Peel
Regional Police - "Back-to-School" safety blitz
TORONTO,
Aug. 30 /CNW/
With students returning to school on Tuesday, September
6th, Peel Regional Police will be implementing a "Back
to School" traffic safety enforcement program. Commencing
September 6th, uniform officers from both Brampton and
Mississauga Divisions, assisted by members of Traffic
Services, will commence a back-to-school educational and
enforcement program directed towards the safety of children.
There
will be increased police presence in school zones at the
start of the school year with zero tolerance for drivers
not complying with traffic laws. One of our biggest complaints
at this time of year is traffic problems around school
zones. Motorists need to be aware when they're around
schools. "I urge all drivers to please pay special
attention when in these school zones," said Inspector
Steve Dolan, officer in charge of Traffic Services. "When
you drive carefully and safely, you are assisting us in
protecting the lives of the children and other pedestrian
traffic in these zones."
School
Crossing Guards also return to the streets on September
6th to assist children crossing the road. Motorists are
urged to use extra care in obeying the directions of the
crossing guards.
Motorists
need to be aware that children will be in bus stop areas
early in the day, and sometimes before daylight hours.
Motorists are reminded that when a school bus has stopped
and has displayed a stop signal, all vehicles must come
to a complete stop and not pass the school bus. If you
don't stop for a school bus with flashing lights, you'll
face a $490 fine in addition to 6 demerit points recorded
on your drivers licence record.
Traffic
Services provided the following "Back to School"
safety tips:
For Parents, Caregivers and children:
Many
children are walking and biking to school on our road
en lack the skills to negotiate traffic safely. Help them
to walk 'safely to school' by stressing the following
safety rules.
When
crossing intersections without signals or crossing guards,
children should:
-
Stop before stepping into road
-
Increase visibility and indicate crossing intention
to motorists
-
Look in all directions before crossing
-
Stop, Look and Listen for traffic
-
Cross safely when the road is clear
-
Walk, don't Run across the road
-
Where possible, use the buddy system
When
crossing intersections with signals, children should:
-
Push the pedestrian button (where they exist)
-
Wait for the pedestrian walk signal
-
Increase
visibility and indicate crossing intention to motorists
-
Stop, Look and Listen for traffic
-
Cross safely when the road is clear
-
Walk, don't Run across the road
-
Watch for turning cars or trucks
When
crossing with the assistance of adult crossing guards
and student school safety patrollers, children should
cross under their direction.
For
Drivers
Back to school means more children walking and biking
on our roads. Because younger children often have limited
experience with traffic and lack the skills to negotiate
traffic safely, motorists need to take special care while
driving. Help our children walk safely to school by following
these important safety rules:
-
Reduce speed in schools zones.
-
Be aware of school zone signage.
-
Be ready to stop at all times. Children do not always
notice oncoming traffic.
-
Always try to make eye contact with children wanting
to cross the road.
-
Be patient and wait for children to complete their crossing
before
proceeding.
-
Obey all yield, stop and traffic signal controls. It's
the law.
-
Stop when directed to do so by a crossing guard.
Railway
crossings can be deadly.
Many children in our communities must cross railway crossings
daily. Ensure children are taught the only safe place
to cross railway tracks is at a designated crossing.
The
Peel Regional Police urges motorists to drive safely and
responsibly with a reminder to all road users that "Road
Safety is a Shared Responsibility".
Storm
preparedness tips for Toronto residents
TORONTO,
Aug. 30 /CNW/
As
a precaution in the event of heavier than expected rainfall
caused by the remnants of Hurricane Katrina, the following
tips and information are provided for Toronto residents.
Flood
Prevention:
-
Clear eavestroughs, downspouts and catch basins of leaves
and other debris that prevent proper drainage.
-
Be sure grading around your home drains water away from
all exterior walls, window wells and below grade doors.
Even clear eavestroughs can overflow in intense, prolonged
rainstorms; so make sure water can run away from the
home.
-
Make sure disconnected downspouts are draining properly,
ideally 1.8 metres (six feet) from basement walls.
-
Ensure storm sewer grates (catch basin grates) both
on and near your property aren't blocked by garbage,
leaves or other debris -- especially plastic -- that
would prevent proper drainage and potentially lead to
flooding.
-
Fix leaks in walls, floors, windows or foundations.
-
Empty rainbarrels.
If
your basement floods due to a sewer backup, follow these
simple steps:
-
Call Toronto Water immediately at 416-338-8888, 24 hours
a day, seven days a week to report the flooding.
-
Call your insurance company as soon as possible to report
property damage caused by the flooding.
-
Be mindful of health and safety when cleaning up your
flooded basement. If as a result of sanitary sewer backup,
get help with the clean up from professionals -- check
the Yellow Pages under 'Water Damage Restoration'.
