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Get First Aid Certified!

Do you require first aid training for your workplace? Maybe looking to add a new certification to your resume? Or perhaps you just want to be prepared for if the worst happens to your friends and family?

Let the West Hillhurst Community Association help you get first aid certified! August 17 & 18, we will be hosting Standard First Aid – CPR C & AED with a St. John’s Ambulance certified instructor. From 9am to 5pm, this 2-day course will teach you everything you need to know in order to save lives at work, home, or play. At the end of the course, you will write a quick test after demonstrating practical skills and receive your First Aid certification.

Due to a special deal, we are able to offer this course at only $120 to the general public – typically offered at $155. If you have a valid WHCA Family Membership, you can get an additional 10% off the cost of the course and enroll for only $108! That’s $47 off of what you would pay elsewhere for the exact same certification.

So join us August 17 & 18 and learn how to become a certified first aider.

REGISTER TODAY!

Child Safety & the WHCA

Safety should be a top priority at any age.

Get your kids in a safety-orientated mindset at an early age with child safety classes at the WHCA with certified instruction from Child Safe Canada.

Starting in May, we will have Home Alone Safety & the Babysitter Program for ages 6 and up.

Home Alone Safety prepares youths for all of the important steps for being on their own. This interactive safety course will provide them with the skills and confidence they need to be able to handle unsafe and uncomfortable situations they may encounter while you’re away. Some of the skills they will learn are:

  • first aid
  • fire safety
  • answering the door & phone
  • flooding toilets and plumbing
  • and more.

Home Alone Safety will be held on Sunday, May 26th at the WHCA. Registration is currently closed and enrollment is full for this class.

The Babysitter Program teaches youth ages 10+ who look to be future babysitters how to be safe while also building their self-esteem. Skills taught through this course include:

  • being a responsible babysitter
  • safety & injury prevention
  • handling emergencies
  • preparing meals
  • feeding & caring for babies,
  • and more.

The Babysitter Program will be held on Sunday, June 23rd at the WHCA. Registration is open and enrollment will close on June 4th, so register soon!

Happy Halloween

It’s finally here!  The costumes are out, the candy bags ready and the kids are buzzing with excitement.   Halloween is usually a kids second favourite time of the year where they can use their imaginations and portray their favourite cartoon characters, super heros or an evil costume to scare the neighbours!  It’s all about fun and collecting enough candy to at least last a week.

The West Hillhurst Community Association wants to remind the public, parents and trick-or-treat’ers to keep in mind their surroundings and traffic that will be out that night.  As reported on SafeRides4Kids, here are some suggestions to ensure the safety of you, your children and drivers out on the roads for the evening.

“Sure there are the monsters and gruesome decorations intended to scare people but overall most children look forward to dressing up and trick or treating for candy.

“There are, however, some things we parents should be frightened of on Halloween and, no, statistically speaking, tainted candy is not one of them. Here are some things to be aware of and some quick tips for a safe Halloween.”

DANGER #1

Poor visibility and dark costumes often result in accidents. As a matter of fact, children are four times more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other night. These collisions result in double the number of pedestrian fatalities than the average night.

(For a short video about this, go to our Safe Halloween Tips video here.)

Safety tips:

  • 70% of these accidents occur away from an intersection or crosswalk, so always cross the street at the corner where you will be more visible and make eye contact with drivers.
  • Walk in groups and have kids use glow sticks or flashlights to help them see and be seen by drivers.
  • Children under age 12 should have adult supervision. If older kids are mature enough to be out without supervision, plan a route with them staying in well-lit, familiar areas and remind them to trick-or-treat in groups and return home at a specified time.
  • Make sure costumes fit properly to prevent tripping.
  • Masks might obstruct a child’s vision, try non-toxic face paint and makeup instead.
  • Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers.

If you are the driver:

  • Slow down.
  • Most children trick-or-treat from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (and 60% of the pedestrian accidents happen) so be especially alert for kids during those hours.
  • Put your phone away while driving.
  • If you have been drinking, have someone else drive.

DANGER #2

There is an increase in burns during Halloween also.

Safety tips:

  • Use battery-powered tea lights instead of real candles in your pumpkins.

  • Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table away from flammable objects and where little feet won’t trip over them or kick them over, and should never be left unattended.

  • Make sure your children’s costumes are made of fire-retardant materials.

“In general, use common sense; only go to people’s homes where it is obvious they are participating in trick-or-treating because their home is lit and oftentimes decorated. And be courteous; stay off people’s lawns, don’t push younger kids out of the way at doors and say “thank you”.”