Happy New Year to all! Here's our year-end details about how 2021 unfolded for RMES.

Your 29 volunteers ran 370 calls for service in 2021 - 165 medical calls, 109 rescues, 72 fires, 5 hazardous materials incidents, and 19 miscellaneous type calls. This amounted to a little more than one call per day.

We responded to calls in the Redwood Meadows and Bragg Creek area, as is our responsibility, but also provided support to other areas and partner agencies including other parts of Rocky View County, Kananaskis Country, the Tsuut'ina First Nation, the Municipal District of Bighorn, Foothills County, the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, and the town of Cochrane. We take pride in the fact that we are counted upon by partners everywhere to help them out when the need arises.

Our busiest truck remains the Rescue, as it goes on all rescues, almost all medical co-responses, and many fires and hazmat incidents. Closely behind it was the Rapid Response, which handles a lot of the same calls, can respond off-road, and also pulls our support trailer which carries the UTV side-by-side off-road vehicle for backcountry rescue and wildfire response.

Using the categories listed above, our most common medical co-response was for falls, with traumatic injuries coming a close second. This represents the popularity of the local area's recreation zones and the huge number of people who partake in such activities all year long. Please always make sure you are prepared for an emergency while out recreating - know where you are and how to communicate that to emergency services. If you are in an area where there is no cell service, make it a priority to know how to summon help, either by sending someone to an area where cell coverage exists, or investing in an emergency beacon device which can call for help without cell signals.

Our busiest Fire call type was for alarms - which covers automatic fire alarms, local fire or smoke alarm activation, and other alarm conditions such as carbon monoxide alarms, gas alarms, and etc. Be aware of your alarm system and its capabilities and what you need to do when it goes off. And while actual fires have been less of a concern in the past few years, don't let your guard down. Practice good fire safety, FireSmart procedures, and know what to do when fire strikes - you may need to take immediate action before we even arrive, and what you do may make the difference between a small problem and something much worse.

Our busiest rescue call type is, unsurprisingly, motor vehicle collisions, owing to the many roads throughout our district and the high amount of vehicles traveling them. Driving and using our road networks is something everyone needs to be more focused at. Be aware of other road users, including not only other traffic but pedestrians and wildlife, and drive to conditions, as well as keeping the goal of getting to your destination safely as your number one priority. And, if you encounter us or any other emergency service or first responder agency out working on the road, please don't forget to slow down and move over - give us room to work.

In terms of hazardous materials calls, concerns about natural gas leaks and odors was our busiest response type. It's never a bad idea to call for help if something doesn't seem right, or if you see or smell something that gives you cause for concern. We'll definitely come out and check things out, and bring the experts with us to ensure that everything is safe.

Finally, our 'other' or miscellaneous category covers all the other situations that don't fit into the above categories. This year, what we call 'service calls' or citizen assists were the predominant leader in this category. This covers everything from trees and/or power wires down, to stand-by for the filming of a TV show or movie, to helping deal with a host of other non-emergency situations.

Your volunteers contributed 17,744 hours of service to your community over the past year. For many of us, this involves either spending regular duty shifts (8am to 8pm, weekends and holidays) at the station, ready to respond to calls, or breaking away from family life and personal activities to respond at a moment's notice. Thank you to our families and friends for understanding our commitment to the emergency services and thank you for supporting us as well!

Here's to hoping that 2022 continues to trend towards a return to 'normal life' compared to the past two years. All the best to everyone, and stay safe!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Practice these simple Christmas safety tips to keep your loved ones safe this holiday season:

