Catholic board considers EpiPens and defibrillators

Huron Superior Catholic District School Board is considering a proposal to equip all its facilities with adrenaline auto-injectors and defibrillators.

Trustee Grace Tridico brought the idea to a board meeting last night.

"After learning about a grant from the province to put defibrillators in City facilities, I decided to do some research and see if it could be done in our facilities," Tridico said. "I discovered that several boards across the province had done this."

Tridico said she'd become aware of a group called the ACT Foundation that trains Huron-Superior Grade 9 teachers in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) so they can teach it to their students.

The group is also looking at bringing in training mannequins and defibrillators to expand the training offered the local teachers.

"I would also like to see this life-saving training incorporated in the Grade 9 curriculum," Tridico said.

"Automated external defibrillators (AED) are devices used to treat sudden cardiac arrest in persons of all ages," Tridico said in her report to the board. "EpiPens are devices used to treat individuals with severe life-threatening allergic reactions."

Increasing numbers of people are being diagnosed with life-threatening allergies at all ages and having EpiPens in board facilities could save the life of someone who may have an undiagnosed allergy, Tridico said.

The board directed Director of Education John Stadnyk to investigate the feasibility of introducing EpiPens and defibrillators to all the board’s facilities and report back to trustees for further discussion.

Those reports should be returned to the board sometime in the early fall.

Also discussed at last night's meeting was the Catholic board's involvement with Habitat for Humanity.

The full text of a news release follows:

************************ HSCDSB donates land for 2009 Habitat build

SAULT STE. MARIE - The partnership between the Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board and Habitat for Humanity (HFH) took a new turn on with the board donating land for the fourth house build project the Sault Ste. Marie chapter of HFH will undertake.

Director of Education John Stadnyk led a large group of HSCDSB employees and students who were on hand for the official sod-turning ceremony for the tract of land at the former St. Veronica Catholic School site on East Balfour Road in Sault Ste. Marie's West End.

"It's a privilege to be able to donate the land for this Habitat for Humanity project. Our students have been enthusiastic participants in the previous house builds and it’s great that the board itself is playing an increased role in this year’s house build," said Stadnyk.

In the three previous Habitat for Humanity house build projects, the City of Sault Ste. Marie had donated the land for the construction of single-family dwellings.

This new project will once again see students and staff of the board's construction programs at St. Mary's College donating their time and knowledge to assist in building the home.

"We're very proud of the way our students have been drawn to the Habitat for Humanity house builds. It fits right into the social justice issues we try to instill in them at St. Mary's College." said Principal Cindy Salituri.

At this time a family has yet to be selected to participate in the project, which should be completed by the end of the summer.

Partner Families selected by Habitat for Humanity are responsible for monthly payments, based on income percentages, on an interest-free mortgage.

The intent is to give the new homeowners the sense that they have earned their home and not been given it.

"We are immensely grateful to the board for its ongoing support of our organization and the generous gift of this property. We would also like to thank Al Tucci and the students of the construction program for their efforts on our behalf." said Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie President Linda Lewis.

The new build is a semi-detached home with one of the residences going to Habitat for Humanity.

It is being built next door to a house that students from the St. Mary's College-based general construction program and specialist high skills major construction program built.

"Our students are very excited about these projects. It allows them to hone their construction skills, receive a real-life learning experience and help out a family in need of a good home." said St. Mary's College Construction Teacher Al Tucci. HSCDSB staff and students assisted in previous Habitat for Humanity House Builds on People's Road and Shafer Avenue.

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