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.

Baby Choking

For First Aid purposes a Baby is considered from birth to one year of age.

If a baby is coughing we do not want to interfere with the cough. The cough is best way to clear the obstruction. If the baby cannot make any sounds then we need to step in and assist.

If need to perform these techniques (even successfully) it is recommended that you have the baby checked out by a Physician to ensure that the object is still in the baby (even if we got something out).

The technique involves 5 back blows followed by 5 chest thrusts which are repeated until the baby starts coughing or crying.

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.

The Canadian Red Cross is introducing new guidelines for performing CPR.

For CPR purposes a Baby is considered from birth to one year of age.

Unless a baby has congenital heart problem most of the time it is an injury that necessitates CPR on a baby. Most people are afraid to compress the chest the full depth (1/3 to 1/2) the depth of the chest but this is essential. 

Whenever someone falls unconscious it is considered a life threatening so we need to call 911.
We now recommended that if the is a defibrillator available to use it on the baby.

CPR for babies is 30 chest compressions (performed with two fingers in the middle of the chest followed by 2 breaths (just enough to allow the chest to start to rise).

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.

Am I doing CPR Wrong?

Approximately every five years or so the recommended guidelines for First Aid and CPR are changed. The changes are usually based based on studies regarding the effectiveness but sometimes the changes are to make the skills easier to learn and remember.

November 1 was the launch date for the Canadian Red Cross' new program based on the latest recommendations.

Usually at this people express concern about performing “the old skills”. In fact there is nothing wrong  with performing the previous skills since it is more important that everyone know what to do in an emergency. None of the previous skills will harm people.

What is really means is if you have been putting off taking a course now is the perfect time to learn these simple lifesaving skills.

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.

Halloween Safety

With Halloween coming it is important for parents to help their Trick or Treaters stay safe.

Costumes should be as visible as possible. Reflective tape should be added to dark costumes. Costumes should not drag on the ground since they are a tripping hazard. Mask should be avoided. If they are used they should be kept off the face when walking from house to house, walking up walkways and steps and used only at the door.

Parents should check all candy before they are eaten. Children should be discouraged from eating while they are out. If the children have food allergies extra care should be taken when sorting through the candy.

Do not criss cross streets. Walk down one side and return on the other. If children are old enough to be out by themselves they should stay together and should return at an agreed upon time with their parents/guardians. Expect drivers will not be watching out for you so watch out for them.

Drivers please slow down, even on bigger roads. Expect that the children will not be watching out for you so watch out for them.

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.