Congratulations to Allister Keene, Martin Johnston, Geoff McBride and Mike Hale for their hard work in representing Toronto EMS paramedics at the annual “Anchors Aweigh” challenge at the Toronto International Boat Show.
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The Toronto Paramedic Association together with Toronto Emergency Medical Services staff collected and delivered over 18,000 pounds of food to the Daily Bread Food Bank.
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Toronto Emergency Medical Services, EMS Services across Canada, and Canadian citizens donated over 5,000 Tim Hortons $10.00 gift cards to Canadian forces personnel serving overseas.
Malcolm Bates, Director of Emergency Health Services, Land/Air from the Ontario Ministry of Health and Longer Care, Jonathan Rennert, President and Ward Hamilton, Vice President of Zoll Medical Corporation and Chief Bruce Farr of Toronto EMS were on hand to celebrate the department success and to acknowledge the contribution of over 60 EMS staff involved in the implementation of Toronto EMS’ ePCR system.
Chief Bruce Farr has issued a challenge, to all Canadian emergency services, to achieve a goal of collecting 12,000 $10.00 Tim Hortons gift cards to send to the troops serving in Afghanistan.
Here is how to participate in the program:
- Purchase a $10.00 gift card at any Tim Hortons.
- Include a personal note in the card. Be creative, or write a simple “thank-you;” it's up to you.
- Collect the cards and mail, or deliver them by December 16th, 2009 to: “Share a Cup with a Brave Canuck! Challenge”
4330 Dufferin Street
Toronto, Ontario M3H 5R9
For further information, visit www.shareacup.ca, or contact Ric Rangel-Bron, Share-A-Cup Coordinator, 416-392-2125, rrangel@toronto.ca or
(click thumbnail to view full-size poster)
Click here to watch the Toronto EMS Remembrance Day video.
Toronto EMS is proud to announce EMS Week 2009 from May 17-22 at locations across the city to celebrate our services to the community. Find out about all our scheduled events and join us there!
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On December 10 2007, Leo Wagner was born in the bathroom of his family’s home. Luckily, a Toronto EMS Emergency Medical Dispatcher was on hand to give his father pre-delivery instructions over the phone. Shortly after H.P. Wagner placed the 911 call, four Toronto EMS paramedics arrived, and Leo soon emerged into their capable hands. H.P. recently told CTV health reporter Monica Matys that he’s grateful to EMS for helping him out. “It was really good support,” he said.
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Each year, thousands of Torontonians experience sudden cardiac arrest, the most serious type of cardiac event in which the heart stops beating. To mark November as CPR Month, The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario (HSFO), The Province of Ontario, Toronto Emergency Medical Services and Transamerica Life are teaming up to equip communities to save more lives.
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GO Transit, in partnership with The Mikey Network and the Toronto EMS Cardiac Safe City program, is placing Public Access Defibrillators on GO Trains and at GO stations. About 100 defibrillators will be available across GO Transit’s extensive network.
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Jessica Pessoa, a 22-year-old Emergency Medical Dispatcher for the City of Toronto, has helped hundreds of Torontonians who have called 911 in a medical emergency. Now she is battling Leukemia and needs a stem cell transplant.
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In 2007, the TTC experienced more than 4,000 incidents of customers or employees becoming ill or injured on subway trains or in subway stations. Of those, more than 1,200 occurred on subway trains, resulting in delays of almost 3,000 minutes.
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On Sunday August 10th, the Toronto EMS Safe City Program and The Heart and Stroke Foundation will offer a free CPR and Public Access Defibrillator training session for Blue Jays ticket holders on the field of the Rogers Centre after the game.
  
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Toronto EMS, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and the Inter-divisional Committee on Priority Neighbourhoods joined forces to conduct free CPR training sessions in two of Toronto's neighbourhoods on Saturday July 19, 2008. At this event, area youth and their families had the opportunity to learn CPR, Public Access Defibrillation and how to assist the Emergency Medical Services in saving a life.
Daniel Terbenche is a strong supporter of Public Access Defibrillators. One of them helped save his life. The 63-year-old went into cardiac arrest at Variety Village last winter and staff quickly went into action to help him.
