Ever hear of a “Move Over” law? This tip can save you time and money.

Ever hear of a “Move Over” law?  Well you better take note because you may soon be stopped for failing to move over and it’ll cost you dearly.

Recently I heard of a Montrealer who was stopped on a New York State highway and given a ticket costing several hundred dollars and a mandatory court appearance.  The reason?  She failed to move over to the left lane while passing a State Trooper who was stopped in the break down lane.

After doing some simple research I quickly learned that many US states have so-called “Move Over” laws, enacted as a result of the significant number of police injuries and deaths on US highways, having been struck by oncoming vehicles.

I asked several friends and neighbours if they had ever heard of such a law and not one was familiar with “Move Over”.   You’d think with such a serious potential to strike an officer that such laws, only passed in the last couple of years, would be widely publicized on roadside billboards.

Two weeks ago, returning by car from Boston, I stopped in a Vermont rest stop and found the flyer just below.  It explains it in clear and basic terms.

It seems that interest is growing for such a law on Quebec highways, as evidenced in yesterday’s Granby  Express and tweeted by the Montreal Gazette’s reporter Andy Riga.  A petition is now  circulating, with some 8000 signatures, calling on the Quebec National Assembly to enact a made-in-Quebec “Move Over” law.

Hats off to Chambly Paramedic Patrick Dufresne for launching this petition.  Anything that can be done to reduce the risk to police officers, ambulance technicians and highway crews is well worth consideration.  I’ll be signing this petition and I encourage you to do so too by forwarding this blog post widely.  What do you think?  Do you agree with such a law?  Click Leave a Comment now and share your opinion.

Related articles

• New York Move Over Law Amended (nytrafficticket.com)
• Drivers Ticketed During “Move Over” Law Crackdown (miami.cbslocal.com)
• Officials urge motorists to do their part (gloucestercitynews.net)
• Maryland Police Remind Drivers To Move Over (washington.cbslocal.com)
• “Move Over” For Emergency Workers (miami.cbslocal.com)

Bystanders obligated to help heart victims

 

Bystanders obligated to help heart victims: ER docs – CTV News.

 

I have long advocated for mass education in CPR.  Here, in Cote Saint-Luc, we have taught thousands of residents over the years how to perform this easy-to-learn lifesaving technique.  I agree completely with these ER doctors who call for mandatory teaching of CPR at every high school in Canada.  Click these links to see the news item.

Related articles

• Require CPR training in schools, ER docs urge (cbc.ca)

Annual Côte Saint-Luc Spring Fair on Sunday POSTPONED

Please note that this event has been postponed due to weather – Check back here or www.cotesaintluc.org for the new date

The fourth annual Côte Saint-Luc Spring Fair will take place on Sunday, May 15, 2011 from 10 am to 3 pm between Pierre Elliott Trudeau Park and the Public Works Building on Mackle Rd.

“Our Spring Fair is a kid-friendly event with many games and activities, plus a community garage sale to keep the adults busy too,” Mayor Anthony Housefather said. “But there is also an education aspect to the Spring Fair, with information about environmental matters, safety issues, and public works initiatives.”

The Côte Saint-Luc Spring Fair includes the Mega Garage Sale, Public Safety Day, the Public Works Carnival, Eco-Action Day, and—new this year—Côte Saint-Luc Clean Up Day, where residents can pitch in to help pick up refuse at one of four green spaces.

Highlights of the Côte Saint-Luc Spring Fair include inflatable games, face painting, arts and crafts, bike rodeo, colouring stations, environmental trivia game, child-seat verification, compost distribution, and the 60-table garage sale.

For more information about all the activities, visit www.CoteSaintLuc.org/en/SpringFair2011.

Every EMSB school to get a defibrillator

Every EMSB school to get a defibrillator (Montreal Gazette)

In my opinion:  The EMSB is doing the right thing by making emergency medical care readily accessible in all of its facilities.  But they can do much more by ensuring that every one of its students is trained in simple-to-learn CPR.  Each and every one of them is capable of saving a life, inside and outside of their school.

