Understanding The Difference: Heart Attacks vs. Cardiac Arrest

tempfirstaidBlog, Health

Giving Back: In October 2014 the First Aid Canada Team gave back in the form of first aid supplies to underprivileged communities in Honduras through the organization The Friends of Honduran Children. The FOHC is a non-profit organization based in Peterborough, Ontario. The organization is committed to the delivery of sustainable programs to the impoverished children and families in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Among the several services intended to break the cycle of inequality and poverty in this population, medical brigades is one way to contribute. This past October (2014), a health promotion brigade consisting of an interdisciplinary team including nursing students from Trent University, travelled to Honduras …

Giving Back: Friends of Honduran Children

tempfirstaidBlog, Giving Back

Giving Back: In October 2014 the First Aid Canada Team gave back in the form of first aid supplies to underprivileged communities in Honduras through the organization The Friends of Honduran Children. The FOHC is a non-profit organization based in Peterborough, Ontario. The organization is committed to the delivery of sustainable programs to the impoverished children and families in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Among the several services intended to break the cycle of inequality and poverty in this population, medical brigades is one way to contribute. This past October (2014), a health promotion brigade consisting of an interdisciplinary team including nursing students from Trent University, travelled to Honduras …

Tips for Safe Hiking

tempfirstaidBlog, Sports Safety

With the weather heating up, especially in Western Canada many people find themselves heading out for hikes. Whether your hiking path is short or long it is important to remember these safety tips:  1. Bring Enough Food and Water Hiking causes your body to expend a significant amount of energy even when your hike is short. Be sure to bring enough food to feed not only your energy levels, but others you are hiking with as well. In case of an emergency you do not want to be put into a lengthy situation without food. Water is just as important …

Our Review of the Restaurants Canada Show 2015

tempfirstaidBlog, News

Our Review of the Restaurants Canada Show 2015 On March 1-3, 2015 the First Aid Canada team took part in The Restaurants Canada Show. Hundreds of exhibitors filled the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto. First Aid Canada’s booth was located at 210b: Numerous products were on display for key decision makers in the restaurant and food processing industry to check out for their teams. The Deluxe Restaurant and Food Processing kit (photographed above) was part of a contest draw. The winner was contacted on Thursday and thrilled to receive their kit: “Just what my restaurant needs …

Tips for Staying Safe on the Road During Winter

tempfirstaidBlog, Safety

With the extreme weather conditions that winter can bring, such as rain, sleet, snow and ice, vehicle safety has received a lot of recent attention in the news. The importance of vehicle distress kits in the case of an emergency has also been highlighted. Here are some things to watch out for on the road and tips to remain safe while winter is still in full effect: Black Ice Black ice is a transparent coating of ice, found on the road or other paved surface, and drivers typically can’t see it, until you’re right on top of it. If there …

Welcome to Heart Month 2015!

tempfirstaidBlog, News

Every 7 minutes in Canada, someone dies from heart disease or stroke. In fact, it is expected that incidences of heart disease and stroke will increase in the upcoming generations due to poor diets (including high sodium intake), increased stress and sedentary work environments. Heart Disease Facts Nine in 10 Canadians (90%) have at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke (smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes) The leading cause of hospitalization in Canada continues to be heart disease and stroke, accounting for 16.9 % of total hospitalizations (19.8% of all hospitalizations …

What You Should Know About Snow Shoveling and Sudden Cardiac Arrest

tempfirstaidBlog, Health

There are an unsettling number of people who are rushed to the hospital with chest pain after shovelling their driveways, many of them have had a heart attack. Although a heart attack IS an excellent excuse to get out of clearing your driveway of snow…that is not why people are getting them! The bottom line comes down to risk of cardiovascular disease (such as high blood pressure or cholesterol), and not regularly exercising. If it’s been a while since you’ve exercised, it is best that when you do start back up, to take it slow. If someone who has not …

The SHOCKING Truth Behind AEDs

tempfirstaidBlog, First Aid

You’ve seen them around. In the metal wall containers in subway stations, in malls and community centres…AEDs are everywhere. Why? Because they work. When your heart needs it, along with effective CPR, an AED can save your life by kickstarting your heart back to normal. To understand how, you have to know a bit about how your heart works. Your Heart is a Muscle It’s about the size of your fist and is in the upper left side of your chest (just off the centre). And your heart has an incredibly important function. It pumps blood to all areas of …

Great Canadian Tips for Staying Safe in the Winter

tempfirstaidBlog, First Aid

Winter in Canada is a special season. We pride ourselves on our snowy, long and ‘Canadian’ winter season. There are some reasons to be bitter (excuse the pun), but others reasons to rejoice. Skiing, snowboarding, ice skating and tobogganing are some of the most fun you can have in a winter wonderland. But without protection from the cold temperatures in the form of a winter coat, hat, gloves and boots, our bodies would not function properly, and could be permanently damaged after extended exposure to the elements. Here we discuss some common, and potentially life threatening cold related injuries. HYPOTHERMIA …