St. John Ambulance BC/Yukon

05/08/2026

If you're following us on Instagram or Facebook, for the past 5 days of Emergency Preparedness (EP) Week we've been listing our Top 5 EP steps most people forget. Here's our recap reel of all 5 steps. Did you remember them all in your EP plan?

👉 To help you stay prepared, we're offering 20% off all EP kits and First Aid Kits until May 15th with promo code FIRSTAID20

🟢 Put some step in your prep today: sja.ca

05/06/2026

Reminder that there will be a test this afternoon of the BC Emergency Alert System!

The BC Emergency Alert system is tested twice a year. The next test is tomorrow Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at 1:55 PM (PT).

These tests help ensure the BC Emergency Alert system is working in case of a life-threatening emergency ✔️

Your phone settings can affect how the alert appears or sounds ✔️

To avoid missing an alert when it matters most:

Check your phone settings, such as volume 👈

Make sure your device is compatible by checking with your service provider: https://support.alertready.ca/hc/en-us

Ensure your phone has a cellular connection. Alerts may not come through if your phone is connected to Wi-Fi only ✔️

Learn more: emergencyinfobc.ca/test



Alt text: Person holding a cellphone with emergency alert system test notification.

05/05/2026

Don't let a sting ruin your spring. 🐝🚫

It’s May in BC and the Yukon! The sun is out, the gardens are blooming, and—right on cue—the bees and wasps are back in business. If you or a friend gets stung during your Victoria Day hike, your first instinct may be to grab a pair of tweezers and pull that stinger out. Don't do it.

❌The Myth: "Use tweezers to grab the stinger and pull it out quickly." The Reality: A bee stinger is actually a tiny, attached venom sac that keeps pumping long after the bee is gone. When you use tweezers to "grab" it, you’re essentially squeezing that sac like a little tube of toothpaste, injecting the rest of the venom directly into the skin. Ouch.

✅The Fact: The best way to handle a stinger is to scrape it off. Use the edge of a credit card, a piece of stiff cardboard, or even a fingernail. Slide it across the skin to flick the stinger out without squeezing the venom sac.

Be the hero of the trailhead this May. Keep your cool, keep your credit card handy, and keep the venom out.

Gardening, hiking, or just enjoying the patio—be prepared. Whether you need a first aid kit with the right supplies or a course to handle seasonal emergencies, we’ve got you. Browse our variety of courses and register online at sja.ca.

Planning a safety day for your outdoor club or landscaping crew? Team training sessions can be arranged through our Customer Care Team toll-free at 1-866-321-2651.

💚Thank you for supporting our charity with a like, share and follow! Did you know that proceeds from every course registration directly benefit our volunteer initiatives like the Therapy Dog Program?

05/04/2026

We love the UFV Abbotsford Campus Library for many reasons, including their invitation to our dedicated therapy dog teams to come and visit. See their attached post for visit times! ❤️

Look who's back! After a short break, the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs are back for May and June. Stop by Abbotsford Campus Library for a visit. 🐕 Find them between 11:30-12:30 on the following days:
-Monday, May 4
-Tuesday, May 12
-Tuesday, May 19
-Monday, May 25

Follow our stories for day of reminders! Stay tuned for announcements about future visits. 🐶

St. John Ambulance BC/Yukon

05/02/2026

Emergency Preparedness Week starts tomorrow! 🚨

Here in BC and the Yukon, EP Week kicks off a season of adventure and fun with safety top of mind.

Whether you're into hiking, boating, biking, or floating—safe fun equals a fantastic spring and summer! 🌲☀️

To help you get ready, stay tuned each day of EP week for our Top 5 Emergency Preparedness Steps You Forgot! 📲

🟢BONUS: Our popular EP Kit and all first aid kits are 20% off until May 15th.

🟢SUPER BONUS: Get our kit and you're helping us give a safety boost to public events across BC and the Yukon this summer (Proceeds from each kit sale fund our Medical First Responder Volunteer Program)!

Grab yours here: https://hubs.la/Q04cZvf_0 and use promo code FIRSTAID20 for your discount.

04/30/2026

It’s Therapy Dog Thursday (and National Therapy Animal Day), and this April we are shining a well-deserved spotlight on an incredible volunteer team from Kamloops: Anastasia and Ziggy! 🐾

Whether they are celebrating Lunar New Year or participating in the Tkemlups te Secqepemc Reparation Settlement celebration, these two are always where the community needs them most. Their dedication to bringing smiles and connection to such a wide variety of community milestones is truly inspiring and shows the heart of volunteer service.

When they aren't attending special events, their "home base" is the Pine Grove Seniors Community. Located in a beautiful, park-like setting in Kamloops, Pine Grove is a warm, family-oriented care home that focuses on the wellness and comfort of its residents. It’s the perfect environment for Anastasia and Ziggy to do what they do best: spread joy!

Speaking of joy, we have some "paws-itively" exciting news—Ziggy is expecting puppies! 🐶 To prepare for her new arrivals, she’ll be taking a brief maternity leave to focus on her growing family.