My letter to the editor of the Gazette

Firefighters contain Côte St. Luc apartment blaze

Firefighters contain Côte St. Luc apartment blaze.

I was on scene and witnessed the smooth collaboration of our public safety departments. Firefighters contained the blaze to a single ground floor apartment. While heavy smoke hampered the evacuation, only two residents required transportation to hospital, suffering from smoke inhalation.

CSL EMS volunteers were actively involved in caring for those evacuees that needed to be checked out, together with ambulance technicians from Urgences Sante. Police and CSL Public Security provided perimeter control, rerouting cars around the affected area. They were assisted by the volunteer Citizens on Patrol.

Red Cross officials were also on hand to assist residents who boarded a Fire Department bus to keep warm.

Residents returned to their apartments after about 90 minutes.

Montreal girl’s school project mistaken for suspicious package

Montreal girl’s school project mistaken for suspicious package

The Gazette November 13, 2010

MONTREAL – A child’s school project mistaken for a suspicious package sent residents of an apartment out on the street before dawn today.

Montreal police and firefighters quickly evacuated the building on Cote St. Luc Road near Cavendish Blvd. at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, before tackling the package, which was found in the garbage.

As residents gathered on the street, a girl came forward to explain the package found in the garbage was nothing more than the remains of her school project.

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Read more (address mistakenly referred to as Sherbrooke St.): http://www.montrealgazette.com/Montreal+girl+school+project+mistaken+suspicious+package/3824590/story.html#ixzz15MwFOSmb

Video:  http://www.urgence.tv/20101113-0605.html

New CPR rules say skip mouth-to-mouth

New CPR rules say skip mouth-to-mouth (M0ntreal Gazette)

Major changes in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) were announced that will radically change this 50-year-old life saving technique and make it far more accessible to bystanders.

Related Articles

• New CPR Guidelines: Chest Compressions Come First (aolhealth.com)
• CPR First Aid Changes: Chest Presses First, Then Mouth-To-Mouth (huffingtonpost.com)

Glenn J. Nashen paracticing on Resusi-Annie in 2010 refresher class at CSL Parks & Recreation Department

Texting While Driving

Image via Wikipedia

Texting while driving

Tredegar Comprehensive School and Gwent Police (Gwent is located in south-east Wales,UK) have produced a drama entitled ‘COW’ –The film that will stop you from texting and driving.

It’s all about Cassie COWan a nice girl from a Gwent valleys family who kills four people on the road because she used her cell phone and lost her concentration for a few seconds. It is hoped this film will become part of the core schools programme across Wales and the UK and ultimately worldwide.

Gwent Police facilitated the films crash scenes because they want to stop ALL drivers, but particularly young and new ones, from causing accidents.

State of the art digital special effects were utilised to show the impact of what would happen inside the car during impact. 

The result is a very impactful road safety educational tool to help reduce the number of collisions involving young drivers.

Seeing a scenario, like the one Cassie goes through, played out right before your eyes makes you realise how extremely dangerous it can be and what devastating consequences it can have. This video is a short teaser from the full 30 minute piece.



Click here to watch the Video

Learn to Save a Life – Learn CPR

Volunteers from vCOP take a refresher in CPR and Automated External Defibrillation

 

I first learned Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation back in my high school days and have recertified at regular intervals ever since.  Standards have changed slightly through the years and simple to use, life-saving equipment such as Automated External Defibrillators or AEDs have been added to the course.  The fact remains, with as little as a couple of hours of education anybody can learn to save a life.   