When most people think of summer, they think of positive things - hot weather, spending time outdoors and going on vacation. Unfortunately, it’s also the time when there’s an increase in traumatic injuries requiring blood transfusions. With many regular donors on vacation, that can put pressure on the blood supply.
TEMS paramedics transported a large number of people to hospital after gunshots rang out between two rival gangs at Wilson Station. The incident caused serious injuries to many innocent bystanders entering and leaving the TTC station.
Toronto EMS hosted its annual awards ceremony at Denison Armoury on Thursday, May 22, 2008. More than 100 people received awards, many of them citizens who saved the lives of friends, strangers, neighbours and family members by using First Aid, CPR or a Public Access Defibrillator before paramedics arrived.
Toronto EMS celebrated EMS Week from May 18-23, 2008. This year’s theme was “Your Life is Our Mission.” On that note, Toronto EMS’ highly skilled paramedics and Emergency Medical Dispatchers met with residents throughout the City of Toronto to share information about the life-saving work they do, to demonstrate some of the tools of the trade, and to educate people about how they should handle medical emergencies when they occur.
Toronto EMS became the first ambulance service in Canada to host a citizenship ceremony on May 16, 2008. Forty-five people from 21 countries were welcomed into the Canadian family, joined by 20 Toronto EMS paramedics and other staff, who also affirmed their own Canadian citizenship.
On Tuesday May 13, a brave group of paramedics and other EMS staff had their heads shaved and ponytails lobbed off for the annual Cops for Cancer event. Fourteen staff members, calling themselves “Medics for the Cure,” banded together to raise approximately $7,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society.
On Friday May 9, emergency medical services across Ontario honoured the first Canadian career paramedic killed in Afghanistan. The body of Cpl. Michael Starker, a reservist with 15 Field Ambulance and a paramedic with Calgary EMS, landed in Trenton and travelled along the Highway of Heroes to the Coroner’s office in downtown Toronto.
In April 2008, Toronto Emergency Medical Services’ Central Ambulance Communications Centre (CACC) received accreditation as a Centre of Excellence by the International Academy of Emergency Dispatch.
Toronto’s cardiac care system is evolving to become one of the most comprehensive in the world. A significant part of that evolution is a new city-wide program involving Toronto EMS where STEMI (ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction) patients will receive reperfusion therapies in the shortest possible time.
Sometimes emergencies occur in a public place where you may not know anyone. Sometimes you or a loved one may be unconscious and unable to communicate....
You can assist emergency services enormously by taking part in the ICE program.....
Community Referrals by EMS or CREMS is a simple procedure that enables paramedics to link at-risk and in-need people to health care and support services in the community.
Paramedics responding to 911 calls often discover that their patients need additional care that is outside the current scope of paramedic practice. Most of that care and support is available in the community but the problem is inadequate linkage of patients to the organizations that provide the services.
Paramedics can successfully link people to the care and support that they require by making a Community Referral by EMS or CREMS. That linkage can have a profound impact on people’s health and their quality of life.
The original pilot of the Community Referrals by EMS or CREMS program in a small area of Toronto proved to be very successful. In addition to establishing and improving care for people in the community, there was a noticeable impact on EMS resource utilization.
On January 7th, 2008, Toronto EMS in cooperation with the Toronto Central – Community Care Access Centre, launched the Community Referrals by EMS or CREMS program across the entire City of Toronto.
Please watch the video Community Referrals by EMS or CREMS which outlines the purpose and function of the program in more detail.
On Friday December 14, a convoy of eight EMS vehicles rolled into Daily Bread Food Bank loaded with food. Paramedics Geoff MacBride and Anthony Butera, who organized the three-week food drive in their spare time, presented 17,414 pounds worth of donations to Gail Nyberg, executive director of Daily Bread.
“There’s so many calls we do that are specifically caused by hunger, and by doing this, we take an active role,” said Geoff.
EMS and other City staff generously donated much of the food, leaving it in boxes at headquarters, hubs, stations, base hospital, Cardiac Safe City, City Hall and other locations. The TPA also solicited corporate donations.
