LAURIE WEIR
After not having access to first responders for the Stewart Park Festival last summer until the last minute, one councillor asked to expense an instructor’s course so they wouldn’t be caught short of help in the future.
As a member of the Stewart Park Festival planning committee, Coun. Isabel Anne McRae sought permission from council during the Feb. 20 regular meeting, to pay for the cost of the CPR/First Aid Instructor’s Course for $675 out of her expense account. She said she would then train 12 people so they wouldn’t be caught in such a predicament again.
Last year, she said, they were left in a precarious situation.
“Just days before the event, St. John’s Ambulance informed our committee that they would not be able to provide first responders for the event,” she said. “At the last moment a for-profit first aid entrepreneur group had to be called in.”
This can be costly, she advised council.
“My plan is to support the Stewart Park Festival in having a contingent of approximately 20 volunteers we can schedule to cover our first responder needs,” she said.
Some of those volunteers could then possibly help out at other special events if needed in the community, she said.
McRae has already been accepted into the course which starts the first weekend in March.
“If the town needs me to help train the fire department or aquatic staff, I would volunteer for that as well. Instructors get 30 per cent from St. John Ambulance of every registration so it could be quite a savings to our organization.”
McRae said the Stewart Park Festival committee has a budget of $1,000 and they’d be seeking a sponsor for first aid equipment. This budgeted amount would help offset the cost of the course for the festival volunteers, she said.
“I will be paid for teaching the course,” she said. “Approximately one-third of the money that is collected is given to the instructor and I will then reimburse that back to the committee (or to her councillor expense account) so it will offset our budget.”
Coun. David Bird said his gut instinct is that this proposal has merit, but he was concerned about liability issues, “but I would support this.”
Acting Mayor Ed McPherson asked if McRae would be teaching this as a private citizen or as a town councillor, and what is the legal liability to the town … if we end up having a suit filed.”
Chief administrative officer Michael Touw said McRae would be doing this as an individual, or as a volunteer with the festival, not as a town councillor.
McRae asked if the town would have insurance against legal action as this is a town event.
McPherson said the festival committee would normally ask the town for support for something like this and they have not yet approached council.
The motion for McRae to pay for the course up front and expense it following completion, passed unanimously by those who voted. Coun. Gary Waterfield is also a member of the Stewart Park Festival committee and declared a conflict of interest.
Bird said the motion still needs some follow-up in what that means for the town’s liability.
