St. John Ambulance & The Masonic Family Institute a New Charity Endeavor
At the 1995 Grand Lodge Communication, held at Prince George, it was recommended and accepted that the “We Can Help” program take effect for a period of one year and reviewed annually at future Grand Lodge Communications. This is a first-aid and safety awareness program for children and is administered by the St. John Ambulance organization. It is estimated that approximately 43,000 Grade Four students throughout the province will take the course over the school year. Statistics show that last year 70% of the teenagers who died did so as a result of preventable injuries. More Canadians between the ages of one and twenty die as a result of injuries than all other causes combined. To combat this frightful plight the St. John Ambulance, funded by the Masonic Community Charities Fund and the Masonic Family of British Columbia, will provide a ten lesson course for all Grade Four students in the province of British Columbia.
The course of instruction will include:
- Not breathing – Artificial respiration
- Choking – How to give abdominal thrusts
- Unconscious – Put in recovery position
- Bleeding – How to apply pressure, raise and bandage
- Poisoning – Get help quickly
- Sprains and fractures – Don’t move hurt parts
- Head, neck or back injuries
- Frost-bite
- Burns
Upon completion of the course the child will be issued a certificate of completion. The cost for operation this program is approximately $20,000.00 annually.