If
you're doing the clean up yourself, keep these tips in mind:
-
Shut off the electrical power (if possible).
-
Wear overalls, gloves, protective eyeglasses, rubber
boots and a mask.
-
Stay away from electrical equipment and do not attempt
to change any fuses if standing in water or on damp
ground.
-
Open windows to let in fresh air.
-
Thoroughly clean and disinfect anything affected by
floodwater such as furniture, carpets, walls, floors,
and clothing.
-
Throw out any food that may have been affected by flood
waters (including food in cans or jars).
Also,
do not switch on the gas or electricity again until someone
from the utility company has first checked your home. Any
submerged gas appliance needs to be inspected before being
restarted.
If
your basement has been prone to flooding in the past after
a heavy rainfall, it would be prudent to move items off
the floor to avoid any potential water damage. Residents
are reminded to stay away from creeks, streams or rivers,
whose water levels may rise in heavy rains.
Drivers
are asked to be cautious in areas where there is the potential
for flooding such as the lower end of the Don Valley Parkway
and the Bayview Extension. Drive with extra caution in any
severe weather and be aware of pedestrians and any debris
on the roads. If an underpass is flooded, take an alternate
route. Do not attempt to drive through flooded underpasses.
Homeowners should secure waste containers, including blue
boxes and grey boxes. Put one box on top of the other, or
tie newspapers together.
Emergency
preparedness:
As
part of emergency planning, all Toronto residents should
have a three-day supply on hand for each family member of
the following:
- Drinking
water (keep water in containers and fill your bathtub)
-
Canned food and a manual can opener
-
Batteries for flashlights and radios
-
A first aid kit
-
Gasoline for your car
-
A transistor radio
-
Cash
Residents
are reminded to:
-
keep cell phone batteries charged
-
know the locations of all electrical panels and water
and gas shutoff valves in your home
For
more information and advice about emergency preparedness,
please visit www.toronto.ca/oem.
For information about City of Toronto services contact Access
Toronto at 416-338-0338 or accesstoronto@toronto.ca
Visit
our Web site at www.toronto.ca
Film
on Memory a "must see" for anyone who works in
long-term care sector
-- World Premiere at the 2005 Toronto International Film
Festival
TORONTO,
Sept. 1 /CNW/
Canadian documentary filmmaker Allan King's latest actuality
drama about eight ordinary seniors who share their humour,
anger and fear about losing their memory is a powerful "teaching
tool" for the long-term care sector and virtually anyone
who interacts with aging adults. Filmed over several months
at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care last fall and winter,
"Memory for Max, Claire, Ida and company" has
its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival
on September 13.
"Dementia
is such a frightening, dehumanizing and unfair label,"
says Nancy Webb, Baycrest's vice-president of Public Affairs.
"Allan King's film deconstructs that crippling label
to reveal through the words of eight feisty residents in
our nursing home that cognitive change does not mean we
lose our identity, our feelings or our desire to feel connected
to others."
"This
film is about seeing the whole person behind the pathology.
Once we can make that leap in perspective, it completely
changes the way we communicate and interact with that person
and the way they respond to us," adds Dr. Michael Gordon,
vice-president of Medical Services at Baycrest.
Canadians
Say Pollution is Making Them Sick and It's Getting Worse
Health survey by IBM Business Consulting Services also finds
support for Kyoto Accord and increased government involvement
TORONTO,
Aug. 31 /CNW/
Almost
four in 10 Canadians surveyed say their health has been
adversely affected by air pollution and a majority said
they expect it will be, according to HealthInsider, a national
survey of 2,500 Canadians conducted by IBM Business Consulting
Services.
More
than 60 per cent of respondents identified air pollution
and emissions as the most important environmental issue
facing Canadians. Fifty-three per cent said they thought
it likely air pollution would negatively impact their health,
up by 12 percent from 2001, and 37 per cent
believed their health had already been adversely affected.
"With
the increasing number of smog alerts in Canadian cities,
Canadians are becoming increasingly concerned about the
quality of the air they breathe and about its effect on
their health," said Neil Stuart, a partner in IBM Business
Consulting Services' healthcare practice. "They are
worried and as a result they are increasingly supportive
of action to reduce air pollution, whether through increased
government funding or personal changes."
The
survey found 97 per cent of Canadians were willing to reduce
the amount of air pollution or emissions they create by
conserving energy. Eighty-six per cent said they have tried
to reduce the effects of pollution in their homes, 59 per
cent have spoken to others about the problem and 29 percent
belonged to or donated to an environmental organization.
Increased government spending on public transit was supported
by 71 per cent of respondents, while 23 per cent were willing
to support increased gasoline prices.
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