• Replace old lights and use them correctly: Use indoor lights indoors and outdoor lights outdoors, and always turn them off when leaving the house or going to bed. Be sure to replace light sets that have broken sockets or frayed wires.
• Don’t become the subject of the family Christmas story: Ladder injuries send more than 10,000 people annually to hospital.  If you’re using a ladder outdoors, do so during daylight hours, and clear away snow or ice before setting it down. Never stand on a rung higher than fourth from the top, and don’t climb up or down while carrying anything. Instead, place lights or other items in a container and raise and lower them by rope while maintaining three-point contact with the ladder: one hand and two feet, or two hands and one foot. Make sure you have a spotter, too.
• Practice car safety when traveling: It’s always important to drive safely, but the Christmas travel season can be especially dangerous. Have your car serviced before leaving on a road trip, carry an emergency kit and give yourself extra time to avoid rushing. Remember to decrease your speed if you’re driving in snow or ice, and wait for snowplows and sanding trucks to clear the roadways before starting your journey.
• Don’t make the tree a fire hazard: If you have a “live” tree, cut off 10 cm (2 inches) of the trunk to expose fresh wood for better water absorption.  Make sure there’s always water in the tree stand. Keep your tree at least one metre (three feet) away from heat sources or fireplaces. And if you buy an artificial tree, check that it’s labeled “fire resistant.”
• Properly secure the tree: No one wants to get squished by a falling Christmas tree. Make sure your tree is properly secured with a strong stand that doesn’t lean. If you have a fresh tree, don’t whittle or taper the trunk to fit your stand; this makes the tree less stable.
• Don’t burn wrapping paper in the fireplace: Don’t burn trees, wreaths or wrapping paper; and always use a fireplace screen.
• Be sure to fully cook the turkey: Undercooked turkey is one of the top 10 foods that make people sick. But it’s not just the turkey: Stuffing absorbs the juices inside the bird, so it has to be as thoroughly cooked as the meat. Eggnog is also notorious for making people sick if it’s left unrefrigerated for too long or made with raw eggs, which can contain salmonella bacteria. Unstuffed turkey should be cooked to 170 F (77 C) and a stuffed one to 180 F (82 C). Alternatively, cook the stuffing separately. Stuffed or not, always roast a turkey in a 325 F (160 C) oven. Never start cooking it in one place, then transport it to another and finish cooking there.
• Be careful with candles: The top three days for home fires started by candles in North America are Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.  Be sure to keep candles at least 30 cm (one foot) away from anything flammable. Make sure candles are in stable holders that can’t be easily knocked down, and never leave burning candles unattended.
• Don’t ignore chest pain: The risk of heart attack spikes during the holiday season.  Pressure on the chest, neck, throat, jaw or arm discomfort, shortness of breath or nausea that comes out of the blue needs to be taken seriously.  Don’t guess!  Call 9-1-1.

On behalf of all of us at Redwood Meadows Emergency Services, best wishes for a safe and happy holiday season – it was our honour and privilege to serve the community in 2021!

One of the most common calls for service Redwood Meadows Emergency Services receives is for traumatic injuries.

Traumatic injury is damage to the body caused by external force. This may be caused by accidents, falls, hits, weapons, and other causes.

One of the most preventable of these, traumatic head injuries are a result of a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury.

General prevention tips

• Buy and use helmets or protective head gear approved for specific sports. In addition to other safety apparel or gear, helmets or head gear should be worn at all times for: Softball, Cycling, Football, Hockey, Horseback riding, Skateboards/Scooters, Skiing and Wrestling.
• Supervise younger children at all times, and don’t let them use sporting equipment or play sports unsuitable for their age.
• Follow rules and warning signs at water parks and swimming pools.
• Wear appropriate clothing for the sport.
• Don’t wear clothing that can interfere with your vision.
• Don’t participate in sports when you’re ill, tired or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Obey all traffic signals and be aware of drivers when cycling or skateboarding.
• Avoid uneven or unpaved surfaces when cycling, skateboarding, or in-line skating.
• Replace sporting equipment or protective gear that is damaged.

Preventing other head injuries

• Wear a seatbelt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.
• Never drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol or ride as a passenger with anybody else who is under the influence.
• Keep firearms unloaded in a locked cabinet or safe, and store ammunition in a separate, secure location.
• Remove hazards in the home that may contribute to falls. Secure rugs and loose electrical cords, put away toys, use safety gates, and install window guards. Install grab bars and handrails if you are frail or elderly.

Until next month, stay safe!

Your firefighters will be out in the community like previous years with some obvious changes to how we hand out treats. We will be wearing gloves and masks and will hand the goodies out ourselves instead of allowing little hands in the bowls.

For those wondering how to handle their own candy conundrum, the Provincial government has provided Albertans with some helpful posters to let trick-or-treaters know if residents are participating in Halloween activities this year (https://www.alberta.ca/halloween-during-covid19.aspx)!

Please feel free to print these pages off and post them in highly visible areas where trick-or-treaters might see them!

Redwood Meadows Emergency Services responded to calls for help 72 times this spring/summer when cyclists, ATVers, motorbikers, cyclists and hikers found themselves in trouble.

Here are some tips to stay safe when you’re enjoying K-Country:

• Pack gear suitable for the conditions: Be sure to pack extra gear, food and a headlamp in case you have to be on the trails for longer than expected.
• Don’t get lost: Bring a trail map, a navigation tool and a communications device.
• Stay where you are: If you get lost, it’s easier for first responders to find you if you stay on the trail.
• Bring more than enough water…and more than enough food: Not drinking enough water is the biggest mistake many backcountry enthusiasts make.
• Be prepared for accidents: Compact first aid kits are readily available. And you have taken that first aid course, haven’t you?
• Go early! It’s easier for first responders to find you in daylight.
• Make a plan and share it: Let someone know where you’re going and when you’ll be home.
• Know where you are on the trail: If an emergency strikes, knowing you are one third of the way up Moose Mountain or the name of the jump you’re near will help first responders get to you quicker.

Until next month, stay safe….and if you see the big red trucks coming up behind you with the lights and sirens, pull over and STOP, so we can get to a neighbour’s emergency quickly and safely.