Having served as an Emergency Medical Technician aboard Urgences Santé ambulances for 18 years I was called upon to perform CPR some 125 times.  While the very first time was somewhat of a shocker – while I stood frozen gawking at the patient in cardiac arrest awaiting my intervention, my partner (it was either Dennis Clement or Gary McHugh) grabbed me by the collar, slapped my face and pointed to my assigned spot on the floor beside the patient.  I never had another problem beginning CPR again.   

vCOP founder Glenn J. Nashen practicing on Resusci-Annie

 

The plain fact is that the average person will probably never need to perform CPR.  But, the more members of the public that get trained, the greater chance of having someone close-by when urgent and immediate action is needed.  

If saving the world one person at a time isn’t your thing then consider your immediate family.  If you haven’t taken the opportunity to learn CPR, or to take a refresher course,  how would you feel if your mother or father, brother, sister or child collapsed in cardiac arrest before your very eyes?  You have the choice to either be prepared to help your loved one when seconds really count or to look on helplessly.  The answer ought to be clear.The City of Cote Saint-Luc offers CPR courses every month at the Parks and Recreation offices on Mackle at Parkhaven.  Fees are reduced for CSL residents but available to all.  Call 514-485-6800 for details.  Or call the Heart and Stroke Foundation for a course near you. 

Related Articles

• CPR should be compulsory in high-school education (theglobeandmail.com)
• CPR: How to Save a Life (aolhealth.com)

Old medics meet new

The first EMO - EMS Reunion BBQ took place last weekend at headquarters at 8100 Cote Saint-Luc Road. This was a rewarding opportunity to bring together today’s EMS (Emergency Medical Services) volunteer medics (1990s to now) and yesterday’s EMO (Emergency Measures Organization) rescue-medical volunteers from the 70s and 80s.  

  

Hundreds, if not thousands, of volunteers have passed through the doors at 8100 since its inception in 1964 and have served countless numbers of Cote Saint-Lucers through the decades, saving a great number of lives and easing the suffering of the sick and injured.  

Glenn J. Nashen on duty with Cote Saint-Luc Emergency Measures Organization, 1981

 

A new EMS flag was unveiled and now hangs proudly on the headquarters.  Several members were dressed in the old blue or brown uniform jumpsuits of the 80s and early 90s and the newly created Director’s Award was presented to those who have volunteered the most hours in a given year.  

L-R: Brian Payne, Mayor Anthony Housefather, Cllr. Glenn J. Nashen, Cllr. Ruth Kovac, Andrew Lamb, Norm Adler, Director Jordy Reichson

Also in attendance were past directors Brian Payne, Norm Adler and Rick Liebmann.   

 

A proud alumni of EMO Auxiliary Security from the 80s, Erwin Luden, attended with his son Brandon, now an EMS medic trainee as well as an emergency dispatcher.  Younger brother Jordan looked on in anticipation of also joining EMS in a few more years.

Several former and present Urgences Santé ambulance technicians who used to volunteer at EMO were present including Mike Diorio, Danny Raie, Barney Wexler, Gary Silver, Robbie Sager, Patti-Beth Liebman and Ron Journeau.

Alumni members were invited to renew their participation in EMS in any way possible, whether as a medic, mentor, trainer, fundraiser or recruiter.  All assistance is welcome.

 

View photos on Michael Glazer’s Facebook page

 

EMO – EMS Alumni Association on Facebook

 

Read it in the Suburban

News of death spread quickly over social media

News of death spread quickly over social media

By CHARLIE FIDELMAN, The Gazette August 11, 2010

MONTREAL – Screams coming from the Attar family home shattered the calm at 6:40 p.m. Monday, shocking neighbours on Randall Ave. By the time paramedics arrived on the scene, 14-year-old stab victim Shirel Attar was dead.

By 8 p.m., at least one hour before police announced that they were investigating a suspicious death, the horrible news had travelled, largely via Internet social media sites.

“Kids today, it’s not the old days -you can’t keep anything from them. This was flying through the Internet, MSN, Facebook, Twitter,” said Myron Carls, 38, manager of summer day camp at JPPS-Bialik school.

“I was completely devastated,” said Carls, who got a text message about the killing from a friend who had probably heard about it on Facebook.

