Reminder to avoid accidental dialling 9-1-1

On EP week, thank an emergency responder

Cote Saint-Luc’s finest in orange: volunteer Citizens on Patrol

As Emergency Preparedness Week winds down across Canada I believe it’s important for everyone to take a moment to thank someone involved in emergency services and emergency preparedness, especially those who volunteer their time.  It is because of these fine individuals and their sense of dedication that all of us are safer where we live, play and work each day.

Cote Saint-Luc’s long-serving EMS volunteers being congratulated by City Council

I salute everyone involved in Cote Saint-Luc’s Public Safety Department starting with our volunteers.  These folks who give so much of themselves within EMS and vCOP are terrific in so many ways.  Without salary, they show up for their shifts, rain or shine, heat wave or deep freeze.  They do continuous training and provide extra coverage at special events, all to ensure our safety.  They respond when called upon and are always at the ready.  Thanks so much to all of you.

CSL launches eco-friendly COP Scooter Patrol

Our CSL Public Security agents patrol our streets 24/7.  They are friendly and helpful professionals here to maintain order within our city, to educate our residents and visitors and to help when help is needed. They enforce our bylaws to ensure our neighbourhoods are clean and orderly.  Merci a tous l’équipe pour vos efforts remarcable.

Cote Saint-Luc volunteer Emergency Medical Services honour guard

Our emergency communications staff, also known as dispatchers, must answer all the phone calls and send the right resources, quickly and professionally.  They juggle phones, Urgences Santé and EMS radio systems, computer-aided dispatch screens and more. Thanks to them for keeping calm under pressure and for their polite and helpful interactions with residents.

Public Safety Director Jordy Reichson

Public Safety Chief Jerome Pontbriand

 

Our team is headed by Director Jordy Reichson and Chief Jerome Pontbriand.  Jordy oversees the entire operation of 150 volunteers and some 20 staff members.  He also plans for wide scale emergencies. Jordy deals with residents and partner agencies and plans strategically to keep our city safe.

Jerome works directly with our volunteers in vCOP and EMS.  He helps to bring them ongoing training and improvement to help them meet the challenges of servicing our city. Jerome is a seasoned paramedic who makes sure you get a first responder fast when you need one.

Both Jordy and Jerome are committed emergency professionals, dedicated to the safety and security of all Cote Saint-Lucers as well as those working and visiting here. YOu may even bump into one of them on a 911 call.

EMS Chief Sheldon “Shloime” Goldberg and his team of skilled and dedicated medics are always close at hand, ready to spring into action

So please be sure to salute our emergency responders that are in and around Cote Saint-Luc (and all across our country). In addition to those solely in our city I mentioned above, there are also Montreal police officers and firefighters and CP Rail police.  You’ll occasionally see the RCMP here as well.  And of course there are the paramedics of Urgences Santé, responding to all of our medical 911 calls.  Please thanks them for all they do to keep us safe and secure, for answering our calls, for being ready when we need them most.

Cote Saint-Luc Public Security officer Jean-Noel Champagne

 

Montreal’s emergency services prepare for major disaster

Montreal’s major emergency responders collaborated in 2012 to test their reaction and training to deal with disaster.  This effort, coordinated by the regional health board, highlights the response by ambulance and hospital, primarily, in dealing with a large number of injured and sick patients.

Being Emergency Preparedness Week I figured it’s a good time to be reminded of the preparation that’s underway to safeguard Montrealers.

Life-saving defibrillators should be in every public gathering spot

Last week PM Stephen Harper announced the Government of Canada will be investing $10 Million to outfit as many as 3000 arenas with life-saving defibrillators.

“We have the technology and we know that it works,” Harper said. “We know that with minimal training, defibrillators are easy to use. We know that by making these devices more readily available, fast treatment will save lives.”

Automated defibrillator

This is an idea whose time has come.  Cote Saint-Luc has had defibrillators in place in its arena and City Hall / Library complex for more than 10 years and has since added additional units at the outdoor pool, ACC and tennis club.  At a relatively low-cost these easy-to-use defibrillators save lives.  They should be required in every major gathering spot, just as fire extinguishers or first aid kits are.

According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, which is working with the government on the program, 40,000 Canadians experience a sudden cardiac arrest each year, and only about five per cent of them survive.

It’s not uncommon for people to suffer heart attacks and strokes in rinks and arenas, many which already have defibrillators installed.

I have personally performed CPR about 125 times during my EMS and Urgences Santé career.  I have personally witnessed that early bystander CPR followed by rapid defibrillation and advanced life support is critical in those precious minutes that invariably mean whether a patient will be revived or not.

With automated defibrillators now sold at the retail level there is no reason they can’t be made more widely available.  Federal funding is a good jumpstart.

