Page 18 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No_122

18 Issue #122 March 2023 www.sportsenergynews.com

Cornwall Fire Services

with Deputy Chief Leighton Woods

Adventuring on Ice — Never a Good Idea

It might be tempting, but you should always steer clear of ice around this time of the year.
Did you know that for ice to be safe to walk over, it needs to be at least four inches (10 cm) thick? Ice also needs to be eight to
twelve inches (20 to 30 cm) for a single car or 12 to 15 inches (30 to 38 cm) to hold a full-size pick-up truck.
You should always be careful when venturing out on any ice. 35% of the drownings in Canada take place from October to April,
when most people have no intention of going in the water.
Most — if not all — drownings that occur in winter, are caused by what is called cold water shock. Although you may know how to
swim, all that gets thrown out the door when your body is submerged in cold water. Cold water shock is a natural, involuntary response to being
suddenly and unexpectedly immersed in water that is about 15 C or lower in temperature. It can cause heart attacks, hypothermia, involuntary inhalation,
and impaired movements.
If you must go near ice, be sure to remain ice-smart by following these safety tips.
• Keep away from unfamiliar paths or unknown ice and avoid travelling on ice at night. Clear hard ice is the only kind of ice recommended for travel.
• Wear a thermal protection buoyant suit to increase your chances of survival if you fall through. If you do not have one, wear a life jacket or PFD over
an ordinary snowmobile suit or layered winter clothing.
• Avoid slushy ice, thawed ice that has recently refrozen, layered, or rotten ice caused by sudden temperature changes, and ice near moving water.
• Never go on the ice alone — a buddy may be able to rescue you or go for help if you get into difficulty.
• Before you leave shore, inform someone of your destination and your expected time of return.
• Assemble a small personal safety kit. The kit should include a lighter, waterproof matches, magnesium fire starter, pocketknife, compass, and whistle.
You should also carry ice picks, an ice staff, a rope, and a cellular phone.

Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services

By Wayne Markell

Be Brain Smart this March

Nothing is quite as important as your brain. Being that March is Brain Health Month, I thought that it would be wise to share with you
how you can protect yourself and your family against brain trauma.
Now that the weather is finally warming up (I sure hope it is, as I’m writing this in February!), more and more people will be taking out their bicycles to
enjoy the sunshine.
When you do, be sure to always wear a helmet. Wearing a helmet isn’t just for kids. Besides, what’s cooler than protecting the one thing that directs your motor
functions, breathing, and learning?
If you have children, make sure that the helmet they are wearing is properly fitted and of good quality. Remember, the brain only reaches full maturity during
adulthood. That means that your child’s brain is still growing and as such, needs extra protection.
The same goes for professional sports. If you’re playing any sort of contact activity, such as football and hockey, or even baseball, make sure to wear an appropriate helmet.
If riding a bike isn’t your thing and you’re more of a car person, you still have a role to play in protecting your noggin. Please advocate that all your passengers are properly wearing
a seatbelt (not tucked under an arm) and utilize a properly installed and approved car seat for the little ones. Failing to do so may result in extreme brain injuries, even in low-speed
collisions.
So, what kind of horrific and life-changing injuries can happen if you don’t wear a helmet or a seatbelt? I’m glad you asked! First up are concussions.
Concussions take place when you receive a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. This can cause your brain to bounce around or twist in your skull (called contrecoup for those that like medical
terms), creating micro tears and chemical changes in the brain that can, in some, damage brain cells with symptoms that can persist for years. Some post-concussion symptoms can include
headaches, loss of concentration and memory, irritability, and dizziness.
An epidural bleed is bleeding that takes place between the inside of your skull and the outer covering of the brain, a very small space. This bleeding is caused when an impact moves the
brain sufficiently to rupture or tear those blood vessels. The symptoms are the same as with concussion but can progress to include altered awareness, unconsciousness, a severe headache,
and the enlargement of a pupil in one eye. As you may have guessed, anyone suffering from a severe epidural bleed has a high risk of death without prompt surgical intervention.
A subdural bleed on the other hand, can be much sneakier. It occurs when blood vessels burst between the brain and the leather-like membrane that wraps the brain. Since this is not
as small of a space, pressure build-up does not immediately occur. The pooling of blood in this case creates pressure on the actual surface of the brain. This can result in symptoms
developing hours later, but the injury is no less life-threatening.
As you can now tell, wearing a helmet or a seatbelt is a very small sacrifice for keeping your brain safe.