Heart to Heart First Aid CPR Services celebrates CEO Nick Rondinelli and First Aid instructor John Devlin as honourable recipients to the Canadian Red Cross Rescuer Award of 2019.
“Every day, ordinary citizens respond in extraordinary ways to the distress of those around them,” reads the introduction to the Rescuer Award on the official Canadian Red Cross website.
Last week, Lorraine Davies, Director of People Services at Canadian Red Cross happily presented the award to Heart to Heart First Aid Services CEO Nick Rondinelli, alongside his lead First Aid instructor John Devlin, regarding a motor vehicle collision and tragic accident which took place in May 2019, in Toronto, Canada.
The annual Rescuer Award proudly recognizes the astonishing acts of everyday heroism, demonstrated by ordinary citizens (non-professional rescuers), or off-duty first responders who have volunteered assistance to help save a life, prevented further injury and/or provided comfort to the ill or injured person.
Toronto Motor Vehicle Collision and Rescue
On May 26th, 2019, at approximately 6PM (just 2 months shy of Heart2Heart’s 20th year anniversary), Rondinelli and Devlin rushed to the scene of a “hit and run”, where one speeding vehicle had clipped another car, causing a head-on collision with a man riding on a scooter. The accident happened in front of the Heart to Heart First Aid CPR Services Inc. head office on Carlton St. in Toronto, Canada.
After colliding with the vehicle, the person on the scooter propelled 12 feet into the air and hit the pavement hard. Rondinelli and Devlin sprung into action within moments. The two have both been teaching and certifying thousands of Canadians in first aid and CPR for decades.
Both Rondinelli and Devlin used their skills in the same way they have been teaching others to do, and provided first-response medical assistance to the person suffering serious injuries while waiting for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to arrive.
Although drivers should always avoid negligence and/or speeding while on the road, another lesson remains prominent, on how ordinary citizens can help in the case of a tragic accident like this: clear cut communication, plus skilled CPR/First Aid training, prepares one to serve the general public in greater magnitudes than imaginable.
Rondinelli and Devlin: Knowing the Way, Going the Way and Showing the Way
Owner of Heart to Heart First Aid CPR Services Inc. and Instructor Trainer for the Canadian Red Cross for 20 years, Rondinelli writes: “I couldn’t believe my eyes and I knew that I had to spring into action and do the very thing that I had trained others to do.”
As Rondinelli frequently teaches his students, he declares the same strong sentiment in an official statement highlighting lessons demonstrated from the tragic accident: “Anything can happen, at anytime.”
This is a crucial reminder which first responders have drilled in the back of their minds — a sense of urgency required to help save a life. Preparation through training for situations like this can provide vital assistance in potentially fatal situations when you least expect it.
Rondinelli’s full statement can be found on the Heart to Heart blog, which offers educational resources on CPR and first aid.
Heart to Heart First Aid CPR Services Cares – Celebrating 20 Years.
Rondinelli and Devlin jumping into action at the scene of a tragic accident demonstrated the power of humanity. By showing care and concern for a fellow citizen in an emergency situation, and applying the skills and training promoted by the Canadian Red Cross, the Rescuer Award is a testament to the heart and soul put into the daily operations at Heart to Heart First Aid CPR Services for their many clients.
The integrity, missions and values of Heart to Heart CPR/First Aid Services are also often commended by the positive experience feedback reviews from students, which highlight the “knowledgable” and “friendly” instructors as well as the “informative” and “interactive” courses made available.
As Rondinelli advises: “There is nothing better than the feeling of making a difference. Learn first aid and CPR. Get trained. Contact your local Canadian Red Cross training partner and be prepared in the event that you are called to act.”