“We are grateful for Toronto EMS,” said Nyberg. “The support we receive from these food drives is what makes the Holiday Drive successful.”
Daily Bread is hoping to collect 1 million pounds of donated food this holiday season.
Voice Over Internet Protocol has been offered in Toronto since 2004. The increasing popularity of internet calling over traditional telephone use poses some unique challenges for emergency services.
Siobhan Carlin, a 16-year veteran of Toronto EMS, has said goodbye to her trademark long golden hair. On Oct. 24, she visited Folino Salon in Sherway Gardens, where a stylist cut off her 10-inch ponytail.
Siobhan donated her hair to Wigs for Kids (www.wigsforkids.org), a charity that donates custom hair pieces to children (18 years and under) who have lost their hair due to alopecia, burns, chemotherapy, radiation treatments, or other medical problems.
The ponytail has been shipped to China, where each individual hair strand will be attached by hand to a realistic wig scalp, a process that takes over 80 hours. It takes 20-30 ponytails to make one hairpiece, so Siobhan's locks will be blended with hair from other donors.
Human hair wigs are worth up to $2,000 each, but Wigs for Kids provides them for free. This means a lot to children who are in need financially, physically and emotionally. Siobhan, who has had long hair for her entire life, says, “I thought this might be a great way to give something of myself to someone else.”
Here’s a story Summer Cohen's parents will probably tell her every year on her birthday.
When her mother Shari went into labour in July 2007, things didn't exactly go as planned.
Instead of delivering their fifth child at Mount Sinai, Shari and her husband only made it from their home in Thornhill to Bathurst and Finch. About half an hour after going into labour, Shari was sure that birth was imminent.
They pulled their SUV on to a side street and called 911. Less than two minutes later, 16 station paramedics Jason Benaim and Carole Smith were on scene - and just a few minutes after that, the baby was born in the back of the car.
Toronto EMS made headline news on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday after an off-duty paramedic, together with an off-duty Toronto police officer, pulled a man from a crashed, burning SUV and administered emergency medical care seconds before the victim's vehicle burst into flames on the 401 in Ajax early Tuesday morning.
Glen Gillies, a Level 2 Paramedic with 17 years of service, was driving home after a 2-to-2 shift at 44 station when he came across a crashed Hyundai Tucson. Constable Scott Hampson, who was also driving home after a shift at 43 division was already at the scene and had opened the driver's side door. As flames licked the car, the two men pulled out the driver. A badly injured 40 year old man, and moved him to a safe distance. The car exploded within seconds of the extrication.
After several news media outlets contacted EMS, Glen granted interviews before his shift on Tuesday. EMS Chief Bruce Farr says he was happy to give Glen a chance to tell his story. “I know that everyone at Toronto EMS is extremely proud of Glen,” says Farr. "There's nothing more rewarding than saving someone's life."
As a result of Glen's interviews, the story ran on CITYTV, Global, CBC, and CTV news on Tuesday evening. In addition, Glen did a five minute live interview on CBC Radio. Here and Now, and print stories appeared Wednesday in the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, and the Toronto Sun. Chief Farr says this kind of media coverage benefits everyone at EMS. “When a story like this hits the media, it highlights the commitment and compassion paramedics have towards the public. It also demonstrates that paramedics are highly skilled healthcare professionals who save lives under the most challenging conditions.”
In addition to speaking to the news media, Scott and Glen did an interview with Media Relations Coordinator Lyla Miller for TEMS TV.
Toronto Mayor David Miller proclaimed April 23-29 Injury Prevention Week. Toronto EMS is proud to support this proclamation by being a partner in Rail & Road Safety Day.
This is the 11th anniversary and over 700 students from grades 3 and 4, will attended a number of safety demonstrations that included exploring emergency vehicles and meeting Toronto EMS Paramedics.
The Mikey Network is donating 120 Automatic External Defibrillators, plus the cost of training, to the Toronto District School Board (TDSB).
