Gateway CERH Launches the Benefitting Rural Area Volunteer Emergency Firefighters Project

Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health (CERH) proudly launched the Benefitting Rural Area Volunteer Emergency Firefighters (BRAVE-F) Project on August 20th & 21st, 2024.

In recognition of our volunteer firefighters, Gateway CERH has developed BRAVE-F to promote and support the physical and mental health of our first responders. BRAVE-F is designed to provide free medical screening and education of cardiovascular health for our rural volunteer firefighters in Huron County. Educational sessions were delivered to the group by Dr. Mike Beazely, PharmD, and Dr. Ken Milne, M.D., to elevate their knowledge and awareness of overall health.

• Dr. Mike Beazely is Gateway CERH's Research Chair of Rural Substance Use and a professor at the University of Waterloo's School of Pharmacy.

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• Dr. Ken Milne is an emergency physician at Strathroy Middlesex General Hospital and Gateway CERH's Research Chair of Rural Medicine.

Gateway CERH would like to thank Bayfield and Seaforth departments for their eagerness to be the first to participate in these initial pilots. In the future, Gateway CERH hopes to expand BRAVE-F to additional firehalls in Huron County. Our goal for BRAVE-F is to bring meaningful difference to the lives of volunteer firefighters in our rural communities. Gateway CERH would also like to recognize the local volunteer nurses from Seaforth and Bayfield, who shared their expertise in conducting the screening.

The launch of BRAVE-F would not have been possible without the generous support from our donors, this includes: 100 People Who Care, Goderich Legion Branch 109 and Seaforth Legion Branch 156.

If you would like to learn more about BRAVE-F or our other projects, please contact info@gatewayruralhealth.ca or visit our website: https://www.gatewayruralhealth.ca/

The firefighters, nurses, and Gateway CERH team members who participated and assisted with the BRAVE-F Pilot Launch from at Seaforth Fire Department.

The firefighters, nurses, and Gateway CERH team members who participated and assisted with the BRAVE-F Pilot Launch from at Bayfield Fire Department

About Gateway Centre of Excellence in Rural Health  

Founded in 2008 in the community of Seaforth, ON, Gateway CERH is a not-for-profit rural health research organization run by a community-based volunteer board of directors. Gateway CERH's main mission is to better the health and quality of life of rural residents through research, education and communication. Learn more on the Gateway CERH website at: https://www.gatewayruralhealth.ca/ and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube