Celebrating 25 years in the life–saving business

January 15, 2016 · 0 Comments

Mia Nagasaki–Smilsky, owner of Lifebeats First Aid in Alliston, has been teaching people how to save lives for the past 25 years.
Mia will celebrate this milestone anniversary in 2016, and estimates that thousands of students have passed through her classroom – at one address, or another – over the past two and a half decades.
Mia got into the life saving business in her twenties, starting as a Health Care Instructor for St. John Ambulance. Although she admits to being nervous at first, tasked with the responsibility of training people how to react in an emergency, Mia says she quickly knew she had found her calling, and has been instructing ever since.
Mia’s career with St. John Ambulance lasted for many years, and she sat on the Board of Directors as Vice Chair for a period, and was Chair of the Standards Committee as well.
When she realized “there was no where else to go but into business for herself”, Lifebeats First Aid was born.
Lifebeats has been in business for the past four years, two years at the current location (103 Victoria Street W. Unit 4 – beside the zebra awning at Paparazzi Salon and Spa).
Although she also teaches on location, and will travel throughout the province to conduct corporate certification courses, Mia teaches a plethora of life-saving courses right here in New Tecumseth, in a non-judgemental and safe classroom, several weekends a month, by pre-registration.
Her next course is this weekend, January 16–17, and there is another course running the following weekend, January 25–26. Spots are still available.
Cost per registrant varies depending on the level and type of certification required, and starts at $50. Certification can take a minimum of 5 hours, to a maximum of two full days.
Recently, Mia added the sale, and training of, defibrillators to her repertoire. Companies an purchase the units directly from Lifebeats, or, if they already have a unit, Mia can provide scheduled maintenance and ensure all new hires are properly trained.
Licenced through the Institute of First Aid and CPR, Mia offers: First Aid; Cardio–Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR); Pet First Aid; Babysitter Training; Home Alone Training and other certificate programs for families, individuals, corporations and those looking to update their resumes.
In 2015, Mia received the Alliston & District Chamber of Commerce award for ‘Best Healthcare Service’ – an honour she shares with select few other businesses.
Currently, Mia is working on upgrading her website so that eventually, clients will be able to register for courses online.
She doesn’t keep count, but from reports back from former students, it is Mia’s understanding that more than a few lives have been saved as the direct result of her training.
“I do get phone calls and messages from people thanking me for helping them to stay calm under pressure and do what they’ve been trained to do,” said Mia. “That’s the best part of my job – preventing untimely death by transferring my skills to another individual.”
As for the biggest misconception about CPR?
Mia says her students are often shocked to find out that CPR is only performed on “dead people”.
“People who are still breathing don’t need CPR,” reminds Mia. “For some reason, with all of the information that’s presented, that knowledge draws the biggest gasp from my class each time.”
The second biggest misconception, reports Mia, is that once you’ve been certified you’re good for life.
“Not true,” said Mia. “Standards change every three years, or so, so people need to update their skills and stay current.”
Mia recommends that you re-certify yourself in CPR yearly, and refresh your First Aid training every three years.
She also reminds us that we “need to be on the chest” (conducting CPR) within 10 seconds of the heart stopping, and use a defibrillator within three minutes.
If you need training, to renew your certifications, or to be in compliance with WSIB requirements, call Mia Nagasaki–Smilsky at Lifebeats First Aid at 705 250-5433 (LIFE). Or visit her online at www.lifebeatsfirstaid.ca
“It’s in your best interest to get trained, because you never know who’s life you’ll be able to save,” said Mia.