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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-01-12, Page 1ata-. erich 135 YEAR -2 GODERICK, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 124983 50 CENTS PER COPY 's • t 4' t if” e appeals to pu he for fun .,aa, BY JOANNE BUCWAN • saving lives. St. John has roots that date back to the Crusades, The Goderich Bratich of theSIA John Ambulance is but it was reorganized in its modern form ip England sending out a desperate appeal, o the community for in 1877. The two driving reasons were concern over funds to purchase a new mobile*st aid unit. The Branch has already raj,* about $12,000 but industrial accidents and over the inadeqpacies of requires $13 000 more to purchassuch a vehicle. medical care in the armed forces, though the ideal ,e was to use newly organized first aid skills for the good Their present vehicle, which has-been deemed unsafe for driving, is a 1968 model wither 100,000 miles on of everyone. it It was purchased in 1977 asru second vehicle to The pattern held as the ambulance movement handle the heavier workloads:ipp Branch during the gradually spread through the Commonwealth. Same of the earliest classes in Canada were filled by the many sesquicentennial activitipa in town. The first men who were opening up the country, workingon its vehicle was later -Sent to Seaftirth Branch, leaving railroads and in its northern mines. ' - Goderich with the older anod0Which was only sup - St. John Ambulance not only helps the sick and posed to be good for a year or S. injured but trains others to help as well. a- Such a vehicle is an import* part of the St. John Ambulance service. It servei as a mobile first aid The Goderich Branch of the St. John Ambulance was formed in 1959 and it is only one of ty branches aaa post travelling to fairs, horse races, sporting events, in Huron County, the other one being in eaforth. It etc. in an area whiCh covers not only Goderich but Clinton, Lucknow, Blyth, Auburn and Bayfield has a brigade unit of 20-25 people who are trahaed in as f well. Besides being a means of transportation, it is first aid and help the sick and injured at various _events in the county. It also has a Branch Committee also a storage place for first aid equipment and offers a warm treatment area when hecessary. which raises funds to pay for equipment and general Since it will take 15 week for delivery of a new needs and for training the general pub c in first aid. vehicle once it is ordered, theGoderich Branch needs There are 15 instructors who do the training and they must be recertified and monitored each year. money as Soon as possible. Gary Renaud, Appeal Chairman and Chief Training Officer for the Gary Renaud says first aid training in Goderich has Goderich Branch, says a new vehicle would last 10-12 increased 300 per cent in the last four Years. He feels years. He explains that the sooner a vehicle is pur. that this is because the courses are of better. quality chased, the sooner the Branch can catch up on buying and more and more people are takihg an interest in new training equipment whichis also badly needed. learning first aid as community health care In 1982 several first aid courses had to be cancelled resources are stretched thin. The Workmen's Compensation Board also requires companies em - because of a lack of equipment. In spite of this, 33 plowing more than five people to havetrained first aid ' courses were given and 350 individuals were certified 22 courses tentatively planned personnel around. • Gary Renaud, Appeal Chairman and Chief Training Officer for the Goderich Branch of the St. John Ambulance, stands with the Branch's old mobile first aid unit. It is a 1968 model with over 100,000 miles on it and has been deemed unsafe for the road. The Branch is launching an appeal campaign to raise $13,000 from the public for a new unit. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan) High average here Mortality rates in Huron County above pr Mortality rates in Huron County are higher than provincial averages. Medical Officer of Health MOH) Dr. Harry Cieslar presented health unit statistics to Huron County Council at its Jan. 6 session. Based on a per 100,000 census population Huron's death rates in 1981 were higher than the province's rates. Heart disease is 'the leading killer in both Huron and the province, with cancer a close second. The heart disease death rate is 333 in Huron and 260 in On- tario. Cancer's death rate in Huron is 210 with 173 be- ing the provincial rate. Vascular diseases or strokes and diseases of the arteries are the only areas where the provincial mor- tality rate is higher than in Huron. The county's mor- tality rate for vascular- diseases is 71 while the pro- vince'a is 73. The provincial rate for diseases of the arteries is 24 while Huron's is 21: • The accident death rate ,is 76 per 100,000- census population in Huron while the Ontario figure is 38. Themator vehicle accident .rate in Huron' is again much higher than the piTiatiactr's7Huron has -a death - rate of 34 f(K motor vehicle accidents while Ontario's rate is 16. in -first aid. There are c for this year, ranging from three to six weeks in "We don't advertise our courses much but word seems to have gotten around,” says Renaud. The duration. Mr. Renaud explains that