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Adam Boyles of St. John’s was recently honoured with a Rescuer Award from the Canadian Red Cross for intervening and performing CPR after his friend John McDermott experienced cardiac arrest on a basketball court at the YMCA in St. John’s in March 2023.

Watching dramatic CPR scenes on TV or in movies can be misleading, especially when it comes to understanding how CPR works in real life. We get it—exciting moments make for good storytelling, but they do not show what CPR is really like. Let's talk about what CPR is actually like and when it should be done.

There are many beliefs or myths that can and do stop people from helping another individual in distress, such as cardiac arrest. In fact, seven out of 10 cardiac arrests happen in front of bystanders, however less than 20% of bystanders end up providing first aid.

An operations crew within Public Works for the City of St. John’s, NL, found out the importance of teamwork – and training - in a recent first aid emergency resulting in the crew being nominated for the Canadian Red Cross Rescuer Award.

Award-winning author Rebecca Thomas, of Nova Scotia, thought getting trained in first aid may come in useful but she couldn’t have guessed within a couple months, Rebecca would find herself using these skills in two first aid emergencies.

When it comes to strokes, every second counts - that’s why it is so important to know the signs, and to act FAST.

Everyday transit enforcement officers patrol bus hubs in the City of Mississauga with the goal to keep everyone safe. One day, in early January, Michal and two of his colleagues relied their first aid training to save a man’s life.

When my first aid certification expired during the pandemic, I knew it was time to renew. Typically, I’d be keen to refresh my skills and knowledge – after all, being able to help in an emergency is a valuable skill to have. Still, I hesitated. Unlike the last time I’d certified, I now live with reduced mobility and was feeling less confident about training this time around.