The Drumheller Rotary Club has made the conscious decision to supply a second AED (Automated External Defibrillator) unit to the Badlands Community Facility (BCF).
    This was decided after noticing the increasing usage of both gym memberships and events held in the building.
    “They do have an AED downstairs but if somebody is there having a function or party or you have the weight room and stuff upstairs too, those seconds are critical.         When somebody has a heart attack and you need to get an AED on them so the timing is of the utmost [importance], ” said Ken Briault, Drumheller Rotary member.
    An AED is an apparatus that is used to control heart fibrillation through electric shocks to the chest area. This shock attempts to restore the natural rhythm of the heart. The unit is typically used when someone undergoes a cardiac arrest.
    “You need to have something quite visible so you don’t have somebody or if something happens up there – they have to run downstairs, try and find the AED, and then bring it upstairs and of course the run down and the run back up takes time,” said Briault. “That first minute is very critical.”
    In the case of an emergency, the best thing to do is call 911.
    A cardiac arrest can be seen by witnessing symptoms of loss of consciousness, fatigue or fainting, blackouts, chest pain, palpitations or vomiting, and weakness. Sudden cardiac arrest can appear with no symptoms.
In the Downtown core, AED units can be found on the first floor of the Town of Drumheller office. AED’s can also be found at the Aquaplex and Drumheller Memorial Arena.
    For the Greentree area, one can be found at the Greentree School and at the Public Works sector of the Town of Drumheller. The Co-op also has two units on site; one in the Greentree Mall located just before the men’s washroom, and one in the Home and Agro Centre.
    Grocery stores like Freson Bros. and Extra Foods are also carriers of the life saving device. In Extra Foods, the AED can be found right before the main exit. Freson Bros. has their AED unit in the customer service area which is to the immediate left of the entrance doors.
Following the North Dinosaur Trail, also known as Highway 838, west out of town, the Royal Tyrrell Museum has two units in stock. One is for general public use as it is located in the main lobby and the other is situated in the staff lounge.
    The Dinosaur Trail Golf and Country club possesses an AED unit located in the club house. This golf course can be reached within a few minutes of the world famous museum.
    All schools in the area are mandated to carry an AED in the building. This includes St. Anthony’s School, St. Luke’s Outreach, Greentree Elementary School, and Drumheller Valley Secondary School (DVSS).
    A map and list of current units in the province can be found on the Alberta Health Services website under PAD - Site & AED Locations.

    There may be another alternative energy project in the area in the near future.
    Aura Power Renewables is proposing a 75-megawatt solar power project north of the Drumheller Municipal Airport and is hosting a public open house next week to share information on its project.
    “We are now ready to begin discussion of the project with the community.  We find it helpful that Starland County is a leader, experienced with the use of solar photovoltaic technology, and that this region is one of the best locations in Canada for this type of technology,” said Aura Power senior project manager Victor Beda.
    He says this project is in the permitting phase. It has completed the environmental studies as well as archeological and historical resource study on the parcel, which came back positive.  The meeting is the beginning of its public consultation process.
    “We have kind of jumped through a few key hurdles,” he said.
    A project of this size could generate enough power to supply up to 18,750 homes annually and occupy about 400 acres. It would consist of the solar panels and racking, access roads, and electrical infrastructure.
    “We will work closely with the county to adhere to their requirements, and we will ensure that this is a safe operation.  We have also worked closely with ATCO Electric to confirm that the electrical infrastructure can accommodate the solar farm output. With the project located near Drumheller, we expect to find a local workforce that can assist in the construction and operation of the solar farm,” he said.
    He says Aura Power is not participating in the province’s  Renewable Electricity Program at this point. Rather they are pursuing private power purchase arrangements.
 Beda says during construction about 50 personnel will be working on the site and building the array. After it is complete, there is very little activity on site.
    “In term’s of the actual impact to the view scape, compared to a natural gas plant or a coal facility, the view scape is a lot lower. You are looking at objects that are no taller than 12 feet or so on the horizon,” he said. “The tallest thing in the entire installation would be a communication mast.”
     If the project were approved, it would take about four to six months to complete.
    “Alberta’s demand for electricity is growing, and combined with the ever-reducing cost of the technology we think the timing is right to develop this project,” said Beda.
    “We have completed our biological studies and expect that there will be no adverse effects to wildlife.  Finally, the Aura Power solar farm would contribute to the local economy as well as the Starland County tax base, bringing benefits to the region.  These benefits are achieved without emitting pollution and with minimal noise.”
    The open house is slated for Thursday, January 18, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Munson Community Hall.