NEWS RELEASE
HYDRO ONE
*************************
Today, Hydro One joined the ACT Foundation and its partners at Notre Dame College School to celebrate CPR Month and the incredible milestone of three million students trained in CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) to date in Ontario. The event showcased the High School CPR and AED Program that, along with community partner Heart Niagara, has empowered 76,000 students with essential lifesaving skills in the Niagara Region, including 700 students trained in CPR this summer.
"We are thrilled to hit such a momentous milestone of three million students trained thanks, in part, to the continued commitment of ACT’s provincial partner, Hydro One,” said Sandra Clarke, Executive Director, ACT Foundation. “Their support, along with health partners Amgen Canada and AstraZeneca Canada, and community partners, is helping the ACT Foundation enable students across the province to be ready to respond to life-threatening medical emergencies that can happen to their family members, friends, neighbours and others in their communities.”
“Hydro One is truly proud to see how big of an impact this program has made across the province,” added Janet Holt-Killingbeck, Director, Health and Safety, Hydro One. “Seconds can make the difference in saving someone’s life and it is critical that Ontarians have all the tools they need to quickly respond to a serious medical emergency. Three million students now have a vital lifesaving training program under their belt and will take it with them throughout their lives.”
ACT is a national charitable foundation dedicated to establishing CPR and AED training in Canadian high schools. ACT establishes High School CPR and AED Programs, where teachers are trained to teach students the following: how to recognize a life-threatening medical emergency; safety issues and emergency scene management; CPR and how to use an AED; and how to respond to a suspected opioid overdose, a new aspect of the program through additional funding support from Hydro One (announced in November 2022), as well as a contribution from Health Canada and ACT’s health partners Amgen Canada and AstraZeneca Canada.
“The incredible number of Niagara Region youth who know how to save a life because of their training through the Heart Niagara School CPR and AED Program is a great example of the value of collaboration,” said Karen Stearne, Executive Director, Heart Niagara. “As a community, we bring people together, leveraging their expertise for the benefit of our shared objective: to increase the ability to respond in case of emergency with CPR.”
Hydro One’s support for ACT is provided through its Community Investment program that focuses on building safe communities in Ontario. The company supports programs, events and initiatives that focus on safety training and safe play. Established in 2000, the long-time partnership between ACT and Hydro One is dedicated to ensuring continued access to CPR, AED and now opioid-associated emergency training for teachers and students across Ontario.
Other Partner and Community Quotes
“City of Welland recognizes these great partnerships and the enormous difference these programs will have in providing the necessary training to respond to life-threatening medical emergencies, which will ultimately save lives.” — Frank Campion, Mayor, City of Welland
“I am pleased to congratulate Notre Dame College School and all Niagara Region high schools as they help the ACT Foundation meet its goal of empowering more students with critical lifesaving skills. With the ACT Foundation’s expertise in establishing training programs in CPR and defibrillator use in high schools across the province, and Hydro One’s support and that of AstraZeneca Canada and Amgen Canada and community partners, we’ve got a win-win situation.” — Jeff Burch, MPP, Niagara Centre
“Congratulations to the ACT Foundation for reaching this incredible milestone, empowering three million youth with critical lifesaving skills. As a long-standing partner of the ACT Foundation, we’re proud to continue supporting their goal of establishing CPR and defibrillator training in high schools across the country and raising awareness of the importance of cardiovascular health.” — Kiersten Combs, President, AstraZeneca Canada
“Amgen is honoured to support the ACT Foundation as a National Health Partner. Rescue stories are a testament to the quality of the program and the criticality of ensuring that the education community is equipped with the knowledge and skills to contribute. Together we will continue to advance excellence in science literacy, inspire the next generation, help educators to teach more effectively, and improve access to resources for teachers, students, and society at large.” — Ugur Gunaydin, General Manager, Amgen Canada
“Niagara Emergency Medical Services is proud to be a partner and is encouraged by the number of students in Niagara who have taken part in the High School CPR Program to learn a potentially lifesaving skill. We know that having more people educated in CPR strengthens the ‘Chain of Survival,’ which means a higher cardiac arrest survival rate in our community. Our thanks as well to the ACT Foundation and Heart Niagara for helping to provide this important lifesaving training to an ever-growing number of Niagara residents.” — Rick Ferron, Chief, Niagara EMS
*************************
