Kingfisher Lake, ON — Canadian Ranger Jeffrey Beardy was walking home late at night on January 23 when he heard a woman screaming for help. He ran to the woman’s house and entered it to find an unconscious 23-year-old man lying on the floor; the man had tried to hang himself.

Just learned CPR
Rgr Beardy immediately began CPR, which he had learned only days before during the basic training given to the new Canadian Ranger patrol in Kingfisher Lake First Nation. The settlement is a tiny, isolated Oji-Cree community situated 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.

“I did what my Ranger first aid training trained me to do. I did CPR,” Rgr Beardy said, “and when the medical van arrived, I helped carry the man to it on a stretcher and continued giving CPR until we got to the nursing station. It made me feel good, being able to help someone.”

“He saved the patient’s life,” said Cindy Sakakeep, the nurse in charge at the nursing station. “I would say another couple of minutes—if there was no CPR or anything administered—we would have lost him. He also helped me give CPR at the clinic.”

Invaluable help from Rangers
Several other Rangers arrived at the nursing station to offer invaluable help, she said, as she and other staff fought to save the patient. The Rangers assisted in the emergency room by getting equipment, restraining the patient who was combative when he regained consciousness and providing security at the nursing station throughout the emergency.

“They were very, very useful,” Ms. Sakakeep said. “I was so impressed. They stayed throughout the night.”

The patient recovered, she said, and “he’s ever so grateful that his life was saved.”

Useful Rangers
“This once again proves the incredible usefulness of the Canadian Rangers and their training,” said Major Guy Ingram, commanding officer of the 3rd Canadian Ranger Patrol Group.

“With the addition of Kingfisher Lake, we now have 18 patrols in Northern Ontario. We’ve opened 3 new patrols in the last year and we will add 2 more, possibly in the next year, to bring us to 20.”

“I’ve wanted to be a Canadian Ranger for years,” said Bellamie Bighead, one of the Rangers who helped the nurses, “and now I am one. It’s very exciting.

“It’s a good feeling to know that we’re going to be able to help our people. Rgr Beardy applied the skills he learned in the Ranger training and saved a life.”

Article and photo by Sgt Peter Moon, Public Affairs Ranger, 3 CRPG, CFB Borden.

---