Barrie, ON – Barrie and other surrounding communities proclaimed the week of June 21st to June 27th, 2021, as St. John Ambulance Week, recognizing 80 years of community service by the Barrie Simcoe Muskoka Branch of St. John Ambulance. A Flag Raising Ceremony marking the occasion occurred at 9 AM on June 24th, 2021, at the City Hall.
St. John Ambulance Week is an annual awareness event supporting the St. John Ambulance mission, which is: “To enable Canadians to improve their health, safety and quality of life by providing training and community service.” It is particularly special this year given that 2021 is the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Barrie Simcoe Muskoka Branch. Since 1941, thousands of dedicated volunteers have rendered well over a million hours of volunteer service to communities throughout the region. During that time, hundreds of thousands of residents in the region were trained in first aid by the Branch. Over time, those trained went on to treat the injuries of countless more in the community, no doubt saving many lives.
Today, we train over 5,780 people annually in first aid and other health related courses under the guidance of a network of medical professionals. St. John Ambulance is the national leader, setting the standard for training in first aid, CPR and other lifesaving skills.
With over 180 volunteers contributing over 22,000 hours of community service a year, St. John Ambulance is an integral part of the community offering unique and innovative programs, including: medical first response, disaster response, car seat installation clinics, health and safety related youth programs and therapy dog services.
Some highlights for the Barrie Simcoe Muskoka Branch in 2020:
- 61 Medical First Response volunteers attended 23 events, treated 7 casualties and contributed over 3,971 hours of volunteer service;
- 11 Youth volunteers contributed over 813 volunteer hours;
- 7 Car Seat Safety Team members educated 79 parents and caregivers, contributing over 525 volunteer hours;
- 80 Therapy Dog handlers and their dogs contributed over 5000 hours of volunteer service, completing 2074 in-person and virtual visits to 70 facilities, including senior residences, hospitals, and schools.
As a charitable, humanitarian organization, proceeds from St. John Ambulance’s first aid training and first aid product sales directly support these vital community service programs. For more information on St. John Ambulance training courses and local volunteer opportunities; contact Heather Roy or visit www.sja.ca
Contact:
Heather Roy
Executive Director
705-524-7223 ext. 5152
705-726-0991 ext. 223