this takes a lot Of Goderich Branch is now teaching first aid to the local juggling of equipment, especially since the Branch cadet squadron. They also give in -plant courses only has one film projector. Training is done via the air and offer other courses to the genern1 public at GDCI use of films, books and practice sessions. or wherever they are required tom. h B ch for first aid The fees charged by t ea ran gur,. donationliontibe GOderialr,LionsXbilxfori-e.quipi • rePlacement of outdated' etiOipmentAir foe the ment, has also trained ever 200 people in the use of chase of new equipment. . . CPR for heart attack victims. St. John Ambulance is made up :mostly of volun- "We are recognized by both government and in - donations who cover events free of charge.. It is funded by dustry,". says Renaud who also drives an ambulance donations from the' public. In Goderich, the last ap- for Alexandra Marine and General Hospital (there is peal to the public for donations was in 1980. A letter no connection between the hospital ambulance ser - appeal will be launched here again soon. vice and St. John Ambulance though). "Volunteers This year, St. John Ambulance marks its 100th year donate thousands of hours of their time but we depend in Canada. St. John held its first recorded first 'aid on a generous pablic for donatipns of money to buy class in Quebec City in the winter of 1883. The next year, Ontario's first re.thrded class was held at the equipment." • If you would likp. to make a donation, you can send training cover opetational,,coUtkhut don't pay for•the The Goderich Branch) with a* help of a 0,600 ovin'cial.average Since then St. John has trained an estimated two your money to John Ambulance, Goderich Branch. Since it is a non- '• 9 The death rate for pneumonia or influenza is 42 in million people in Ontario in first aid and health care. profit organization, income tax receipts will be issued Huron and 21 in Ontario. For suicides, Huron's death Its Brigade volunteers have helped more than three Royal MilitaryCollege in Kingston. B 144 G derich m care of St rate is 16 while the province's death rate is'12 million, drying a child's tears, bandaging a blister, for donations of $5 or more. Councillors take first-hand Dr. Cieslar admitted Huron should have better rates than it does and copcluded that Huron residents smoke cigarettes more Man the provincial average. "These are staggering tesults," commented Zurich Reeve Don Van Patter. He asked if the MOH has any plans to reduce the county's rate and Dr. Cieslar replied the health unit doesn't have control over all factors. The MOH added that alcohol conSumption had a lot to do with motor vehicle accidents: He noted that Canadian statistics show that 50 per cent of all fatal motor vehicle ac- cidents are alcohol-related. Howick Township Reeve William Newton com- mented that Huron has a higher proportion of citizens over 65 than the province and therefore is more apt to have a higher death rate than the province. "That doesn't influence the statistics dramatical- ly," p C' . County council approved the hiring of Sheryl Gilbert as the health unit's full-time health educator at a- ialarif• of $21,3-20-. Dra Cieslar noted that the death rate statistics show a need for a health educator in Huron. look at closed county museum By Stephanie Levesque Huron County Council came face to face with the structural problems at the Huron County Pioneer Museum as part of its Jan. 6 session involved a tour of the closed facility. Weak roof supports were vividly pointed out by • museum staff and county councillors experienced first hand the cold temperatures endured by the col- lection. Museum curator RayScotchmer said it is the first time council as a whole has toured the museuni Numerous councillors-have4oured4heamuseumaina - dividuallyiabut with 17 new'11 rs, the tour provided the opportunity' for them to familiarize themselves with the building. 4 , I,ast week the Signal -Star reported that there was a gasoline war going on in Goderich. At press time on Wednesday, January 5, the price of a litre of regular gas was down to 30.9 cents. Sime operators decided 'Jr they would drop the price even further but by Thursday, everyone except Bill Kirkey raised the price. Kirkey's price of 29.5 cenefwas the best deal in town and' most motorists took the time to wait in line in order to fill their tanks,( photo by Dave Sykes) Three people died in 86 county fires A quick trip up to the attic enabled councillors to see the two by four and two by six inch beams holding up the tin roof. Custodian Lee Erb pointed out the sec- tion of roof which collapsed three winters ago. Researcher Pat Carter and volunteer Cindy Fearnall were also on hand to answer questions. In answer to one query, Mr. Scotchmer said the possibility of opening, up part of the museum in the -summer will be investigated by council's property. cotumittee: Once council reconvened in its chambers there yvere -regarding die -Huron -County -Pioneer Musetun, reserve buildidg. Wad_ and the standing of themuseum. , Mr.iScotclu-ner iadicated that for the present the museum is closed and added if it remains closed for the year it will lose ground as far as attendance goes. Tuckersmith Township Reeve Robert.Bell asked if .. council is not getting ahead of itself by establishing