EMERGENCY INFORMATION
For an Emergency dial: 911
Canadian Coast Guard: 1-800-267-7270 on any phone
VHF marine radio: Channel 16
You may be responsible for getting a patient off the island. The Ontario Provincial Police Marine unit may be utilized in certain circumstances or the Ornge Air Ambulance Service. Don’t plan on help getting to the station.
Osawa Island Address:
B741-3
Shawanaga Bay
1 mile N.W of Twin Sister Island
Table of Contents
What Should I do if I am bleeding?
Rattlesnakes
Let’s start with what may be the obvious. If you see a snake, don’t pick them up or chase them. Snakes are like all other animals and they just prefer to be left alone. They may bite if you disturb them or scare them. So it is best to leave snakes alone especially if you don’t know what kind of snake you are dealing with.
Use a flashlight in the dark to help avoid stepping on, or disturbing snakes that may be hidden in the pathways. Snakes are commonly known to live in the grass, so we think it would be wise not to stick hands or feet in places you cannot see.
You may see a rattlesnake while on Osawa this summer. However, snake bites are quite rare, and most people who are bitten by rattlesnakes are harassing or trying to illegally kill the snake. Like most animals, rattlesnakes fear humans and will do anything they can to avoid us. However, that changes if a snake thinks it’s threatened and there’s no way to escape. Rattlesnakes are most active during the summer at dawn and dusk so this is the period that we Osawa Islanders need to be the most aware of them. So what do you do if you happen to encounter a rattlesnake?
First off, remain calm and do not panic. Try to locate where the sound is coming from before you react, so you don’t step closer to the snake or on top of it. Rattlesnakes can be easily scared if suddenly startled by humans or other animals so try to remain calm and slowly back away. Don’t try to kill the rattlesnake or throw anything at it, like rocks or sticks as this will only agitate them. It is also important to know that in reality, rattlesnakes play an important role in keeping their ecosystems healthy. In Canada, Western rattlesnakes are protected under the federal Species at Risk Act, making it illegal to kill, harm or capture them. The maximum penalty for killing or harming a Massasauga Rattle Snake is a $250,000 fine and/or a year in jail. So, I don’t know about you, but it just seems best to leave them alone.
However, you should alert other people to the snake’s location and keep your dog on a leash when walking the pathways at camp.
What to do if a Rattlesnake bites you?
If a venomous snake bites you, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately, especially if the bitten area changes color begins to swell or is painful. Many emergency rooms stock ant venom drugs, which may help you. Stay calm; Remove all jewelry from the affected limb. DO NOT: Apply a Tournaquet or Attempt to suck out the venom or apply ice or cut the wound. Without treatment, the body’s systems will break down over two to three days, ending in death. If you cannot make it to an emergency room with an antivenin within 30 minutes, tie a tight bandage a couple of inches above the bite location. This slows the spreading of the venom. Do not cut off your circulation or you will damage the healthy tissue by not receiving the proper amount of blood below the bandage.
If possible you may need to get someone to drive you by boat to the closes medical building which has Ant venom drugs. Listed below are our Osawa island address and other helpful numbers that you can call in case of a snake EMERGENCY:
What does a rattlesnake look like?
The rattlesnake is a small snake with a thick body, heart-shaped heads and vertical pupils. The average length of an adult is about 2 feet. Adult rattlesnakes are gray or light brown with large, light-edged chocolate brown blotches on the back and smaller blotches on the sides. Young snakes have the same markings but are more vividly colored. Other snakes that look similar include the fox snake, mild snake and hognose snake.
What’s the difference between a Fox snake and a Rattlesnake?
First, you need to look at the tail: Does it have a rattle at the end of its tail? Many snakes, including the Fox snake, can make a rattling sound, but only rattlesnakes have a very obvious structure (Fig. 1) made of a horny material similar to a fingernail at the end of the tail. In very young rattlesnakes, the rattle is a simple structure, yellow in color (Fig. 2). Segments (or rattles) are added each time the snake sheds its skin. An adult snake may have 7 or more rattle segments.
