This past Tuesday was a landmark evening here at St. Joe’s as over 70 people attended to receive training on the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and complimentary instruction on Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Any community gains when a number of its members acquire skills that can literally make the difference between life and death, and our community, of course, is no different. What does, however, make us somewhat unique is the fact that, in addition to the numbers of people trained in CPR, we at St. Joseph’s are fortunate to have an AED located on-site, something that makes our building much safer for all the many people who pass through this facility attending all manner of business and events. And given that heart-related issues rank towards the top of potential health crises events, that’s good news for all of us.
Knowing that we’re got an enhanced reaction capability in the school is comforting, but it’s just part of the balanced approach that’s being implemented through a partnership between the school and the Renfrew County Health Unit. Also launched Tuesday was the Heart Wise Walking Program, a proactive effort to get people out walking more, in a place unfettered by the dangers of traffic, and in an environment that can carry through into the winter months. Sometimes weather has the effect of cancelling a walk. With Heart Wise, that no longer has to be the case.
Heart Wise takes place at SJCHS every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, beginning November 9th and running through to the March break.