Elie Ohayon, 17, one of the counsellors at the day camp, said he heard about it on Facebook, about an hour after it happened. “I heard a girl got stabbed,” he said.

By 9 p.m., the information spread as far as a summer camp up in the Laurentians, and back again to Montreal as camp teens called their parents with the Facebook news.

Many had the right information -later confirmed by the Montreal police -that the main suspect in the death was the victim’s older brother, Maor Attar.

Twitter users sent messages saying that they lived near the Attar house, or went to the same school or that their cousin was in the same class, while others reported rumours.

“It’s disgusting how someone can do that to a 14 year old girl,” said one.

“Apparently a Bialik High School student died in the CSL area … ridiculous! either suicide or murder by her brother are the rumours now …!” tweeted another.

More messages came after police arrested Attar at 11 p.m.: “It’s crazzzzy. the police found her bro though and are questioning him.”

People have been giving instantaneous accounts of breaking news on Twitter and Facebook for a while now, spreading information on events before the media -or even the authorities – report them, Concordia University professor Lisa Lynch said via email.

“In a case as local as this, Twitter can’t be expected to control the spread of information that might be damaging to a criminal investigation,” Lynch said.

But I think it’s still unclear what the rules are for the media” when it comes to identities of victims whose names are circulating widely on the Internet.

Web messages break down into several types, Lynch said, from eyewitness accounts that are live-tweeted as they happen -such as soldier Tearah Moore sending tweets and pictures from a hospital bed after a shooting rampage last November left 13 dead and 30 wounded at the Fort Hood, Tex., military base -to reaction and re-tweets to events that may or may not have happened, as in the case of the “death” of Willie Nelson or Bill Cosby.

“And finally, you have social media exchanges that actually create events, such as what happened over the past weekend with the Air Canada wheelchair fiasco,” Lynch said.

An explosion of Twitter outrage forced the airline to fix Tanner Bawn’s wheelchair, which broke as he flew to New York for a charity event and sightseeing trip.

Closer to home, news of the death of beloved Montreal singer Lhasa de Sela in January from breast cancer was leaked on Facebook three days before confirmation in a news release.

By yesterday evening, the RIP Shirel Attar page on Facebook had 49 members.

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/News+death+spread+quickly+over+social+media/3383784/story.html#ixzz0wJ53hrcQ

The Boroughs of CDN-NDG and Ville-Marie will be served by Firefighter First Responders starting December 7

The Boroughs of CDN-NDG and Ville-Marie will be served by Firefighter First Responders starting December 7

The Monitor, November 30th 2009

Serge Tremblay, Director of the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM), is pleased to announce that the ninth and last cohort of firefighter first responders will be ready for service starting December 7, 2009, in the boroughs of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and Ville-Marie. This step marks the end of the implementation of this service throughout the territory of the Montréal Agglomeration.

The Director is very pleased with the deployment of the cohorts of firefighter first responders on the territory of the Montréal Agglomeration. “The implementation of the medical first responder service has successfully followed its course. It will very soon be reaching its final phase, with the launch of this last cohort. Approximately 1700 firefighters of the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal will now be certified medical first responders. This service will help SIM firefighters save more lives and will help make residents feel safer.”

The new firefighter first responders will be working at Station 4 (5260, rue Van Horne), Station 27 (5353, rue Gatineau), Station 34 (5369, chemin de la Côte-Saint-Antoine) and Station 46 (4760, avenue Cumberland) in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce; Station 10 (1445, rue Saint-Mathieu) and Station 25 (1212, rue Drummond) in the borough of Ville-Marie as well as Station 78 (6815, chemin de la Côte-Saint-Luc) in the City of Côte Saint-Luc.

