medical condition then they also should be seen by a Doctor.

Remember, when in doubt call 911.

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.

Camping season is getting into full swing so a review of the differences between urban and camping first aid is essential.

One of the big differences between being in a urban and camping environment is your distance from an ambulance or other assistance. If you are going a far distance ensure you have let someone know when you are planning on leaving and getting back and where you are going and what to do if you do not check in. Have a plan for getting out if there is an emergency. Know the best routes to go for help.

Some emergencies to plan for: Food poisoning (prevention is best here with proper food storage and ensure cleanliness for food preparation and eating), sprains, strains and fractures (how would you immobilize and get out), allergic reactions (this includes bees, mosquitoes and poison ivy), cuts and abrasions (cleanliness is important to keep minor injuries from getting more serious).

Things to add to your first aid kit. Medications (including diarrhea, headaches and muscle pain), sting relief and wound cleaning materials, improvised splinting materials.

Preparation is the best way to stay safe and enjoy the outdoors.

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.

With the temperatures rising it is a good time to remind people about heat emergencies.

Certain people are more susceptible to heat  emergencies. Babies, children and the elderly and those with chronic illnesses such as heart diseases are less able to sweat and adjust to changes in temperature. 

Those who spend a lot of time in the sun and heat such as outdoor workers need to be aware of how to protect themselves and recognize heat emergencies.

Heat cramps are mild muscle contractions that can become severe. This a first sign that the body's core temperature is rising. Remove the person from the heat and gently cool them down. 

Those with heat exhaustion will have a moist skin that is redder or paler than normal. They may also have nausea, dizziness or weakness. Remove the person the heat, fan them to gradually cool them down. They should also take sips of cool water. 

In heat stroke the body has lost it's ability to cool itself down. A person will no longer sweat and may exhibit irritable, bizarre or aggressive behaviour. This is a medical emergency and EMS/911 should be called. Since the person can no longer cool themselves down they need to be sponged down with cool water or ice packs.

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.

A diabetic emergency occurs when the body cannot control the level of sugar in the blood.
If the level of sugar in the blood goes too low (hypoglycemia) or too high (hyperglycemia) a diabetic emergency can occur. Since hyperglycemia takes longer to develop it is less likely to result in a diabetic emergency.

What to look for: Changes in the level of consciousness, Changes in behaviour, Rapid Breathing, Cool, seating skin skin that is paler that normal, appearance of intoxication, feeling and looking ill

What to do: Call EMS/911. If the person is conscious and knows it is a diabetic emergency offer them a sugary drink. If their condition improves have them have a complete meal. Never give an unconscious person something to drink. To learn more take a Canadian Red Cross First Aid course.

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.

Anaphylaxis

Would you be able to recognize it if someone you knew had an anaphylxis attack? Would you know how to help them?

The signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis may be similar to the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction, but they are more pronounced: swelling of the lips, face, neck, ears, and/or hands. Do you know any other signs or symptoms?

They should be carrying their medication (such as an Epipen) with them. In Ontario, unless you are specifically trained, only they are allowed to administer their medication.

To learn more take a Canadian Red Cross First Aid course.

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.

With the warm weather people are getting their bicycles, scooters and roller blades. Everyone needs a reminder of the safety tips for these activities.

Wear the Gear: Everyone not just children need to wear the proper gear. Helmets on bicycles and helmets, knee pads and elbow pads for roller blades. Reflective clothing along with lights and reflectors make you more visible. Make sure your bicycle tires are properly inflated.

Know the rules of the road. Bicycles are considered vehicles according to the Highway Traffic Act and there need to obey all the rules of the road. Learn how to signal your stops and turns. For longer trips considering carrying a first aid kit for the inevitable falls.

Drivers also need to share the road and give extra space when passing.

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.

Home Emergency Preparedness

With the mild weather we have been having people tend to forget that we can have nasty weather in Ottawa and we always have to be ready in case of an emergency.

In the event of an emergency residents are expected to take care of themselves for the first 72 hours while emergency crews respond to the worst hit areas.

If you lost electricity for 72 hours in the middle of winter how would you cope?

Some things to consider:

Create an emergency communications plan with family members and establish a meeting place
Assemble an emergency preparedness kit
Educate yourself on your municipality's emergency plan and child's school or daycare's emergency plan.
Learn basic first aid
Learn when and how to shelter in place.
Did you know that in order to meet the minimum personal needs you should have a 2 litres of drinking water per person per day and two litres of water per person per day for cleaning.? That is 12 litres per person for three days. 

Your food kit should also contain canned foods and non perishable milk products.

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.

Helmet Safety

Canadians love their outdoor/cold weather activities. Some activities like hockey, skating, skiing/snowboarding do have a higher incidence of head injuries.  Lately there has been a lot of discussion about head protection for these sports. For most people this has lead to further confusion about how to protect themselves.

The best way to prevent injury is to wear the appropriate gear. For hockey, skating and skiing/snowboarding this includes helmets. Old and young need to wear helmets.

When choosing a helmet, style is not the most important part. Look for the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) sticker on your helmet to ensure that it meets the rigorous requirements to meet your needs.

Next wear your helmet. A helmet does not work if you do not wear it. When you wear it make sure you wear it properly (this includes using the chin strap).

Finally, despite the fact that you are wearing a helmet does not preclude that you should practise your sport/activity 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.