Health and Fitness
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Westport EMS Sets CPR Courses
The Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service is sponsoring two cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) courses next month.
Both will be held in the police classroom, 50 Jesup Road.
An infant and child heart-saver CPR class will be given Thursday, Nov. 3, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. A fee of $25 will be charged and. registration is required. Certification will be given upon successful completion.
A full healthcare provider CPR course will be given Tuesday, Nov. 8 and continue on Thursday, Nov. 10 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. A fee of $65 will be charged and registration is required. Certification will be given upon successful completion.
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Monday, October 17, 2005
Looking for a Few Good Men and Women
Westport’s Volunteer Emergency Medical Service is looking for volunteers for its next EMT class. Applications must be submitted by Friday. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed graphic
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
EMT Course Offered
The Westport Volunteer EMS will be offering an EMT training course for those who want to join the corps.
An information session will be held at 7 p.m. on Oct. 25 at police headquarters, and applications are due by Oct. 21.
Class tuition is $500, and it may be refunded later based on volunteer service.
Classes start Nov. 1 and continue through May. Classes are held Tuesday and Thursday evenings 7-10 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month at 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Hall-Brooke Offers Free Depression Screening Oct. 6
As a community service, Westport’s Hall-Brooke Behavioral Health Services will do free screening for depression from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 6 at 47 Long Lots Road.
The screening is also available from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at The Center, operated by Hall-Brooke, at 2400 Main St., Bridgeport, and is provided by both English and Spanish speakers.
Hall-Brooke’s services are part of the National Depression Screening Day which makes available the free opportunity for diagnosis to persons throughout the United States who may be suffering from depression or bipolar disease, an announcement said.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Info Sessions Set on Long Island Sound No Discharge Proposal
The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is taking steps to preserve the quality of coastal waters in Long Island Sound by seeking to ban discharge of sewage from boats in local waters.
It has set up information sessions on the proposal Wednesday and Thursday in Bridgeport, Norwalk and Stamford.
The DEP plans to ask the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to approve designation of the waters from the eastern border of Branford to the western border of Greenwich as a No Discharge Area.
The area would include the Quinnipiac River from North Haven and the Housatonic River from Derby Dam in Derby to the coastal waters of Long Island Sound, according to an announcement.
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Wellness Topic of AARP Meeting Wednesday
The Westport-Weston Chapter of AARP will open its fall season Wednesday with practical advice from professionals on how to promote wellness and independence.
The 1 p.m. meeting at the Westport Center for Senior Activities is of particular interest to those age 50 and above who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, an announcement said.
Dr. Michael McGlynn, well-known clinical nutritionist with a practice in Westport, will focus on preventing disease and promoting wellness through good dietary practices. He received his post-doctorate diploma from the American Chiropractic Board of Nutrition,
Susan Lackey of Home Instead Senior Care in Norwalk will present a “Banana Blast” party inspired by the “30-Minute Meals for Seniors”. booklet created by TV chef Rachel Ray. Lackey will bring bananas, dipping chocolate and assorted toppings and invite the audience to participate in preparing—and eating—the nutritious afternoon treat.
Both speakers will welcome questions from the audience. For more information about the meeting, call Thelma Shiboski, (203) 227-8594.
Monday, September 12, 2005
Westport VEMS Sets CPR Course for Sept. 19
The Westport Volunteer Emergency Medical Service (WVEMS) is sponsoring a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) course to be held at the Police/EMS classroom, 50 Jesup Road, on Monday, Sept. 19.
The infant and child heart saver CPR class will be given from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m with a fee of $25 charged for the course, an announcement said. Pre-registration is required. Certification will be given upon successful completion.
The class is intended for all ages to help save lives by learning the skills of CPR and is available to all area residents and businesses, the announcement said. The course follows the American Heart Association curriculum. No walk-ins or late registration will be accepted. Call (203) 341-6030 for information.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Westport Road Runners Summer Series Ends
The Westport Road Runners Summer Series ended with a 10-mile race today, which was won in a tie finish between Anatolie Vartosu of Stamford and Pete Brady from New York City with a time of 59 minutes and 54 seconds. Paul Greenberg (c) was the first Westport finisher, placing 10th overall with a time of 1 hour, 5 minutes and 24 seconds. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Julia Mally for WestportNow.com
Friday, August 19, 2005
Hall-Brooke Offers Private Outpatient Detox
A new ambulatory opiate detoxification program has been launched by Westport’s Hall-Brooke Behavioral Health Services as part of its outpatient addiction services.