Starting December 7, all fire stations within the Agglomeration will be offering medical first responder service. All residents on the island of Montréal will be able to benefit from this service. “The fast response of firefighter first responders in critical emergency situations can make all the difference, because in such situations, every second counts. On the strength of the introduction of eight other cohorts of medical first responders since 2007, we have the confirmation that this service meets the needs of the population and that its beneficial impact was well worth the efforts invested,” added Mr. Tremblay.

Operating as a complement to Urgences-santé crews, firefighter first responders stabilize the victims’ condition while awaiting more advanced medical care from paramedics. Their response to victims in critical emergencies helps save lives and reduces potential damage. Once the medical first responder service has been completely phased-in on the territory of the Montréal Agglomeration, this will mark a transformation in the entire pre-hospital services sector in Greater Montréal.

***

First responders riding trucks

Firefighters trained to give medical help

THE GAZETTE

DECEMBER 8, 2009 10:37 AM

Montrealers should get used to seeing fire trucks come calling when there is no fire, but a medical emergency.

That was the main message yesterday from a top-ranking fire department official as all of Montreal Island’s 65 fire stations became staffed with qualified first responders – firefighters with enough medical training to help people in distress make it until an ambulance arrives.

Richard Liebmann, chief of the fire department’s first responders division, said 1,700 of the island’s 2,300 firefighters had received the 62 hours of training to be first responders as of yesterday. The latest graduates are in fire stations 4, 27, 34 and 46 in Côte des Neiges/Notre Dame de Grâce borough and in stations 10 and 25 in western downtown, he said.

There are now at least two first responders per station per shift. The first responders now respond to all priority one calls – including when a person is in cardiac arrest, is not breathing or has had a severe allergic reaction, he said.

Ambulances are also called for those cases, and both may arrive at the scene. But there is little redundancy because ambulances typically aren’t available as quickly. “We get there more than a minute before ambulances in 90.6 per cent of the cases,” he said.

Ambulance technicians’ jobs are more time consuming, involving more advanced levels of care, transporting the patient to a hospital and transferring the patient to the hospital’s care.

First responders sent to a medical emergency do not transport patients, Liebmann said.

They are also ready and equipped to go and fight a fire if called to one, he added.

In my opinion:  It must be emphasized that the firefighter first responders will not answer emergency medical calls in the City of Cote Saint-Luc.  This is the sole responsibility of the Cote Saint-Luc Emergency Medical Services.  Also to note, Montreal firefighters will only respond to Priority 1 medical emergencies when the crew in station is available.  EMS responds to Priority 1 as well as Priority 2 medical emergencies and can often answer two, three and even four simultaneous emergency calls thanks to its numerous volunteers who remain on call round the clock.

Les Québécois défavorisés pour les soins d’urgence préhospitaliers

EN

La Presse

Montreal

Lettre à l’éditeur par le conseiller Glenn J. Nashen

Le 7 avril 2009

* * *

Pourquoi les Québécois sont-ils encore défavorisés quand il s’agit des soins d’urgence préhospitaliers ? Il y a au moins 20 ans que l’on souligne la nécessité de se doter d’hélicoptères médicaux pour les traumatismes majeurs et les urgences médicales dans les régions rurales, mais nous n’en avons pas encore au Québec. Il est indéniable que les ambulanciers en soins avancés préhospitaliers possèdent les compétences nécessaires pour assurer la survie, sauf si vous habitez au Québec.

Et pourquoi le port du casque protecteur n’est-il pas obligatoire pour les cyclistes et les skieurs, alors qu’il est prouvé qu’il peut réduire de 80 % le risque d’un traumatisme crânien ? La prévention des blessures et la réduction du nombre d’hospitalisations et de visites aux services déjà encombrés permettraient des économies pour les contribuables et allégeraient le fardeau qui pèse sur notre système de santé déjà trop sollicité.

