On June 6, The Shield Journal awarded the first of its 2022 bi-annual Community Safety Grants to the Rideau Lakes Fire Department (RLFD) after a catastrophic fire destroyed their station in Portland, Ont. On Dec. 21, 2021, RLFD Chief Scott Granahan was at home when he received an alert in the late afternoon from the…
Former Correctional Officer Pattie Atwell enjoyed a fulfilling 10-year career at a Women’s Correctional Centre in Headingly, MB, but an occupational stress injury in 2017 sent her into a slow spiral with unexpected consequences she couldn’t have foreseen until it was too late. “I didn’t have any idea that I was getting sick,” says Atwell.…
Canada has one of the highest education rates in the world. Despite this, one in six Canadians struggle with everyday reading and writing. This statistic climbs higher still when you examine literacy rates inside Canadian penitentiaries. According to a fact sheet by The Literacy and Policing Project, 79 per cent of offenders entering Canadian correctional…
If you saw them in the street, you probably wouldn’t recognize them. They don’t carry a gun or wear a shiny badge. They don’t drive an ambulance, a patrol car, or a fire truck. They are often working when most people are home in their beds. They are missing family functions, dance recitals and school…
As the substance abuse crisis continues to rage across Canada, correctional institutions across the country are feeling the strain. According to a 2020 report by Dalhousie University, opioid-related deaths inside correctional facilities are on a steady incline. In 2017 alone, there were 70 overdoses inside Canadian prisons. A 2016 report by CMAJ Open found that…
Last updated on February 11th, 2022
Though working as a First Responder is undoubtedly fulfilling, it doesn’t come without a price. The mental health and well-being of First Responders and front-line workers is more important than ever as they face unprecedented stress and pressure while dealing with the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. This is in addition to the usual trauma First Responders…
Last updated on January 10th, 2022
In Arthurian Romance, the mysterious wizard Merlin prophesized to King Uther Pendragon that a noble youth named Galahad would soon be born, who would then save the Kingdom from evil and usher in a state of blessedness. Sure enough, in due time, the child was born of dubious parentage. Despite having grown up shielded from…
Last updated on December 21st, 2021
It has been an unprecedented year for paramedics and other emergency medical personnel. Not only are paramedics tasked with keeping up with the demanding tasks required of their jobs on a day-to-day basis, but they are also working tirelessly to keep our communities safe during a global pandemic. Perhaps no one understands this struggle more…
