On June 5, I.E. Weldon Secondary School (IEWSS), the Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation, and Hydro One hosted a student cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) demonstration for guests, including City of Kawartha Lakes (CKL) Mayor Doug Elmslie and Hydro One Health and Safety Field Support director, Janet Holt.
The event celebrated the milestone of more than 25,000 Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB) students in the CKL and Haliburton regions being trained through the ACT High School CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program. Students gave a demonstration of safe and effective CPR, the use of an AED, and how to administer Naloxone. They also instructed Mayor Elmslie and Holt in the proper method of performing CPR.
“This achievement is not just a number – it’s a testament to the power of education, community partnerships, and youth leadership in emergency response,” said ACT Foundation executive director, Sandra Clarke.
The ACT Foundation is a national charitable organization that provides free training for high school students across Canada. Schools commit to a long-term, self-sustaining program, and high school teachers are trained to teach lifesaving skills to their students as a regular part of the curriculum. Training resources are donated to schools, including mannequins, AED training units, and curriculum materials. Recently, ACT has added opioid overdose response training to the program, which provides resources to educate students on how to recognize and respond to a suspected opioid overdose, including the use of nasal Naloxone.
“CPR benefits our students by teaching them essential life-saving skills that can make a real difference in emergency situations,” said IEWSS head of Health and Physical Education/Family Studies, Tommy Duncan. “It empowers them with the confidence to act quickly and responsibly if someone experiences cardiac arrest, and helps students develop a sense of responsibility, empathy, and awareness about health and safety. It often leaves them feeling more prepared, mature, and connected to their community, knowing they have the ability to potentially save a life.”
The CPR and AED program has been established at all seven TLDSB high schools and six Adult and Alternate Education Centres.
