More than 35 teachers and staff members from Nisichawayasihk Neyo Ohtinwak Collegiate (NNOC) high school in Nelson House have received training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) as a result of a partnership between Vale and the Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation.
The teachers and staff received their training Sept. 22 at the Valer-Vale Education and Training Centre in Thompson and will pass on their knowledge to all of their school’s Grade 9 students.
“This initiative will strengthen the health of our community by giving our teachers the skills and knowledge to save lives,” said NNOC principal Natalie Tays.
The Heart and stroke Foundation says that early CPR combined with early defibrillation can increase the survival rate for cardiac arrest victims by up to 75 per cent. Eight out of 10 cardiac arrests that occur out of hospital happen at home or in public places.
The ACT Foundation works with local partners who donate mannequins and AED training units that schools need to set up the program. Secondary school teachers than teach CPR and how to use a defibrillator to students as part of the regular curriculum, enabling them to reach all students before graduation.
“Thanks to ACT’s lead community partner Vale, we are able to train Nelson House teachers and staff members with lifesaving skills that they’ll be able to use to play an integral part in their community,” said Sandra Clarke, the ACT Foundation’s executive director.
The ACT high school CPR program has already reached about 3.2 million students in 1,740 high schools across Canada.
“The most important work that we do every day is to apply the distinctive actions of SafeProduction – plan, accept, care and lead – in order to manage risk to as low as reasonable achievable,” said Vale Manitoba Operations vice-president Mark Scott. “We utilize controls and tools to achieve our goal of zero harm, but if something were to occur, we rely on our training. The ACT Foundation also provides the tools and training necessary to manage risk and save lives, which is why Vale is proud to support this vital initiative."
