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Funding partnership supports first aid training in schools

Jun 14, 2018 | 2:00 PM

Students at Wesmor Community High School are learning the basics of CPR and first aid thanks to a local community partnership.

High school students took part in a hands-on training session Thursday at Wesmor, learning how to respond to an emergency and how to help someone in distress. Wesmor is the third high school in Prince Albert to receive the training since Parkland Ambulance partnered with RBC. The bank provided $1,000 per school to support the training, and students at Carlton Comprehensive Public High School and Ecole St. Mary have already benefitted from the partnership.

Lyle Karasiuk, director of public affairs with Parkland Ambulance, said first aid is an important skill for everyone to learn. Students who have first aid training can not only help in an emergency situation at home or in the community, but are better prepared for the workplace as well, he said.

“We’re making our workers safer. We’re making our students more marketable. We’re helping them succeed career-wise and giving them the tools that they can transfer, whether that’s home, school, or in the community,” Karasiuk told paNOW.

Amanda Skotheim was eager to take part in the training Thursday. The Grade 12 student said she is considering a career in healthcare after graduation, so first aid training is an important skill to have.

“Anything could happen at any time,” Skotheim added.

Ralph Boychuk, senior account manager for commercial banking with RBC, said supprting programs that benefit youth and education is part of the bank’s mandate.

“It’s a skill development that I think is needed, just in life,” Boychuk said. “It also engages our staff in volunteering and helping along the way, so I think there’s a lot of little things that come together that make it a worthwhile venture.”

 

Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbutt