By Cecilia Nasmith
Cobourg Fire Captain Kevin Schroeder and Cobourg Firefighters Jeff Briggs, Rachel Dunbrack and Rick Martin came in for congratulations from Councillor Aaron Burchat at Monday's council meeting for winning the Lightning Bolt Award.
Given to first responders who participate in successful defibrillation events that save a victim of cardiac arrest, the award was presented by Northumberland Paramedics Chief Susan Brown to commemorate their efforts in saving someone outside of a hospital setting.
Noting the firefighters' recent ice water rescue training exercise in the harbour, Burchat relayed their safety message to stay off the ice at this time of unstable-but-warming temperatures. Similarly, as snowmelt increases river-flow volumes, they urge everyone to stay well clear of the unstable shorelines of creeks and streams.
The firefighters have participated in 81 fire-prevention activities and inspections so far in 2021, Burchat stated.
And among the training received by the Cobourg Police Service is the Gender Based Analysis Plus program completed by Police Services Board members as well as members of the force.
They are partnering with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre to offer fraud-prevention workshops, Burchat said, and are continuing virtual classroom visits.
The move to yellow on the COVID scale means some in-person programs are resuming with the appropriate safety measures, such as the car-seat clinic and the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program.
