To celebrate St. John Ambulance Week, the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury hosted a flag raising ceremony Monday morning outside the courthouse.
Mayor Rob Keffer was joined by Deputy Mayor James Leduc, Councillors Jonathan Scott and Ron Orr, as well as Ferguson Mobbs, chair of the Barrie-Simcoe-Muskoka branch of St. John Ambulance.
“The Barrie-Simcoe-Muskoka branch of St. John Ambulance has been serving the community since 1941 and fulfilling their mission to enable Canadians to improve their health, safety and quality of life by providing training and community service,” said Keffer.
The year 2022 represents the 81st anniversary of the establishment of the local branch.
“This branch supports six volunteer community service groups, including two Medical First Response Units, two Therapy Dog units, one Youth unit and one Car Seat Safety Team,” said Keffer.
St. John Ambulance provides first aid training and medical assistance to people in need and today more than 10,000 St. John Ambulance volunteers provide over one million hours of community service per year to more than 300 communities across Canada.
“Last year, as possible during the pandemic, the 180-plus volunteers of the branch provided the community with approximately 11,000 hours of volunteer services,” said Keffer.
St. John Ambulance trains 5,780 people annually in first aid and other health-related courses under the guidance of a network of medical professionals. St. John Ambulance is the national leader, setting the standard for training in first aid, CPR, and other lifesaving skills.
Keffer’s proclamation declared June 20-26, 2022, as St. John Ambulance Week in the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury.
For more information on St. John Ambulance training courses and local volunteer opportunities, visit www.sja.ca.