___ Terrace Review — Wednesday, May 8, 1991 AS aw, The new home of the Terrace Peaks Gymanstics Club is rapidly gymnastics camp in July. A "brick sale" campaign is currently taking shape next to the Thornhill Community Centre. The Peaks underway to raise the remaining $60,000 needed for the building hope to have the building finished in time to hold a summer fund. Emergency response system may be active by June by Tod Strachan It’s been several years-in the making, but First Responder status . for the Terrace Fire Department is nearly here. In fact, the system - will likely be operational carly in June. ; With the First Responder system, the fire department will respond to Code 3 ambulance calls within city limits in addition to the ambulance. Jt doesn’t matter who arrives first, either crew can deal with the emergency, and it is a proven fact that the First Responder System saves lives. Ambulance crews, though, once on the scene, are always in charge. Terrace fire chief Bob Beckett says the logistics of just how the dispatch system will work are still being worked out, but training of his firefighters is well in hand. Terrace firefighter Dean Tetreau qualified as an instructor last November, and by May 25 all full- time firefighters will be qualified as Level 3 First Responders, Level 1 status is being offered to all volunteer firefighters, but at least one has already requested Level 3 training. Tetreau explains that the differ- ence in the various levels of First Responder determines what. types of emergency techniques they can apply. Qualification in CPR is a prerequisite for training and all levels of First Responders are qualified to make an initial scene evaluation, examine the victim for neck or back injuries, take measures to prevent further injury, WE NEED SMALLER CLASS SIZE - IN CLASSES AFFECTED BY THE YEAR 2000 CHANGES ASSISTANTS AND TEACHER RE-TRAINING 7 TO HELP SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN BROUGHT INTO REGULAR CLASSROOMS BY THE YEAR 2000 CHANGES MORE PREPARATION TIME FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS TO HELP THEM COPE WITH THE MASSIVE CHANGES DUE TO THE YEAR 2000 Ve We're concerned today about your children’s tomorrow. |. TERRACE AND DISTRICT TEACHERS and treat other serious injuries. Methods used in breathing assist- ance vary between levels. At Level 1, mouth to mask ventilation is used, at Level 2 an airway can be inserted and oxygen administered, and at level 3 airway suction and bag valve mask can be used. With each rise in level, the First Responder is also qualified to establish the victim’s vital signs in greater detail which can be of great assistance to ambulance crews. Mike Dwyer of the Terrace B.C. Ambulance station helped devel- oped the course material for the program which trained First Responder instructors like Tetreau, and he says the program itself was developed by the Justice Institute of B.C. As for the introduction of the First Responder system into Ter- ~ yace, Dwyer says he likes the idea: "It’s good for the community." Beckett agrees, pointing out that it’s not a duplication of existing services. If the ambulance were delayed’ for any reason, the response by the fire department could save a life. This works both ways of course, but the bottom line is that the victim in distress is assured the earliest possible response. And he’s not likely to care if its the ambulance or Rescue 01. There was also a tittle help in the cily budget Monday night. Beckett says a new radio system is current- ly being tendered which will great- ly increase the ability of the Ter- race Fire Department to react quickly to a fire or injury emerg- ency call. The new system will allow any firefighter to handle phone calls or operate the emerg- ency paging system from either vehicle of portable radios.