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Long-time paramedic, Lyle Karasiuk, was taking a routine call for a person lying on a street in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. When he arrived, he found three people - a man lying on the ground, one woman standing and talking on her phone, and a second woman crouching beside the man scrolling on her phone.

As Canadians, we’ve learned to make the best of our cold, snowy winters. We’ve found many ways to keep ourselves entertained in the chilly winter months with activities like skiing, skating, snowshoeing and even swimming. You read that right - every winter, thousands of Canadians put on their bathing suits and take a dip in the icy waters, an activity called the Polar Bear Plunge.

Take a look at this list of things we think you should do – whether to better prepare yourself, for emergency situations, or to help others, tackling this list would make for a great New Year ahead!

As this year comes to an end, we are reviewing the stories that were the most popular in 2019. Take a look at the blog posts that captured readers’ attention this year, from inspiring stories to helpful advice about staying safe. Here are the top 10 stories from our blog in 2019.

Nick Rondinelli and John Devlin were in their downtown Toronto offices on a spring day in late May, taking care of regular business responsibilities. Rondinelli was at his desk; Devlin was doing some paper work after teaching a first aid course when they heard a collision outside their window. A car and a scooter had collided head-on, propelling the rider several metres into the air. 

The winter season brings many outdoor group and individual activities. Natural water bodies freeze over and become great recreational spaces for hockey, ice-skating and more. There is no such thing as 100 percent safe ice. However, precautions can be taken to reduce the risks.

If you are celebrating the holidays with gifts, consider giving meaningful gifts that could save a life, or make an emergency situation much more bearable for a loved one or even a stranger.
Whether driving in snowy winter conditions or just being ready for everyday first aid emergencies, here are some gift ideas that will be sure to make an impact with your loved ones.

We wanted to know if you could help someone who was bleeding, choking, needed CPR, had an allergic reaction, or a mental health emergency. We worked with comedian Adam Growe to stage these scenarios on the street and invited passers-by to participate. The results is the video series First Aid on the Streets, launching this week on YouTube and Facebook.