We are so grateful for the dedication Anastasia and Ziggy show to the Kamloops community. Join us in wishing Ziggy the best on her upcoming leave—we can’t wait to have this duo back in action soon! ❤️

Want to help more teams like Anastasia and Ziggy bring comfort to our communities? Your support makes this work possible. Proceeds from every first aid course registration and safety supply purchase go directly back into our volunteer programs.

If you’d like to support the program directly, please visit sjaimpact.ca to make a difference today.

Park Place Seniors Living

04/27/2026

Ensuring the safety of our community is a team effort, and Boutique Day with The Cinderella Project was a beautiful example of that partnership in action. 💚

The Cinderella Project does incredible work to ensure every student can celebrate their graduation with dignity and pride. We were honoured to have our Medical First Responders on-site to support this meaningful event.

The organizers of Boutique Day make safety a top priority, and their appreciation for our team truly highlights the spirit of the day. As Cindy Given, Board Co-Chair of The Cinderella Project Society, shared:

“Their presence, professionalism, and genuine care helped ensure the safety and well-being of everyone in attendance — and that means the world to us.”

📣A huge thank you to our dedicated volunteers who gave their time on March 1st to keep this celebration safe, and to the Boutique Day team for inviting us to be a part of such an important community milestone.

👉Learn more about the impact of our volunteers: sjaimpact.ca or see the link in our bio.

04/22/2026

One spark can light a century of service. 🕯️

For National Volunteer Week, we’re looking back at the "emotional ignition points" that turned intention into action for generations of St. John Ambulance volunteers in BC and the Yukon.

It started with a veil, not a badge. In 1915, our first volunteers—the female Nurse V.A.D.s (Voluntary Aid Detachments)—ignited a movement of frontline care that hasn't stopped since.

The Evolution of the Spark:

🟢The 1915 Spark: Our V.A.D.s proved that when a community is in need, we show up.

🟢The Compassion Spark: In the 1940s, our nursing volunteers were already proving that first aid is for everyone—even our four-legged friends. 🐾

🟢The Community Spark: By the 1950s, stations like Bowen Island became the heartbeat of local safety.

🟢The Future Spark: In the 1970s, our Victoria Cadets began a tradition of securing a safer future through youth leadership.

🟢The Modern Spark: From the global stage of the 2010 Olympics to the critical "paw-washing" lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic, our volunteers continue to adapt and serve.

💚The Impact: Whether it’s a Medical First Responder at a local event, a Therapy Dog team bringing comfort, or a Cadet learning life-saving skills, that original 1915 spark is still burning bright. That spark now helps build safer, more resilient communities.

Learn more about our impact: sjaimpact.ca or see the link in our bio.

04/20/2026

Volunteerism doesn’t start with a spotlight. It starts with a spark. ✨

This National Volunteer Week, we are pausing to share our deepest gratitude for the volunteers across BC and the Yukon who show up consistently for our communities.

Whether you are keeping crowds safe as a Medical First Responder, learning to lead as a Youth Cadet, or bringing comfort as a Therapy Dog team, your energy and dedication ignite something truly powerful. Because of your efforts, people feel safer, stronger, and more connected.

💚Thank you for being the spark that builds community resilience.

👉See more of the amazing impact our community heroes make at sjaimpact.ca (or via the link in our bio).

04/16/2026

Cara, thank you for such a thoughtful review! 🙏 Creating a "safe space to learn and engage" is incredibly important to us at St. John Ambulance. We want everyone to feel comfortable mastering life-saving skills. Join Cara and discover your confidence!

Register for a course today! Visit sja.ca

💚Thanks for supporting our charity! Did you know your St. John Ambulance course registration directly contributes to our impactful volunteer programs, including our Therapy Dog Program, Medical First Responders, and Youth Cadets? Learn, grow, and give back to your community!

👉Help us out by liking and sharing this post. Follow us for more on first aid and safety!

04/13/2026

Ticks are absolute mood killers. 🚫

Who has time for bug bites when you’re busy crushing summer goals with your BFFs? 🛶🌲 Whether you’re hitting the local trails or heading into the Yukon backcountry, don’t let a tiny hitchhiker ruin the vibe.

The Mistake: Don’t burn or twist. That’s how they puke bacteria into your blood. (Major ick. 🤢)

The Fix: Grab close to the skin with fine-tipped tweezers. Pull straight up. ✅

The Ultimate Community Buff: 🛡️✨

When you grab a kit or book a course, your impact ripples across BC and the Yukon. You’re directly funding therapy dog visits to seniors, mentoring the next gen of youth leaders, and keeping the vibes safe with volunteers at our favorite summer festivals. Now that’s a community hero move.

💚 1 day of training = 1 summer of confidence.

Level up your skills and learn more than just the basics.

🔗 Tap the link in our bio or visit sja.ca/bc to learn more and stay hero-ready.. ✅