 

CSL EMS volunteers: Your hero next door

I regularly report on the incredible, life-saving efforts of our Cote Saint-Luc Emergency Medical Services volunteers.  We cannot thank these fine young women and men enough for their countless acts of bravery and dedication to our residents and visitors.

At this week’s EMS membership meeting I was pleased to join Mayor Anthony Housefather and City Manager Tanya Abramovitch in passing on the appreciation of all Cote Saint-Lucers.

A few members were singled out for saving lives including Anthony G, and Robert R, as mentioned on this blog a few weeks ago.  Also recognized were Sergey A, Audrey M, Cassandre D for assisting in a birth at home.

EMS volunteers are trained in basic life support however some have climbed the ranks within the medical profession and continue to apply their skills.  Even those working as Urgences Santé paramedics or those in medical school continue on as volunteer first responders.

For more information on CSL EMS or to join, please visit their site.  And, when you see the EMS white trucks and crews passing by please give a friendly wave and let them know how much you appreciate them always being at the ready to respond to the next emergency.

Outstanding CSLer awarded Queen’s Jubilee Medal

Dr. Marc Afilalo receives the Queen’s Jubilee Medal by Councillor Glenn J. Nashen and Mayor Anthony Housefather surrounded by his family

I was honoured to join Mayor Anthony Housefather in presenting the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal to Dr. Marc Afilalo at the February 11th public council meeting of the City of Cote Saint-Luc.

This award is quite prestigious and I am so pleased that Dr. Afilalo, Chief of Emergency Medicine at the Jewish General Hospital and professor in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University, is one of two recipients who received this award as nominated by City Council.

Dr. Marc Afilalo is a formidable nominee on the part of our city.  City Council, on behalf of Her Majesty, has recognized and shown immense appreciation to Dr. Afilalo who has been one of the staunchest supporters of CSL Emergency Medical Services dating back more than three decades.  Dr. Afilalo was a significant influence upon the Quebec government in saving EMS when the Fire Department mergers took place ten years ago and gobbled up all first response services on the Island of Montreal, except in CSL.

Dr. Afilalo has stood with CSL in our campaign to recognize Paramedics in Quebec since the 1980′s. He is one of the gurus of Emergency Medicine in Quebec and has served as adviser to several health ministers.

Having known Dr. Afilalo for well over 25 years I think he is an outstanding nominee, a mentor to hundreds of young students and a remarkable Cote Saint-Lucer and an extraordinary leader in the field of Emergency Medicine and in our community.

Congratulations Dr. Afilalo on this well deserved honour.

Related articles

• City of Côte Saint-Luc to present Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals to Dr. Marc Afilalo and Roy Salomon (gjnashen.wordpress.com)
• Read more on Councillor Mike Cohen’s blog

City of Côte Saint-Luc to present Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals to Dr. Marc Afilalo and Roy Salomon

The City of Côte Saint-Luc has nominated and will present Dr. Marc Afilalo and Roy Salomon with Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals at the start of the council meeting on February 11, 2013 at 8 pm.

Dr. Marc Afilalo has been nominated for this award for his contribution in the field of

emergency medicine. Chief of the Emergency Department at the Jewish General Hosp

ital for the past 27 years, Dr. Afilalo has become a reference in the field of overcr

owding, use and misuse of the Emergency Department, acute asthma mana

geme

nt, pain control, treatment of unstable angina and myocardial infarct.

He is also largely credited for the recognition and development of emergency medicine as

 a specialty in Quebec.

Roy Salomon has been nominated for his long time involvement with Maccabi Canada, from player to eight-term president of the organization. Mr. Salomon has received numerous awards for his volunteer contribution to the sports community. He is this year’s Honourary Co-President of the Maccabiah Games in Israel. He has also been Vice-President and Honourary President of the YM-YWHA, received the Norah and Joe Rubin Leadership Award for 50 years of involvement with the organization, and is a 2001 recipient of the prestigious Yakir Maccabi Award. In 1995, he was inducted to the Montreal Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

“We are proud that these two deserving individuals are Côte Saint-Luc residents,” Mayor Anthony Housefather said. “They are both uncontestedly leaders in their respective fields who have realized significant contributions and achievements.”

Côte Saint-Luc will also be acknowledging Councillor Dida Berku who has received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in recognition of her community service and her initiatives in helping preserve the natural environment. Councillor Berku was nominated for this medal by Senator Judith Seidman.

“I’ve known Dida since 1994 and she is a worthy recipient of this medal,” said Mayor Anthony Housefather. “It is rare to find someone who combines the precision of an attorney, the political smarts of an elected representative, and the passion of an environmentalist. She is someone whose advice and counsel I rely upon.”

The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal was created to mark the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne. The medal is intended to honour individuals who have given selflessly in service of their communities. During the year of celebrations, 60,000 deserving Canadians will be recognized. Côte Saint-Luc was invited to nominate two recipients.