The new outpatient treatment modality is a drastic change for persons seeking freedom from addiction to opiates, which include pain killers such as Oxycontin, Percocet, and Vicodan, as well as heroin, morphine, codeine and methadone, an announcement said.
Until recently, their only detoxification option, other than hospitalization, was to que up at a methadone clinic for daily outpatient treatments, a requirement considered so demeaning and life disruptive, that it was an effective deterrent for many potential patients, according to the Hall-Brooke announcement.
Because of recent changes in FDA regulations, treatment to break free from opiate bondage is now realistically available in private physicians’ offices with buprenorphine, a controlled substance.
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Thursday, August 18, 2005
14th Annual Kids on the Move Triathlon Set for Sept. 4
Every kid is a winner at the Westport Weston Family Y’s 14th annual Kids on the Move Triathlon scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 4 at Staples High School.
It’s the Y’s “celebration of healthy kids,” according to race director Bob Knoebel. He said every athlete who crosses the finish line receives an accomplishment medal.
“We want to reward the kids who choose to stay physically fit and active,,” Knoebel said.
Race check in begins at 9 a.m. while the race begins at 10:30 a.m.
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Wednesday, August 17, 2005
West Nile Virus Found in Weston and Wilton
State health department officials have announced that mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus have been found in 14 communities, including Weston and Wilton.
Until Tuesday, the virus had been detected only in Stamford and Stratford.
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and the state Department of Public Health released the latest findings.
“With continued warm weather we should anticipate additional positive mosquitoes in these and other areas of the state,” said Theodore Andreadis, chief medical entomologist for the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven.
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Monday, August 15, 2005
Lyme Disease Study Includes Westport
Westport is one of 21 Connecticut communities participating in a new Lyme disease prevention study.
Researchers at the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) at Yale School of Medicine in partnership with the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are undertaking the study.
The goal of the program is to evaluate the effectiveness of personal protective measures and landscape modification practices on Lyme disease risk.
The 21 communities are located in the Torrington Area, Westport-Weston, and Ledge Light Health Districts. To be eligible for the study, residents must have a yard and have been diagnosed with a Lyme disease rash within the past year.
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Thursday, July 28, 2005
Westport EMS Launches New Driver Program
Ever been interested in volunteering at Westport’s Volunteer Emergency Medical Service but don’t have time to take the lengthy Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course? Now there’s a new role you can play � ambulance driver.
Westport’s EMS has launched a new category of volunteers �EMS Ambulance Driver, according to Deputy Police Chief David Heinmiller.
“EMS drivers are an integral part of the EMS response team and the creation of this new volunteer position allows current, highly-trained EMT and paramedic crews to devote all their time to patient treatment,” he said.
In addition to being trained to drive emergency vehicles, these volunteers will be responsible for the inspection and minor maintenance of the ambulances, he said. They also will assist crews with scene safety, equipment and supplies, and patient movement.
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Monday, July 25, 2005
Unhealthy Air Forecast for Tuesday
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the Enviromental Protection Agency today predicted that air quality on Tuesday will be unhealthy in the western half of Connecticut due to elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone, commonly called smog.
The agencies also said they expected elevated levels of particulate matter in this same area on Tuesday.
Anyone can be affected by ozone, but groups particularly sensitive include children and adults who are active outdoors, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, the agencies said.
Sensitive people who experience effects at lower ozone concentrations are likely to experience more serious effects at higher concentrations. Still, even the healthiest people may find it difficult to breathe when ozone levels are very high.
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Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Unhealthy Air Quality Today in Connecticut
Air quality today: orange is unhealthy for sensitive groups. EPA graphicAir quality throughout Connecticut is predicted to be unhealthy today due to elevated concentrations of ground-level ozone, commonly called smog.
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection and the Environmental Protection Agency also said they expect elevated levels of particulate matter.
While anyone can be affected by ozone, groups particularly sensitive include children and adults who are active outdoors, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, the agencies said.
When particulate concentrations in the ambient air are elevated, people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children are the groups most at risk.
Note: WestportNow Publisher Gordon F. Joseloff is also First Selectman of Westport