Life-saving lessons put into action

Patrollers of the year honoured at camp

THORNHILL, ON, July 19, 2012 /CNW/ - Every year, CAA's School Safety Patrollers are trained to come to the rescue of students on and off a school bus.

This year, approximately 130 patrollers will be taught life-saving skills during a three day leadership camp at Camp Samac in Oshawa, from July 17-19. The soon-to-be patrol captains from Barrie, Brant County, Brantford, London, Orillia, Peel, Peterborough, St. Thomas, Toronto and Windsor will be taking part in training provided by police officers from across Ontario. The 10-12 year olds will learn bus and fire safety, as well as first aid.

Today at Camp Samac, two 12 year olds were recognized with the Patroller of the Year Award for saving the life of a young girl. In the fall of 2011, Savannah Lightfoot and Zach Mastrandrea, both from Monsignor Morrison Catholic School in St. Thomas, noticed a car was speeding toward a crosswalk. A fellow classmate was already a few steps into the roadway when Savannah reached out and pulled the girl onto the sidewalk and out of the car's path.

"On behalf of CAA South Central Ontario, it is a privilege to honour both Savannah and Zach with the School Safety Patroller of the Year Award," said Leslie Rocha, Community Relations Specialist, CAA SCO. "The Grade 7 students acted quickly and confidently during an emergency situation just as they were taught to do so during their annual training."

Savannah and Zach were presented the award from three time Olympic Women's Hockey gold medallist, Jennifer Botterill. Long before Botterill skated for the Canadian Women's Hockey Team she volunteered as a CAA School Safety Patroller. Today, Botterill shared her own life lessons as an Olympian, hockey player and former school safety patroller with the soon-to-be patrol captains.

School safety patrollers dedicate over 3.45 million volunteer hours each year to community safety. There are currently over 55 police services, more than 800 schools and over 20,000 elementary school students involved in the program.

CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club offering insurance, travel, automotive care and roadside services. There are more than 1.8 million CAA members in South Central Ontario and 5 million members in Canada. We're more than Roadside Assistance. We're Life-side Assistance. Visit www.caasco.com.

Media contact: Silvana Aceto, Media and PR Specialist, CAA SCO, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone]
or Jeff LeMoine, Communications Specialist, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone].