February 17th, 2022
First Aid Training manager and instructor Troy Conrod has been training people to assist in an emergency for more than two decades. His career has taken him all over Canada, including to Vancouver to work on the hit science-fiction drama TV series, The X-Files.
He began offering first aid courses with Commissionaires Nova Scotia (CNS) in August 2021.
“Time and time again, I see students come in and sit at their desks sporting a look of
misery because they need to take first aid,” said Troy.
“The biggest enjoyment I get is when those very students leave the course wanting to shake my hand—elbow bump now, of course—thanking me for a great day,” he said.
Troy credits the students’ change of attitude to a realization and understanding of the importance of first aid, both in their professional and personal lives.
For example, roughly 40,000 cardiac arrests occur each year outside of a hospital setting. Some of those happen in a public setting such as a workplace, but 70% of all cardiac arrests take place at home.
“Of all the benefits a workplace can offer, I can’t think of a better perk than being trained in first aid. I encourage everyone to learn the valuable skills of CPR and how to use an AED properly. It may be all it takes to save a loved one’s life,” said Troy.
“Yes, take it for work, but learn it for those who really matter in your life,” he added.