CSL crews save lives

Cote Saint-Luc Emergency Medical Services volunteers have had more excitement over the last few days than any volunteer could expect.  While on some shifts our volunteers watch the clock tick by, others keep them hopping, sometimes involving simultaneous emergency medical calls in different corners of our city.  In the past few days our volunteer First Responders successfully resuscitated two patients.

A few days ago the EMS overnight crew responded to a 911 call for a patient in convulsions and surprisingly found a 37 year old female in cardiac arrest. Out came the defibrillator and the EMS crew of Anthony and Robert delivered one shock and began CPR maneuvers before Urgences-santé ambulance technicians arrived on scene.

The ambulance crew delivered several more shocks while en route to the hospital. The patient regained consciousness in hospital and we learned that the patient will suffer no long term effects from the incident.

Earlier this week a man in his 70s collapsed outside of Qualitifruits on Westminster Avenue. The EMS crew was already at an emergency pediatric trauma call, so Public Safety Director Jordy Reichson responded, lights flashing and siren wailing. When he arrived, the patient had no pulse.  Notwithstanding frigid outside temperatures below -20C, Reichson hooked the man up to the defibrillator and delivered one shock.  Urgences-santé ambulance techs arrived shortly thereafter and felt a spontaneous pulse.  The collapsed man began breathing on his own and was rushed to hospital.

These very real examples show just how invaluable our EMS is to our city and our residents.  Thanks to Cote Saint-Luc EMS crews for saving two lives in the last week and for countless other amazing interventions to assist our residents and visitors every day.

 

Training paramedics from Jordan and Israel

14 Jordanians and 40 Israelis finish a groundbreaking three-year bachelor’s course in emergency medicine at an Israeli university.

Training paramedics from Jordan and Israel | ISRAEL21c.

 

CSL EMS volunteers – At the ready

While Urgences Santé emergency medical technicians are set to go on strike tonight, Christmas Eve , Cote Saint-Luc volunteers will be manning our local Emergency Medical Services station round the clock.  CSL’s first responders will ensure there is no disruption when a 911 medical emergency happens in our town.

Ambulance is an essential service and therefore the strike is largely symbolic. Medics will likely wear army fatigues or jeans rather than their proper uniform and will plaster stickers across their ambulances.  Unprofessional to be sure and largely disrespectful of property paid for by the public. True, the vast majority of “paramedics” are wonderfully dedicated and very talented, but the union has a way of getting their way.

Nonetheless, Cote Saint-Luc volunteers are always ready and able, and look mighty fine at all times.  We’ve asked our volunteers to put in some extra time over the holidays and even to double up so multiple calls will be answered without delay.

You can help too.  If you’re baking or cooking why not prepare a couple more helpings and drop it off at the station with a bottle of coke – 8100 Cote Saint-Luc Road?  Our crews will be thrilled with the attention and the grub as they man the fort during Christmas and right through New Year’s Eve and Day.  Your thoughtfulness and generosity will be warmly appreciated.  Just ring the bell at the front door, and as long as they’re not out on a call you’ll see some pretty big smiles. (If they’re out you can leave it at the door.  It’ll stay cold!)

CSL EMS volunteers are highly skilled life savers.  Fully trained in-house, they are multilingual, young and energetic and  very happy to assist those in need.  So, thank a medic from CSL EMS when you see them next.  They’re on duty for you.

Move Over Law now the rule of the road in Quebec

Quebec’s new Move Over law takes effect today.  Not abiding by this very important regulation will cost you, both in dollars and demerits.  Rest assured that Police will be looking out for infractions as this law is aimed specifically at making them, and their fellow first responders, much safer on the road.

I first heard of this law a few months ago when I learned of a Montrealer who was nabbed in upstate New York and handed a hefty fine.  I thought it had great merit and began blogging about it only to find out that a young paramedic from the Eastern Townships had started an online petition.  Fast forward only a couple of months and this new law was created.

So drive carefully, especially when passing emergency vehicles.

Read more:

Quebec drivers will have to move over for emergency vehicles on the highway

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Quebec+drivers+will+have+move+over+emergency+vehicles+highway/7013722/story.html#ixzz22CprXi4I

http://gjnashen.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/ever-hear-of-a-move-over-law-this-tip-can-save-you-time-and-money/

Ambulance strike off, for now

This Urgences Santé ambulance spotted on Cote des Neiges Road Friday afternoon was readied for strike actions that were called off at the last moment

Urgences Sante ambulance paramedics were set to go on strike this weekend but this action was called off at the last minute.  Ambulances were already defaced with stickers by disgruntled union activists by Friday afternoon despite the strike being called off.

