Local students to be ‘first responders’

A special group of students received certificates of merit Monday morning during Fort High’s academic awards assembly at the Townshend Theatre.
But they weren’t recognized because they had top marks (although that could easily have been the case).
Rather, it was for their selflessness to take an extracurricular course that gained them no credits—and put on their shoulders the added responsibility of making the school a safer place for all students.
The students—six in all—were part of the inaugural Red Cross First Response certificate course, which provided them with the training of first responders, who are available to administer first aid and other medical care to injured students until paramedics can arrive.
“It’s better knowledge than first aid,” said John Beaton, an ambulance paramedic and volunteer instructor for the program. “It’s way above the normal first aid training.”
He noted, for instance, that the first responder program is much longer (running 44 hours) and has a monthly practice component to keep the students sharp.
“It gives them some exposure to some of the medical situations they may be exposed to,” he added.
Beaton said the program will begin in the fall with students who are trained and ready to administer aid. He and Fort Frances Fire Chief Steve Richardson volunteered their time to teach the course.
“It’s the first time in Ontario,” he said. “It’s the first [high] school to actually have them.”
Beaton noted some universities will run programs like this, training students to provide emergency care until help can arrive. He also said he’d seen the same kind of program run in schools in the United States.
“We tried to fit it in with what they’re learning in health,” he explained, adding they are working at making the program a credit course eventually.
All six students will be returning in the fall, so they’ll be prepared to be “on call” when their fellow students return to classes.
“It was hard, but it was interesting,” said Ashley Richardson, a Grade 10 student who took the non-credit course. “I always wanted to do medical [training]. I do a lot of swimming and it looks good on a résumé.
“It was very rewarding.”
And what kind of injury does she suspect will be the most common to treat once the program is in place?
“Probably gym accidents, most likely,” she guessed.
Richardson said she’s interested in going into a medical field after graduating from high school.
“That and forensic science,” she said of her future educational aspirations. “And yes, I am a ‘CSI’ fan.”
The other five students in the inaugural program were Ed Calder Jr., Ashleigh Dutton, Emily Laing, Shane MacDonald, and Billy Whitecrow.
(Fort Frances Times)