Toronto Emergency Services Cardiac Safe City Program will train TDSB staff on the use of defibrillators over the next year. Once the training is complete, each site is expected to have at least one trained operator available from the time the school or site opens in the morning to when the last person leaves at night.
There are many challenges facing healthcare. Toronto EMS, has been working with partners at various levels, to alleviate the pressures on EMS.
Chief Bruce Farr presented hospital CEO Rob Devitt and Chief of Emergency Services, Dr. Paul Hanam with a plaque recognising Toronto East General Hospital, for its outstanding contribution towards solutions in prehospital and emergency care.
On 29 January 2007, Toronto EMS provided members of the Toronto Police Community Oriented Response (COR) unit with training in International Trauma Life Support, to assist them with medical emergencies in the field. TEMS-TV spoke with Sergeant Steve Saddler of the COR unit.
“Move Over...Protect Us All,” is a campaign that has been in the works for over six months. Toronto Police, Toronto EMS, Toronto Fire, and the OPP, have joined together to produce a half hour video and several shorter spots, aimed at the general public. This campaign is to remind everyone to pull over for emergency vehicles, and to give emergency services a wide berth while passing them on scenes.
Over the course of several days in October, the Association of Public Safety Communicators Officers met at the annual APCO conference in Toronto. Toronto EMS was well represented, with a high profile display at the entrance, and knowledgeable staff from the control centre and community paramedicine on hand to answer questions from delegates.
This year’s event was hosted by APCO Canada President Dave Ralph (Manager, Toronto EMS’ Communications Education).
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| Left to right in the photo are John Lock, Caroline Mellor, Norm Lambert, Wayne Vibert, and Dan Cottom |
The Toronto EMS Poster campaign began in early October, with the installation in all EMS stations. The complete set of thirteen posters is also on display in the atrium at headquarters. Calendars of the set will arrive soon, and the second phase of placing posters into the community will start shortly. This is the first part of a larger plan to continue to raise the profile of Toronto EMS.
On Tuesday September 26, 2006 Toronto Mayor David Miller presented Certificates of Commendation to three Toronto Emergency Medical Services (EMS) paramedics on behalf of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, the Governor General of Canada.
Toronto EMS Paramedics Robert Chudoba, Craig Wilson and Bruce Newton were recognized for their selfless actions during the rescue of a man injured in a traffic accident that occurred on September 25, 2003.
The driver of a transport truck swerved to avoid a car that spun out of control in front of him on Highway 427, north of Highway 409. The truck crashed through a concrete barrier and plunged 20 metres onto a set of railway tracks, trapping the driver inside the vehicle. The paramedics crawled into the wreckage and provided emergency medical care for three hours until the driver was rescued and transported to hospital by an air ambulance.
Three times a year, Toronto EMS Pioneers gather together, to discuss events, organize campaigns, and honour those who have served in EMS. On Thursday, September 14, a special guest was honoured for his lifelong service to EMS. Reverend Gord Osborne was presented with several plaques commemorating his outstanding contribution to Toronto EMS.
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Presenting the plaques were Deputy Chief John Lock, Reverend Walter Kelly, and Ken Kitchen
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On September 12th, The City of Toronto launched its 2006 fall campaign for the United Way, with an outdoor festival at Nathan Phillips Square.
Mikey Network has been working with the Cardiac Safe City program at Toronto EMS to equip police facilities across Toronto with Public Access Defibrillators and train staff in their operation.
On August 28, 2006 the Mikey Network announced their donation of 56 defibrillators to Toronto Police Services. This represents the single largest donation by the Mikey Network since its inception in 2003.
The defibrillator is a computerized medical device that can help a victim of sudden cardiac arrest regain a normal heart beat by delivering electrical shocks. With this donation, Mikey defibrillators will be located in most police divisions in Toronto, some courts, traffic services and C.O. Bick College.
Toronto EMS staff have nominated Godfrey Wignarajah for a Toronto EMS Citizen’s Award for his extraordinary composure under pressure.
The City of Toronto has launched an awareness campaign to let people in Toronto’s diverse communities know that they have access to free life-saving 911 emergency services in 150 different languages.
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