On August 1, 2024, hundreds of County of Newell residents gathered at the Brooks Centennial Regional Arena to fundraise for HALO Air Ambulance and to pay tribute to our community’s first responders. It was an incredible evening of camaraderie, food, music, entertainment, first responder vehicle demonstrations and tours, and a live vehicle extrication demo – including the HALO helicopter! Not only was it educational, seeing up close and personal what our first responders do, and how they work together when they are called to an emergency; it was also exciting to watch the helicopter land and take off with the “patient”, knowing that in a real-life scenario, that patient is on their way to health and safety.

Speeches were given, expressing gratitude to those who serve the community and sacrifice much to ensure their patients best possible outcomes, including our incredible volunteers. We also heard speeches from first responders sharing their desire and dedication to serving our community.

Fundraising dollars are being tallied as we speak! We want to thank the Brooks Hot Rod Association for having so many interesting and beautiful vehicles for the crowd to enjoy.

Thank you to our sponsors, who without their incredible donations of both funds, food, equipment, and more, this evening could not have happened.

Platinum Sponsor – Canadian Natural

Gold Sponsors – Allied Distributors (Brooks) LTD and the EID

Silver Sponsors – Armour Building Group, City of Brooks, and JBS Canada

Bronze Sponsors – Atlee Angus Ken Simpson, Grasslands Public Schools, Jenner Colony Farm Company, McDonald’s, New Country 105.7, no frills, Prairies Custom Collision LTD, Silver Sage Community Corral, South Country COOP, Timber Mart, Triple Rentals, and Water Pure & Simple

It is truly an honour to celebrate all of you – this community is incredible.

The County is honoured to have spent the evening with incredible people, their families, and everyone who came to support. Until next time…

                                                              

The County of Newell is thrilled to announce a significant achievement in workplace safety, marking a milestone that highlights our unwavering commitment to the health, safety, and well-being of our employees. Over the last 15 years, our Corporate Safety Services team has transformed our rating in WCB's Large Business Experience Rating program from #63 out of 69 employers (2009) to #1 out of 79 employers within the Municipal District category. This incredible journey underscores our dedication to creating a safe and secure work environment.

As of June 6th, we have celebrated 1,650 days without a lost-time accident. This remarkable feat would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our Corporate Safety Services team, including Sheri Christensen, who has served as the Manager of Corporate Safety Services for 17 years, Robyn Nesbitt, Corporate Safety Services Officer for 17 years, Chris Knibbs, Corporate Safety Services Officer for 2 years, and Ashley Ferguson, our Fire & Safety Administration Assistant for 9 years.

A Message from Our Leaders

Sheri Christensen emphasizes, "Health and safety in the workplace is the sum of the contributions, decisions, and actions of all who have a vested interest in the outcome. At the County of Newell, that vested interest comes from each of us, whether we are the CAO, a member of the leadership team, a worker, a volunteer firefighter, or an elected official. We all play a fundamental part in the process, contributing to the greater good. We all are - and must continue to be - safety champions."

Robyn Nesbitt adds, "Safety is everyone's responsibility, and it starts with YOU! We achieved this recognition as a team by coming to work every day, looking after each other, and working safely. Thank you... Safety first is safety always!"

The Impact of a Safety-First Culture

Our commitment to safety has resulted in significant financial benefits for the County of Newell. Through our voluntary participation in the Alberta Government's Partnerships in Injury Reduction program, we have managed to save approximately $72,000 this year alone. While the standard industry rate for insurance is $1.63 for every $100 of insurable earnings, we are currently paying just 65 cents.

Matt Fenske, CAO, expressed his sentiments during the June 6, 2024 Council meeting, where the Corporate Safety Services team presented this tremendous accomplishment to Council, "Nothing terrifies me more than the risk of hurting somebody. Every day is a new day, and it's a risky line of business that we're in, but I give credit to Council and previous CAOs for creating an environment where people want to stay. You don't achieve this if you're turning people through the door."

The Journey to #1

Fifteen years ago, our premium rates were based on data from 2006, 2007, and 2008. At that time, we ranked 63rd out of 69 employers, with 91% of the municipal districts outperforming us. Had we continued on that trajectory, our WCB premiums would have escalated to $230,000 per year. However, through steadfast efforts and a commitment to safety, we have turned this around completely.

Our success can be attributed to the diligent implementation of an injury frequency and severity reduction program. By teaching staff the "language of safety," we have fostered an environment where everyone is invested in going home safe and well at the end of the day. Providing a stellar workplace culture lends to high employee retention and feeling safe at work directly impacts that culture. 

Celebrating a Safe Future

Today, we celebrate our milestone of being ranked #1 out of 79 large employers in the Alberta Municipal District category by the WCB. This accomplishment is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Corporate Safety Services team, the unwavering support from the County Council, Management, and staff, and the collective effort of every individual who prioritizes safety every day.

As Chris Knibbs aptly puts it, "When a safety culture is engrained throughout every level of an organization like it is here at the County of Newell, all the extra safety stuff we have to do isn’t extra anymore, it’s just part of what we do!"

"Tomorrow is the reward for working safely today," Ashley Ferguson.

Let us continue to champion safety, ensuring that every day ends with our most important achievement: everyone going home safe and well.