By law, ambulance service is considered essential and therefore the would-be strike action is limited to administrative delays, defacing property and not wearing uniforms, for example.  But delays in service is a possibility as evidenced by previous strike activity.

Nevertheless, Cote Saint-Luc’s volunteer Emergency Medical Services is always at the ready to respond to emergency calls as the authorized first responder service of this city.  EMS responds to Priority 1 (life threatening) and 3 (potentially life threatening) calls unlike the rest of the Island of Montreal where the Montreal Fire Department responds to Priority 1 only, when available.

EMS has ben known to respond to multiple emergencies at the same time.  With a fleet of three emergency first responder vehicles and some volunteers even equipped with radios and gear in their personal vehicles EMS has been able to answer as many as four emergency situations at the same time.  This is incredible service to those in Cote Saint-Luc and any strike action by ambulance technicians in the future would result in several volunteers being available to tend to the sick or injured while awaiting ambulance response.

Bravo to our dedicated and talented EMS volunteers.

Quebec to bring in lane-change law to shield emergency crews

Quebec to bring in lane-change law to shield emergency crews. (Montreal Gazette)

MONTREAL – This summer, Quebec will join the vast majority of North American jurisdictions, compelling motorists to slow down and change lanes when they come upon emergency vehicles.

That includes police cars, fire trucks, ambulances and tow trucks with flashing lights, as well as Transport Quebec trucks carrying illuminated directional arrows. The penalty for violators: a fine of $200 to $300, plus four demerit points.

Since 2008, four Sûrété de Québec officers have been killed by passing motorists and 214 SQ cars stopped on highways have been rammed by other vehicles, according to Quebec Transport Minister Pierre Moreau.

The change in the law, adopted by the National Assembly Thursday and expected to take effect in late July or August, was welcome news to Urgences Santé paramedic Patrick Dufresne, who has campaigned for a so-called “move- over” law here.

He started researching such laws in 2005 after treating a Sûreté du Québec officer hit by a passing vehicle while standing on a highway shoulder. The officer survived.

Dufresne learned most jurisdictions had or were about to introduce laws compelling drivers to change lanes when emergency vehicles or tow trucks were stopped on highways.

Today, eight Canadian provinces have such laws, according to the Canadian Automobile Association. Forty-nine U.S. states also have move-over laws, says Move Over, America, a coalition promoting such laws.

In the U.S., since 1999, more than 150 law-enforcement officers have died after being struck by passing vehicles while standing on highway shoulders, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

When SQ officer Vincent Roy was hit and killed by a passing truck while giving a ticket to a motorist on a highway in Bromont in December, Dufresne was haunted by memories of the SQ officer he had treated years earlier.

“I didn’t understand why Quebec still didn’t have a move-over law,” Dufresne said in an interview.

“I’ve seen it myself on highways – people have driven too close to me. They’re curious and want to see what’s happening and don’t realize that when you’re looking somewhere you can veer in that direction” inadvertently.

Dufresne decided to do something about it, starting a campaign to alert the public to the dangers of driving near emergency vehicles.

He also launched a petition – by this week, it had 8,700 names on it – to convince Quebec to adopt a move-over law.

The new section of Quebec’s Highway Safety Code explains what motorists must do when approaching emergency vehicles that are on or are by the side of the road.

A motorist must:

Slow down in a safe manner.

Change lanes if one is available in the same direction to ensure a lane remains clear between his or her vehicle and the emergency vehicle, but only if the driver is able to switch lanes safely. If a lane change is not possible, a motorist must move as far as possible from emergency vehicles while in the lane.

In Ontario, penalties are stiffer for violators of that province’s move-over law.

For a first offence, the fine is $400 to $2,000, plus three demerit points.

For a second offence, fines can reach $4,000, with the possibility of jail time of up to six months and a driver’s licence suspension of up to two years.

In addition to adding move-over provisions, Quebec is also changing the wording of a section of the Highway Safety Code related to emergency vehicles that are travelling with their lights or sirens in operation.

The code now says motorists must “make way” for such vehicles.

It will be changed to make clear that a motorist must yield to such vehicles. The penalty for those who break the rule: a fine of $200 to $300, plus four demerit points.

ariga@montrealgazette.com

Twitter: @andyriga

© Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Quebec+bring+lane+change+shield+emergency+crews/6711183/story.html#ixzz1wsYVMziY

In my opinion:  This is good news for public safety professionals and volunteers who are often in harms way when they are stopped at the side of the road to provide assistance or enforcement.  I blogged about the need for this just last month having learned about this law in Vermont and New York.  Days later I learned that there was a movement to bring in such legislation in Quebec.  Bravo to the Quebec Minister of Transport and especially to Paramedic Patrick Dufresne for bringing this to light in Quebec.

Related articles

• Ever hear of a “Move Over” law? This tip can save you time and money. (gjnashen.wordpress.com)

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)