AJAX, Ontario, Nov. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, the Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation joined Hydro One Inc. (Hydro One) and partners at Archbishop Denis O’Connor Catholic High School in Ajax to mark the 20th anniversary of the ACT High School CPR and AED program in Durham and to present a Community Champion Award to Rose Booker, a newly retired teacher.
Since 2004, 25 high schools across both regional boards have trained approximately 80,000 students through the CPR and AED program and introduced Opioid Overdose Respond Training in 2022. Every step of the way, Rose Booker, formally of the Durham Catholic District School Board, has worked tirelessly to make sure the youth in her community have the tools they need to quickly respond to a medical emergency.
For Rose, knowing that her influence went far beyond the classroom is thanks enough. “I am proud to share today with the anniversary of this program in Durham and I thank ACT and Hydro One for their longstanding commitment,” said Rose Booker. “When students learn how to save a life, they share their skills with their family and community. Though I have never had to resuscitate somebody, I believe these are skills that everybody should have.”
“As we celebrate this major anniversary in Ajax, we thank our provincial partner, Hydro One for their continued commitment,” said Sandra Clarke, Executive Director, ACT Foundation. “With their support, along with ACT’s national health partners Amgen Canada and AstraZeneca Canada, and community partners, ACT will continue to instill confidence and skills in students to respond to life-threatening medical emergencies, for the next 20 years and beyond.”
“Hydro One is proud to mark this incredible milestone with ACT. This is no small feat, and it takes a village to educate the youth of a community for 20 years,” said Lisa Pearson, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Hydro One. “Congratulations to Rose Booker and ACT for this accomplishment. Year after year, ACT delivers vital lifesaving training to students across the region of Durham that will stay with them throughout their lives.”
To date, more than three million students across the province have been trained through ACT’s High School CPR and AED program. Hydro One’s contribution will support ACT in delivering the new Opioid Overdose Response Training to nearly 80 per cent of high schools in Ontario by 2025. The Opioid Overdose Response Training provides teachers with resources to educate students on how to recognize and respond to a suspected opioid overdose, including the use of nasal Naloxone.
ACT is a national charitable foundation dedicated to establishing CPR and AED training in Canadian high schools. ACT establishes High School CPR and AED Programs, where teachers are trained to teach students the following: how to recognize a life-threatening medical emergency; safety issues and emergency scene management; CPR and how to use an AED; and how to respond to a suspected opioid overdose, a new aspect of the program through additional funding support from Hydro One (announced in November 2022), as well as a contribution from Health Canada and ACT’s health partners, Amgen Canada and AstraZeneca Canada.
Hydro One’s support for ACT is provided through its Community Investment Program that focuses on building safe communities in Ontario. The company supports programs, events and initiatives that focus on safety training and safe play. Established in 2000, the long-time partnership between ACT and Hydro One is dedicated to ensuring continued access to CPR, AED and now opioid-associated emergency training for teachers and students across Ontario.
Other Partner and Community Quotes
“For two decades, the ACT High School CPR and AED program has had a tremendous and positive impact in Ajax and the broader Region. On behalf of Ajax Council, I’d like to congratulate the program leaders on 20 years of making Ajax safer and educating our youngest residents on how to respond in an emergency.” — Shaun Collier, Mayor and CEO, Town of Ajax
“Congratulations to Rose Booker, the ACT Foundation, and the thousands of students in the Durham region who have embraced this program over the past 20 years. This initiative has empowered our youth with life-saving skills, giving them the confidence needed to step up in moments of critical need, and has strengthened our communities in Ajax and beyond. I look forward to seeing even more young people equipped with these essential tools in the years to come.” — Patrice Barnes, MPP, Ajax
“Congratulations to the ACT Foundation and Rose Booker on this incredible 20-year milestone, equipping over 80,000 students across Durham Region with critical lifesaving skills. As a longstanding national health partner of the ACT Foundation, we’re committed to supporting individuals making a meaningful impact on the health of their communities through health education, training, and resources.” — Gaby Bourbara, President, AstraZeneca Canada
“Amgen is honoured to support the ACT Foundation as a National Health Partner. Together we will continue to advance excellence in science literacy, inspire the next generation, help educators to teach more effectively, and improve access to resources for teachers, students, and society at large.” — Ugur Gunaydin, Vice-President and General Manager, Amgen Canada
About the ACT Foundation
The Advanced Coronary Treatment (ACT) Foundation is the national charitable organization establishing free CPR and AED training in Canadian high schools. The program is built on ACT’s award-winning, community-based model of partnerships and support, whereby ACT finds local partners who donate the mannequins and AED training units that schools need to deliver the program. High school teachers are trained to then teach lifesaving skills to their students as a regular part of the curriculum, reaching all youth prior to graduation. ACT’s partners committed to bringing the program to Ontario are the Government of Ontario and Hydro One, and our national health partners, AstraZeneca Canada and Amgen Canada. The ACT Foundation gratefully acknowledges the contribution of Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) for the ACT Opioid Overdose Response Training program. For more information, visit www.actfoundation.ca or Twitter @actfoundation. #ACT2Save
Hydro One Limited (TSX: H)
Hydro One Limited, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is Ontario’s largest electricity transmission and distribution provider with approximately 1.5 million valued customers, approximately $32.8 billion in assets as at December 31, 2023, and annual revenues in 2023 of approximately $7.8 billion.
Our team of approximately 9,700 skilled and dedicated employees proudly build and maintain a safe and reliable electricity system which is essential to supporting strong and successful communities. In 2023, Hydro One invested approximately $2.5 billion in its transmission and distribution networks, and supported the economy through buying approximately $2.5 billion of goods and services.
We are committed to the communities where we live and work through community investment, sustainability and diversity initiatives.
Hydro One Limited’s common shares are listed on the TSX and certain of Hydro One Inc.’s medium term notes are listed on the NYSE. Additional information can be accessed at www.hydroone.com, www.sedarplus.com or www.sec.gov.
Forward-Looking Statements and Information:
This press release may contain “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking information”). Statements containing forward-looking information are made pursuant to the “safe harbour” provisions of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Words such as “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “attempt”, “may”, “plan”, “will”, “can”, “believe”, “seek”, “estimate”, and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking information. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or actions and involve assumptions and risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking information. Some of the factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from the results expressed, implied or forecasted by such forward-looking information, including some of the assumptions used in making such statements, are discussed more fully in Hydro One’s filings with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. Hydro One does not intend, and it disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking information, except as required by law.
For further information:
Media can contact Hydro One Media Relations 24 hours a day at 1-877-506-7584 (toll-free in Ontario only) or 416-345-6868.
Paula Bugden
Communications Coordinator
ACT Foundation
pbugden@actfoundation.ca
Tel: (613) 729-3455 ext. 103
Toll: (800) 465-9111
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f49caa19-9173-41b4-b91f-ab8e52664d32