Le Québec se dit à l’avant-garde et fier de son esprit d’initiative, mais il reste loin derrière en matière de soins d’urgence préhospitaliers et de préparation aux situations d’urgence. Il est grand temps de rattraper le temps perdu. Ambulances aériennes, ambulanciers paramédicaux de soins avancés, casques protecteurs et vaste programme de formation à la réanimation cardio-respiratoire : voilà des facteurs qui permettent de sauver des vies. Il est temps d’investir là où ça compte vraiment, car nos vies en dépendent.

Glenn J. Nashen

Conseiller municipal (Sécurité publique)

Côte Saint-Luc

Quebecers short-changed in pre-hospital emergency medical care

FR

April 3, 2009

Montreal Gazette
Letters to the editor (published Apr. 4, 2009)

Re: MDs call for air ambulance, Gazette, April 2, 2009

Why is it that Quebecers continue to be short changed when it comes to pre-hospital emergency medical care? Calls for air ambulance helicopters for major trauma and medical emergencies in rural areas has been going on for 20 years or more but we still have none in Quebec. The life-saving skills of advanced care paramedics is undeniable, unless you live in Quebec.

And why aren’t helmets mandatory for cyclists, or for skiers, when they are proven to reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury by 80%. The prevention of injury and reduction in visits to already crowded emergency departments and hospitalization would result in huge savings to taxpayers and would ease the burden on our over-stretched health care system.

Quebec prides itself in leadership and innovation yet trails far behind in pre-hospital emergency medical care and preparedness. Time to play catch up right now. Air ambulances, advanced care paramedics, helmets and wide-spread education in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation all save lives. Time to invest where it really counts.  Our lives depend on it.

Glenn J. Nashen
City Councillor (Public Safety)
Cote Saint-Luc

Postscript:  I have been advocating for legalization of paramedics in Quebec for 30 years.  Despite the widespread use of the word “paramedic” in Quebec over the last few years the province still does not permit ambulance technicians to perform advanced life support as in nearly all other jurisdictions across North America.

In the mid-90s I worked with then MNA Robert Libman to introduce helicopter air ambulances.  We asked the government to implement such a critical service but 15 years later the same questions are being asked.

Cotes Saint-Luc became the first municipality in Canada to legislate the wearing of bike helmets when I introduced this life-saving proposition.  This law has since spread widely across Canada but is still not mandatory here in Quebec.

Search this blog for more on paramedics, bike helmets and emergency medical services.

If you want to make a difference please call or write to your Member of the Quebec National Assembly and ask for support in legalizing advanced care paramedics, launching an air ambulance helicopter service and requiring all cyclists and skiers to wear a helmet.

EMS Director becomes Paramedic / Directeur des SMU devient Paramédic

L-R: EMS Director Stephane Kallos, Councillors Ruth Kovac and Glenn J. Nashen

Congratulations to EMS Director Stéphane Kallos who received his certification as a paramedic from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians–the organization that certifies emergency medical technicians in the United States. The paramedic certification is the highest one offered. This gives him the ability to work as a paramedic anywhere in the United States.

In the past several years Stéphane has used many of his vacation periods to travel to the United States where he worked in ambulances and did the required 1,478 hours of on-site paramedic work.

On behalf of the city council and staff, I congratulate Stéphane on this outstanding achievement, which is a great benefit to Côte Saint-Luc EMS and the people who are helped every day by our crews.

***

Félicitations à Stéphane Kallos, directeur des SMU, qui a reçu sa certification du National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, l’organisme qui homologue les techniciens médicaux d’urgence aux États-Unis. Il n’y a pas de certification paramédicale plus haute que celle obtenue par Stéphane. Ainsi, il pourra travailler comme paramédical n’importe où aux États-Unis.

Depuis quelques années, durant ses vacances, Stéphane se rendait aux États-Unis pour travailler à bord d’ambulances afin de compléter sur place 1 478 heures de travail paramédical obligatoire.

Au nom du conseil municipal et du personnel, je souhaite féliciter Stéphane pour son accomplissement exceptionnel, qui bénéficiera les SMU de Côte Saint-Luc et les individus aidés quotidiennement par nos équipes.