We’re looking FORE! your help

The Calgary Police Association’s Charity Fall Classic Golf Tournament takes place on Tuesday, Aug. 23^rd at the River Spirit Golf Club, located west of Calgary off Hwy. 8.

The CPA will be donating all proceeds from this charity event to the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund (JPMF).

The JPMF is looking for several volunteers to help out with this event. Assistance is needed with selling 50/50 tickets and raffle tickets to the golfers and watching for a hole-in-one on certain holes of the course. {read more}

Transforming loss into positive change

JPMF Board Chair delivering keynote address at safety conference

Sidney, B.C. – Maryanne Pope – widow of Calgary Police Service Const. John Petropoulos and author of A Widow’s Awakening – will be in Campbell River on Tuesday, May 31^st to share her experience of transforming tragedy into safer workplaces.

Maryanne will be delivering the keynote address on Day 2 of the Strathcona Regional District’s Upper Island Safety Conference, which takes place May 30-31 at the Strathcona Gardens Recreation Complex in Campbell River. {read more}

Busy August for the JPMF

August promises to be a busy month for the JPMF, as the Memorial Fund is participating in two major events that month.

The AGLC has slotted us in for a casino event on Aug. 21-22 at Cash Casino in Calgary. This will be a major fundraiser for the JPMF and volunteer participation is crucial to the event’s success.

Then on Aug. 23, the JPMF will be participating in the Calgary Police Association’s Charity Fall Classic Golf Tournament. {read more}

JPMF supports safety video for first responders

The John Petropoulos Memorial Fund is proud to support the newly launched Electricity … The Invisible Killer safety video and campaign, which is a fantastic example of business and industry making emergency responder safety a priority. Congratulations to the Canadian Electricity Association, the RCMP and corporate utilities for creating and supporting this campaign.

Here’s the press release from the launch:

Launch of first national electrical awareness video for emergency responders

Calgary, AB – April 28, 2011 – Police, fire and ambulance personnel are usually the first people on the scene of an emergency. When power lines are involved, these emergency responders are often unaware of the danger and put themselves at risk of serious injury or death. 

The Canadian Electricity Association (CEA), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and CEA corporate utility members – including Alberta’s FortisAlberta and AltaLink – took the initiative to produce Canada’s first electrical safety training video which is now available to all emergency responders across the nation.

“I have seen many close calls with Alberta’s police, fire and ambulance workers where they weren’t aware of the hazards of a downed power line at the scene. That is why we were passionate about raising the level of awareness with Canadian responders,” says Doug Skippen, FortisAlberta’s Manager of Health and Safety.

The 15-minute video was filmed in central Alberta and covers six scenarios that make up the principal contacts made by first responders with energized high voltage power lines and equipment in Canada. One: the cautionary measure to use when responding to vehicle collisions involving power lines and poles. Two and three: the electrical hazards involved when construction vehicles and farming equipment are in contact with power lines. Four: the hazards that may be present when responding to a call involving electric utility substations. Five: responding to downed power lines involving trees. Six: the potential hazard present when responding to underground power line contacts.

Key points in the video include the importance of performing a scene survey and assessing the hazards, taking control, treating the power line as energized, staying/keeping others 10 metres away and contacting the electric utility’s emergency personnel.

Across Canada, the training video is available free of charge from local CEA member utilities. It is called, ‘Electricity… The Invisible Killer.’ Interested parties are asked to contact their electricity service providers should they wish to receive a copy. Alberta’s utility contacts by are available on the DVD website at www.electricity.ca/theinvisiblekiller.

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For further information contact:

Lyndsay Thorlacius, AltaLink

403-267-5919

403-651-6918 (c)

Mona Bartsoff, Fortis Alberta

403-514-4596

403-512-9218 (c)

Tracy Walden, CEA

613-627-4333

613-796-4837 (c)

JPMF Chair speaks at National Day of Mourning event

Calgary, AB – All Calgarians are invited to attend a public memorial service marking the National Day of Mourning on Thursday, April 28^th.

The Day of Mourning is observed every April 28^th to honour the memory of workers in Canada who have lost their lives due to work-related injuries, illness or disease. It is an opportunity to remember fallen workers and re-commit to creating safer workplaces.

This year marks the 27^th anniversary in Canada and the Day of Mourning is now observed worldwide.

“This is such an important day,” says Wendy Maxwell, the Chair of Calgary’s 2011 Day of Mourning Committee. “Everyone should make time to recognize those who have lost their lives and pledge to make their workplaces as safe as possible.”

The memorial event takes place at 11 am at the Manufacturers’ Health & Safety Association/Alberta Construction Safety Association Building, located at #201, 292060 Wagon Wheel Link in Rocky View. It will feature a speech by John Petropoulos Memorial Fund chair Maryanne Pope, whose husband – Calgary Police Service Const. John Petropoulos – passed away in the line of duty on Sept. 29, 2000 while investigating a break and enter at a warehouse.

The Day of Mourning will be followed by North American Occupational Safety & Health (NAOSH) Week, which takes place from May 1-7.

For more information on the Day of Mourning and other NAOSH Week events in Calgary, go to www.cssecalgary.blogspot.com, check out the NAOSH Week 2010 – Calgary Facebook group or go to www.twitter.com/CalgaryNAOSH.

Or contact:

Ron Waters                            

Day of Mourning Committee                        

Calgary 2011 NAOSH Committee                  

ronald_d_waters@hotmail.com

403-686-4996                                     

Calgary Police Half Marathon big success

Major thanks to the organizers of the 2011 Calgary Police Half Marathon, which took place on Sunday. Despite the snow and sub-zero temperatures, the event was a huge success. Thousands of runners took part and everyone appeared to be having a good time.

Congratulations to the runners who braved the elements and a very special thanks to the volunteers who helped out at the John Petropoulos Memorial Fund’s water station, which was located near the mid-point of the half marathon.

Here are a few pics from the JPMF’s water station. Thanks to Tim Reynolds and Stuart Brideaux for sharing them with us:

See you next year!