Arrowhead Regional Medical Center’s 11th Annual Community Health & Safety Expo

Looking to keep the community healthy in the wake of cold and flu season—and keep safe from disasters both natural and unexpected—Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) hosted its 11th Annual Health and Safety Expo over the weekend. Colton residents and those nearby who attended were able to visit a host of vendors for health and safety tips as the cooler weather sets in. Vendors included insurance companies, medical colleges and universities, CPR stands, healthy food and diet vendors and more. Visitors flooded the ARMC campus to take advantage of the information being given, with the most popular booth being the free health screening and flu shot tents. Community organizations like the Colton fire and police departments were also on site to share a little bit about what they do to keep the community safe and protected. Fire and police vehicles were also on display for learning opportunities; children were instructed in the vehicles’ purposes. Photo opportunities with fire and police members were also a highlight. “The best part of being able to be here with the Fire Department is seeing all these little kids running around and get excited over the fire trucks and police cars. I enjoy teaching them [about] what I do as well,” said one Colton Fire Explorer, Claire Kelly. Cristy McCaslin, who has attended this event annually, looked on as her 4-year-old son, Aiven, received a tour of the fire truck by Colton firefighter Aaron Mulhall. “This health and safety expo is a must every year with this kid,” McCaslin said with a chuckle. “He is absolutely fascinated by fire trucks and can never [quiet] about one day becoming a firefighter himself. That’s why I love this event so much, because it gives Aiven a fun time. At the same time, it’s also nice walking around the variety of set ups. Every time I come, I learn something new about health that I never knew before.” Many children also enjoyed practicing with fire extinguishers and received some safety training. Though the event ran smoothly, event organizers explained the long hours of planning and execution required to host it. “It takes a lot of dedication and teamwork,” Dr. Geoff Schroder, a nursing instructor at San Bernardino College, said. “It is coordinated with volunteers from a variety of schools such as San Bernardino Valley College, West Coast University, Concord Career College, and many other colleges. All these schools worked with the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, who put together the entire event. The event would not have been possible without the help of the community, agencies and support from people.” Among the university and college volunteers and ARMC employees were many community volunteers donating their services and time. CPR-certified and recurrent event volunteer Todd McMeans said, “I get to teach people methods that can be very useful in an emergency. Who knows? The lessons I provide them with today might end up helping them save lives in the future. Just thinking about that brings a smile to my face.” A virtual dementia tour, a bounce house and raffle opportunities were also some highlights of the event, with the goal being for event organizers to stress the importance of health and the necessity of improving residents’ health. To exemplify the importance of community health events, ARMC neurosurgeon Jerry Noel said, “The goals of this event have always been to raise awareness. We have always used it as our way to make people aware of many risk factors concerning many different health issues such as high cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, and, ultimately, possibly prevent the manifestations of any of those diseases. We want to prevent people from coming to the hospital. I really hope people leave the event with some knowledge and awareness concerning their health so they can make better decisions and live a better, healthier lifestyle.”