CPR Training in Halton

In 2009 Halton Region EMS (Emergency Medical Services) responded to close to 31,000 calls. Of those about 360 were VSA (Vital Signs Absent). Meaning they showed no signs of life. Not breathing, no heartbeat, technically dead, but if someone is there and can quickly asses your situation and start early CPR, your chance of survival goes up dramatically.
We have all heard about how CPR saves lives. But it is just one link in the chain of survival for people who go into cardiac arrest.
The other part is having a nearby PAD (Public Access Defibrillators) near by and people trained to use them.
This past week our EMS Staff trained the Councillors on how to use the machines and gave us a CPR course. It took 90 minutes for 15 more people to be trained.
We received the new kits that we can pass on and train more people on how to do this simple, life saving technique.
Long before I was Chair of Health and Social Services I have always believed in the CPR/PAD chain. I had my first CPR course in 1981 and it took 8 hours.
Now in 90 minutes we can have people trained to recognise the signs of Heart attack or stroke, how to administer CPR and use a PAD.

The new kits have a DVD, small dummy and step by step instructions on how to use it..

When there is almost 1 call a day for a situation where CPR or PAD may need to be used. Would you not want to know how to save your loved one, neighbour or someone who needs assistance?
I feel Halton Region should strive to get more of its population trained. Approximately 30,000 have some CPR/Pad training. I would love to see us get that number to 50,000.
We need to figure out how to get there.
That one person per day could be a 16 yr old girl, a 80 yr old Grandfather, a 47 yr old mother or your son, daughter, mother, father or neighbour

Committees and Council

People ask about the importance of the committees we have for Council, both at the Town and the Region. The committees provide valuable feedback to us and help us develop policy that we will use.
At this time of year, during the first part of each term, we advertise and interview people who have expressed interest.
All members of Council sit on a variety of committees. I serve on some locally, regioanlly, Provincially and with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, nationally.
Even people who have served a long time on the committees are brought in for the interviews. Returning members get the opportunity to meet other members of Council and can provide direct feedback to us.
The interviews may only be 15 to 20 minutes in length, but are important for us to learn about the reasons some wish to serve on the committees.
We could not develop policy or recieve feedback as quick as what we do without our committee members.
All of our volunteers deserve our thanks. Whether they assist at our facilities or serve on our committees. A well deserved big Thank you!

FCM Sustainable Communities Conference

I recently returned from the FCM's Sustainable Community Conference. 3 Days of us talking about what we have done, learning from others and thinking and planning what we can do to make our communities morr sustainable.
We had some tremendous keynote speakers and presenters.
I am planing on taking some of these ideas to both the Town and Region so we can use them for our upcoming strategic planning sessions.
We have done some good things here, fromt he Green Plan to having four new buildings using Georthermal.
I was fortunate to visit Dockside Green, a LEED platinum development on a former brownfield site. Truly impressive.