Paramedic making a difference through helmet donations

According to the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute, ATV injuries are the leading cause of hospitalization and death for children one to 19 years of age in Canada. These injuries are not isolated incidents and span across all geographic locations and age groups.

Harrison, who works in the Beauval, Buffalo Narrows, and Île-à-la-Crosse services region, explained paramedics respond to an average of eight to 10 ATV incidents causing injuries every summer in the area. He said those injuries could be life-altering or even fatal.

“A lot of the time being a paramedic, we are quite often reactive, and we don’t get the chance to be proactive, so this became a chance to be a little bit proactive,” Harrison noted.

“I was able to give one to a young girl who was wearing a bike helmet on a quad, so she was already showing an initiative to start wearing a helmet. We gave her the proper helmet, so she would be safer and have protection all around her head instead of just the top part.”

One of the most recent recipients of a helmet was 10-year-old Faron Corrigal, who was in an ATV incident in June. Corrigal had severe injuries from the incident, and Harrison was one of the paramedics who arrived at the local clinic to care for him.

While Corrigal is recovering from those injuries, Harrison provided him with a helmet during the recent Canoe Lake Cree First Nation Powwow about a month ago.

“It was a very awesome moment. I was very excited the paramedics were offering him that helmet. I think they were very excited as well given the condition he was in after he got into the accident,” Corrigal’s aunt Demi Opikokew-Iron said.

“I just want to say thank you on behalf of our family to the paramedics who responded and who helped to save his life and for their generous gift of the helmet. It was awesome and the boy has put it to good use.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

by Derek Cornet

Paramedic making a difference through helmet donations

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