20 Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

20 Safety Tips for the Holiday Season Because the holiday season can be quite busy the First Aid Canada team thought it would be a great idea to give you a quick list of 20 safety tips to keep in mind this holiday season: Keep decorations away from fire hazards such as heaters and wood stoves. Decorate your tree with children and pets in mind – keep smaller, breakable items at the top of the tree. Remember to turn off lights when leaving the home. Have a fully stocked First Aid Kit in the home. Consider an AED for the …

Is Your Home Prepared for the Holidays?

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

Is Your Home Prepared for The Holidays?   With the holidays in full swing it is important to have your home prepared for the volume of friends and family who will be stopping by and joining in the festivities. Being prepared is not just about having appetizers and Christmas cookies ready to be offered, it is about preparing for unexpected moments or even emergencies. Here are some recommend items to have in the home this holiday season:   Fully Equipped First Aid Kit   Whether it be a paper cut from wrapping a gift or a larger gash due to …

Does Your Child’s School Have a Defibrillator?

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

Does Your Child’s School Have a Defibrillator Onsite? In our previous blog How to be Prepared for Back-to-School Sports we touched on the importance of adequate first aid supplies within sporting facilities, which included Automated External Defibrillators. Because having an AED onsite can mean the difference between life and death we felt it was important to go into detail of the value of having a defibrillator onsite within schools. Age Doesn’t Matter There is a common misconception when it comes to cardiac arrest, often people believe it can only occur in aging or unhealthy adults, when quite commonly children can …

Summer Road Safety

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

Summer Road Safety According to the Canada Safety Council, “More fatalities occur on Canadian roads during the summer months than at any other time of year, including the winter holiday season.” Unfortunately this is due to alcohol, fatigue and reckless driving. Whether you’re headed out onto the road for one last road trip before summer ends or off to the beach, both the Canada Safety Council and First Aid Canada recommend being prepared on the road. Before You Head Out Before you head out on the road for an adventure it is important to check the functions of your vehicle …

Are You Cottage Ready?

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

Are You Cottage Ready?  With the weather heating up it has many of us daydreaming of our future cottage days… Lying on the dock, cruising in the boat and of course jumping into the lake. With great fun comes all the more need to be prepared when an emergency presents itself. Because cottages are often in remote locations being prepared to handle injuries both big and small will prevent hospital visits and allow for more fun to be had at the cottage!  Here are a few of our recommendations for items to have onsite at the cottage:  Adventure Kit  Smaller kits, such as the First Aid …

How to Keep Your Establishment Safe in the Hospitality Industry

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

How to Keep Your Establishment Safe in the Hospitality Industry Going out to eat is a huge part of Canadian culture. With amazing restaurants of all types to choose from it’s hard to refrain from treating ourselves to the experience of dining out. Many of us are also employed by the hospitality industry meaning we see all of the work that goes on behind the scenes: food preparation, cooking, serving, etc. It requires a very dedicated and patient work ethic to be involved in the processes of hospitality. What is most important about working behind the scenes in the hospitality …

Low Rise Buildings Increase Your Chance of Survival

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

Low Rises Increase Your Chance of Survival Although a view from the top can be quite beautiful there are also risks that come along with working or living in high-rise buildings. One of these risk factors is access to defibrillators as the higher you are the lower your chances of survival. A recent study published in the Canadian Medical Journal Association proves this with Canadian facts: For those who call 911 from a high-rise, the odds of survival from cardiac arrest depend on what floor the patient lives. That’s the main conclusion of an intriguing study by a paramedic and doctors with Rescu, …

Do you own a Vehicle Distress Kit?

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

Do you own a Vehicle Distress Kit? While the weather outside is frightening and January’s heating bill most likely has an extra digit before the decimal, that after-work, spiked hot chocolate is all the more comforting. This is why we’ve taken it upon ourselves to create a last minute winter safety kit for your vehicle, leaving you with a list to check off while you add some extra marshmallows. Because the weather’s predictability doesn’t have a formulated equation, having a safety kit prepared within the vehicle for possible emergencies is always a trending idea. First Aid Canada is pleased to …

Tips for Keeping Your Home Safe for the Holidays

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

Tips for Keeping Your Home Safe for the Holidays With the winter season just around the corner it is important to think ahead and be prepared for what the cold weather entails…  In addition to Winter Road Safety, the First Aid Canada team feels in is important to address safety within the home. While family and friends frequent the house more during the holidays it is important to be prepared with an adequate first aid kit and possibly an automated external defibrillator. Whether it be Dad burning himself trying to help Mom out on the stove or stubbing a toe …

Tips for Staying Safe this Halloween

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

Tips for Staying Safe this Halloween Trick-or-Treat! Halloween is just around the corner so the First Aid Canada Team is here to provide you with some safety tips to enjoy your night to the fullest, as well as safest: Tips for Children Trick or treat with you parents and/or groups of people If you are heading out without your parents be sure to give enough time to return home by curfew Wear reflective clothing or that which is vibrant colours Avoid wearing masks, opt for face paints instead Wait to cross the street at lights and cross walks and avoid …

The Importance of AEDs in Schools

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

The Importance of AEDs in Schools It’s back to school again and the First Aid Canada Team wants to ensure nationwide safety in our schools and that means becoming educated on the importance of Automated External Defibrillators. AEDs are now becoming more and more prevalent in public settings, especially schools. Every year, over 40,000 Canadians suffer sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) – that’s one incident every 12 minutes. School-aged children are not immune to cardiac arrest, an estimated 5,000-7,000 children die from SCA each year. Often these unfortunate incidences occur on school grounds or playing fields, as contact sport injuries can …

Are you Prepared for an Emergency on the Road?

Sky MattixBlog, Safety

Are you Prepared for an Emergency on the Road? Did you know 90% of people spend 87 minutes per day driving? And that the average is approximately 100 minutes per day for those commuting? How long do you personally spend in your car? Would you be prepared on the road in the case of an emergency? Throughout summer you may have noticed yourself making longer trips on the road, whether it be to the cottage, camping or a family road trip. Often in these times hospitals and medical facilities can be distant or even unknown in proximity. Life is precious …