Figure 3: Adult Western Fox Snake
What to do if you encounter Bears
It’s normal to be somewhat alarmed if you come face-to-face with a black bear. But the reality is that black bears are rarely aggressive. Actual attacks by black bears are rare. If you see a bear before it notices you: stand still, don’t approach it and move away quietly in the opposite direction. If you encounter a bear that’s aware of you: don’t run; running may trigger a chase response. Back away slowly in the opposite direction and wait for the bear to leave.
What to do if a black bear becomes aggressive and approaches you
Stand your ground. Back away only when the bear stops its approach. Make yourself look bigger by raising your arms and jacket, and/or standing on a rock or stump. Yell “Hey Bear” loudly. Keeping your arms above your head not only makes you look bigger, but it also keeps their attention on you as you move away If necessary and if you have no other option play like you are dead. The bear will hopefully think you are dead and leave. 
Recognizing Poison Ivy, Oak and Sumac
The old saying goes: “Leaves of three, let them be.” Poison ivy, oak and sumac are three plants that carry the same poison — Usually a colorless, odorless oil that causes an itchy, irritating rash. While they differ in appearance, all of the plants grow white, cream or yellow berries in the fall.
Poison Ivy (A) usually has three broad, tear-shaped leaves. It can grow as a climbing or low-spreading vine that sprawls through grass.
Poison Oak (B) has leaves that look like oak leaves and grows as a vine or a shrub. The plant can have three or more leaflets per group
Poison Sumac (C) has seven to 13 leaflets per stem that are characterized by smooth surfaces and pointed tips. It is most often found in wooded, moist areas.
If a rash develops, there are several things you can try to relieve the itching:
1: Take a bath with colloidal oatmeal. Colloidal oatmeal is oatmeal ground to a powder so that it can evenly disperse in water. You can buy it from the drug store or make your own by grinding up dry oatmeal in a blender.
2: Wet a washcloth with warm water and place it on the affected area.
3: Apply calamine lotion to the affected area.
Treatments Continued:
4 Consider a steroid cream (hydrocortisone) if itching persists. Be careful not to get it in your child’s eyes and mouth.
5: Consider oral antihistamines (diphenhy dramine), especially if itching interferes with sleep. Consult your pediatrician if dosing is not listed on the package for your child’s age/weight.
It’s important to try to keep the itching under control because lots of scratching can increase damage to the skin and increase your child’s risk of developing a skin infection.
Call your doctor if your child has a rash on the eyes, mouth or genitals. Seek immediate medical attention for severe reactions, especially those resulting in swollen eyes or face and/or difficulty swallowing or breathing. Your child may need oral or intravenous steroids (prednisone) and possibly a medication (epinephrine) to treat severe allergic reactions.
Most allergic reactions will clear up in 14 to 21 days. However, if the symptoms persist or worsen, contact your child’s pediatrician for further treatment.
What Should I do if I am bleeding?
1: Control bleeding with pressure
2: Use Gauze if possible
3: Clean the wound if you can control the bleeding.
4: Swat T tourniquet is a pressure dressing that you tightly wrap around the wound. (In the new first aid kits). A YouTube instructional video on how to use the Swat T tourniquet can be viewed at this link below. You will need to fast-forward to the 54-second mark of this video to receive the actual instructions as all the previous video information is a commercial. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt2sDv-n4MI&t=102s
5: Combat gauze will help stop bleeding
I think it’s broken
1: Immobilize (splint) the affected limb 
2: SAM splint can be used for this as can poles, sticks or whatever else you may have.
.3: Check to feel a pulse below the injury
4: If something is pointing the wrong direction, splint as is unless you cannot feel a pulse.
5: If the person does not have a pulse under the injury, attempt to put the injured body part in anatomic position and recheck a pulse.
Anatomical position, or standard anatomical position, refers to the positioning of the body when it is standing upright and facing forward with each arm hanging on either side of the body, and the palms facing forward. 
Boating Safety Begins with a Boat Pilot’s License
In Canada, if you operate a boat with a motor and use it for recreation, you need proof of competency – something that shows you have a basic understanding of how to operate your boat safely and know what to do in an emergency. Proof of competency is required with all motor types (including electric trolling motors) and even when the motor is not in use (such as when sailing).
