Page 6 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 95

6 Issue #95 December 2020 www.sportsenergynews.com

Cakes & MORE ...Simply Delicious!
• Custom Cakes
• Fresh Baked Goods
• Sandwich & Dessert Platters
• Don’t forget our lunches to go!
EASTCOURT MALL
2nd Street, Cornwall • 613-936-6069

911 Checking In with Our First Responders

Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services

Commander Leighton Woods

The Evolution of Paramedicine

The evolution of Paramedicine is something to certainly marvel over - we are a relatively young profession as
we know it today. Caring for individuals and transporting injured folks have been mainstays in health care, but what that looks
like has vastly changed over time. The pre-hospital care of those injured and sick has evolved and at an exponential rate over the
last 15 to 30 years. This evolution has proven challenging, but the profession has risen to the occasion.
Ambulances first appeared in wars and often consisted of wagons and horses. Even before this time there were stretcher bearers
transporting the injured with little to no care provided. The need for better pre-hospital care started to emerge as a trend and so the
profession of Paramedics was born. Not unlike most new things, it started off small, with a lot of concentration on getting the injured and sick to a
hospital quickly. First-aid and CPR became the gold standard of care and were considered revolutionary in the pre-hospital field. The need for more
advanced pre-hospital care was recognised and the introduction of defibrillation, medications, legislative changes, formal educational requirements, and
a plan for general modernization of the profession was developed.
Today Paramedics in Ontario are an amazing group of professionals that bring an assortment of knowledge, skills, tools, and medications outside
the walls of a hospital to patients. The toolbox of medications has steadily risen in my short 15-year career having started with just a few symptom-
relief medications. As an Advanced Care Paramedic, I now have the ability to manage a wide assortment of patients outside the hospital with over 30
medications. A complex patient is often managed with just two Paramedics having to perform the work of half a dozen medical professions. I marvel at
the work our Paramedics have done and what they have yet to accomplish.
What will the field of Paramedicine bring in the future? Stay tuned!

Cornwall Fire Services

with Chief Jeff Weber

The holidays are a special time for all of us, even firefighters. Cornwall firefighters help celebrate the season by
running Sparky’s Toy Drive. Firefighters who work on Christmas Day will enjoy a meal with all the trimmings at one
of our two stations.
This year, you will likely celebrate the holidays a little differently as we are all focused on staying healthy. Please take
some time to ensure you are safe from fire, too.
Fire can happen anywhere, anytime. It most often strikes when we let our guard down – when we’re distracted by our phone,
our kids, or the doorbell. All it takes is for a pot to be left on the stove or a candle left burning unattended, and suddenly a family’s holiday
celebrations can turn to tragedy.
Give us the gift of a fire-free Christmas! Follow these important fire-prevention tips:
1. Keep all candles away from the Christmas tree.
2. If you’re displaying a real tree, make sure the base is immersed in water at all times. Make a fresh cut five centimetres off the base
of the trunk before placing the tree in the stand.
3. Place your tree at least one metre away from any heat source – like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents, and lights.
4. Check all sets of lights before putting them on the tree and discard any sets that are damaged or old.
5. Keep candles in a sturdy holder away from children, pets, and combustible materials. Blow them out before leaving the room.
6. Use extension cords temporarily. Don’t place them under rugs or furniture. If a cord feels warm to the touch, stop using it immediately.
7. Alcohol and fire are a dangerous mix. Keep a close eye on anyone attempting to cook while under the influence of alcohol.
8. Stand by your pan! Many fires are started by cooking. Stay in the kitchen, set a timer, and keep combustibles far from the stove.
9. Smoking is a leading cause of fatal fires during the holidays. Butt out cannabis and cigarettes in large, deep ashtrays.
Smoke outside if you can. Don’t smoke in bed.