the fund. He was concerned that if council decides not to go ahead and rebuild a museum they would still have monies from this fund. Mr. Scotchmer explained a full record will be kept of who gives how much and -if council decides not to go ahead with rebuilding the museum, the money would be given back to the donors. Clerk -treasurer William Hanly said the fund is'a good indicator of how much support there is in the county for a museum. He noted that to date there has only been one donation from a London woman. Therewerfl...,SflUUrOflCOUfltY1981 with an estimated property lose Of/ $1,907,017 and. three fatalities. Ten people, lour of them firefighters, were injured as well. These statistics are published in the recently released booldet: 1981 Fire Losses in Ontario by the Office of the Fire Marshal, Division of, Public Safety, Ministry of the Solicitor Geaeral, kbreak-down of statistics for the county shows that there were 16 fires within the town of Goderich for an estimated property loss of $13,876. No fatalities or injuries resulted from these fires though. In Goderich Township there were six fires for an estimated property loss of $270,200. There was one fatality (Phil Bissett) and one person was injured. In Colborne Township there were two fires with property damageef$310 and no fatalities or injuries. In neighbouring Clinton there were three fires for a total property loss of $81,745 and no fatalities or in- juries. Bayfield had no fires in 1981 and Blyth had only one with a property loss of $8,000. Ashfieldlownship had four fires with two fatalities resulting and property loss estimated at $135,100. East Wawanosh Township had three fires with five people injured and property -loss of $160,000. West Wawanoili fared better with only one fire and $10,000 property loss. The total number of fires for the whole province of Ontario was 25,035 for a proper[y loss-or$235,750,619 and 217 fatalities. Of these fatalities, 106 were men, 71 were wdmen and 30 were children. In 1980 there were 26,554 fires and 267 fatalities resulting. Beer taken from country club The 'Maitland Golf and Country Club was broken into oh the night of January 8 and some beer was stolenAs a result of investigation by Constable Matthew Affleck, two persons have been charged with possession of stolen goods in connection with this incident. A tape recorder was stolen from the Cambridge Street mini-conunimity centre over the weekend. Police are continuing their investigation. Funds available to create jobs There is new hope for the unemployed people in Goderich who have exhausted their unemployment insurance benefits or for those who are receiving social assistance. Under the Canada Ontario Employment Development Program, the town has been allocated. $29,500 which is to be used to create jobs. The program, which is funded bey both the provincial and federal govenunents, commits $100 million to create employment and of this amount, $50 million is being distributed immediately. In a letter to council, Russell Ramsay, Ontario's Minister of Labour and Lloyd Axworthy, the Federal Minister of Employment and Immigration, explain that the $29,500 contribution is based on "a number of ° factor lel4flegtfintrm:P:unelaYADPIU*, 111"/"Ingd-egrir4,91" GoderichAlthbugh has, been allocatea., 629,500, Clerk Larry McCabe says that the town, must WO for the money, stating what it will be used for and then wait for government approval. McCabe pointed out that council will be applying for the money and that the new projecti which will be suggested "will be labour intensive." Since only $50 million of the $100 Million is being distributed now, McCabe says, "it appears that the $29,500 is only one third of what the total allocation may be." INSIDE THE SIGNAL -STAR . McDonald to meet with- parents --Robert McDonald, Ontario's Deputy Minister of Community and Social Services, will hold a private meeting at, the Bluewater Centre this evening (Wednesday) at 7:30 p.m. with the parents and guardians of the Centre's residents and ad- ministrator ratorGreggy Billsae Gregg.eMr. meeting has been set up to allow some frank dismission on what the future holds as interpreted by the ministry's five-year plan for the developmentally handicapped. This plan calls for the closing of the Bluewater Centre as a facility for the developmentally handicapped over 1983-84. The meeting will Open -with a presentation by Mr. McDonald followed by a question period for the parents and guardians. Mr. Gregg explains that the meeting will be run on a more personal basis than previous barge cipen meetings held to discuss the closing of the Centre , Local teams win There was same exciting hockey action in Goderich on the weekend. The Novice, Midget and Atoms teams all won their games. The stories and pictures appear on the Front page of the Recreation section. Family support . In the seventh part of an eight part series, Connie Osborn describes a much needed service which the A.M .&G. Hospital offers. The service encompasses a wide variety of areas, on of which is support for families who .experience life threatening or sudden death situations. The story appears on page 2. Skating club The Goderich Figure Skating Club held its senior trophy day on Saturday, January 8. The story about the competition and pictures appear on page 8A.