A variety of documents may serve as proof of competency:
- Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
Note: A paper or electronic copy of a PCOC is NOT acceptable. - Certificate from a Canadian boating safety course completed before April 1, 1999 (when the current regulation came into effect)
- professional marine certificate or equivalent from the List of Certificates of Competency, Training Certificates and other Equivalencies accepted as Proof of Competency when Operating a Pleasure Craft
- completed Rental Boat Safety Checklist, good only for the rental period
- for a visitor to Canada, an operator card or other document that meets the requirements of his or her home state or country
Obtaining a Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
Boaters who do not already have one of the other documents accepted as proof of competency (see above list) must obtain a PCOC. You do this by passing a boating safety test; usually the test is taken at the end of a boating safety course.
All boating safety courses and tests leading to the issuance of a PCOC are delivered by course providers accredited by Transport Canada. You can view the list of accredited course providers online or call the Boating Safety Infoline at 1-800-267-6687 to request that the list be mailed to you.
All fees for course, test and card services are established by the course providers. Services and fees vary among course providers. The Government of Canada does not collect or receive any fees for boating safety courses, tests or cards.
Boating safety course
The best way to prepare for and pass the boating safety test is by taking a boating safety course from an accredited course provider. Courses are available in the classroom and online. By taking a boating safety course, you will learn about:
- your responsibilities as a boat operator
- how to get your boat, your guests and yourself prepared before leaving the dock
- the importance of making sure all the right boating safety equipment is on board and in good working order
- how to prevent unsafe situations once underway
- how to safely share waterways with others, including larger and less maneuverable commercial vessels
- what to do in the event of an emergency
Whether you learn best in the classroom-style setting with lots of student-instructor interaction or prefer to learn at your own pace in an online environment, the information acquired in a boating safety course will help keep you and your guests safe when you are out on the water.
Replacing your Pleasure Craft Operator Card (PCOC)
A PCOC is issued to a person for life. If the PCOC is lost or destroyed, the individual can request a replacement from the accredited course provider that issued the card. Course providers charge a fee for this service.
If the course provider is unknown or no longer exists, the person should contact the Transport Canada Boating Safety Infoline at 1-800-267-6687 or e-mail to: [email protected]. The agent will check the individual’s name against a national database of PCOC holders and then provide instructions on how to get a new card.
Canadian Government Boating License Information
Boat Safety Equipment
If something goes wrong on the water, you will be much better prepared to deal with it if you have the right equipment on board, if it is in good working order and if everyone can find it and use it. Remember that the best protection you can give yourself on the water is to always wear your lifejacket or your PFD.
All safety equipment on board must be:
- in good working order;
- always easy to reach (so that it can be used in an emergency); and
- maintained and replaced in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or recommendations. In Canada, the safety equipment required on board depends on the type and length of your boat. You can find the length of your boat:by reading the manufacturer’s product information; or
by measuring it yourself (from the front outside surface of the hull shell to the back outside surface of the hull-shell bow to stern).
Flares are not required for a boat that is operating on a river, canal or lake in which it can never be more than 1 nautical mile (1.852 km) from shore; or has no sleeping quarters and is engaged in an official competition or in final preparation for an official competition. Also, a re-boarding device is only required if the vertical height that a person must climb to re-board the boat from the water (free-board) is over 0.5 m . A baler or manual bilge pump is not required for a boat that cannot hold enough water to make it capsize or a boat that has watertight compartments that are sealed and not readily accessible.
Inspect Your Boat
Take a few minutes to make sure you are ready to boat safely before you leave. This will reduce risk when you are out on the water. More than half of all calls for help are from boaters in trouble because of motor problems, including running out of fuel. Operating a boat that you know is not seaworthy is against the law. So please make sure your equipment is in good working order.
Explain safe boating rules to everyone on board before heading out. Tell your guests where you keep the safety equipment and how to use it. Make sure that at least one other person on board knows how to operate the boat in case something happens to you.
Monitor the Weather
Weather and water conditions play a big role in your safety on the water. Before heading out, make sure you get the latest forecast for your area and that you understand what it means. You should also be aware of local factors (like topography) that may cause weather conditions to differ from the forecast. The best source for this information is people who know the area well. Summer thunderstorms can strike quickly and without warning, so keep your eye on the sky when you are out on the water. If it starts to look dark and cloudy, and conditions are changing quickly, head for shore. For More helpful Boating information please visit: https://tc.canada.ca/sites/default/files/migrated/tp_511e.pdf