• Every year, more than 300,000 Americans suffer sudden cardiac arrest and 95 percent don’t survive.
• Each minute defibrillation is delayed reduces the likelihood of resuscitation by 10 percent.
• On average, emergency medical services take eight to 10 minutes to arrive.

To highlight the importance of these critical, life-saving skills and the need for public access to AEDs, the United States Congress designated the first week in June as National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Week.

“Establishing a National CPR and AED Awareness Week is an essential step towards ensuring communities across the country are able to properly respond if tragedy strikes,” said United States Senator Russell Feingold, a bill cosponsor. “The more we can do to educate our communities on how to conduct CPR and operate AEDs, the more lives we can save.”

Emergency First Response Instructors and Instructor Trainers can participate in National CPR and AED Awareness Week by showing community members that they are there to help by teaching these live-saving skills. And, by teaching these skills, you are helping further the mission of Emergency First Response – to place an Emergency First Response Instructor in every neighborhood and an Emergency Responder trained in CPR and AED use in every home and every business.

To enter the EFR Instructor Trainer course, you must:

• Be an active EFR Primary and Secondary Care and Care for Children Instructor.
• Have issued 25 Course Completion Authorization cards for any EFR course, or have taught at least five separate EFR courses.
• Have no verified quality assurance issues on file within the past 12 months.

The EFR Instructor Trainer course – based on the same instructional design and educational protocols as other EFR courses – was designed for busy people and has built in flexibility. Participants accomplish knowledge development through an online program that is flexible and easy to understand. Instructor candidates progress at their own pace and complete the course as their schedule permits. The online component is followed by a live practical training session with a current EFR Instructor Trainer.

To get started, contact your local EFR Office to register for the course. After registration, you’ll receive your EFR Instructor Trainer materials and a web link to the online knowledge development course.

The online course consists of three curriculum presentations and a Self Study Knowledge Review. You also have the opportunity to develop a basic marketing plan for your EFR provider- and instructor-level training.

After completing the online portion, it is simple to complete the course by attending a prescheduled Instructor Trainer Practical Session available in your area. You can complete these sessions in about four hours. For more information about practical session course dates and locations, contact your local Emergency First Response office.

During the practical sessions, candidates discuss their marketing plan and consult with an EFR Instructor Trainer to help develop a successful instructor training business. Candidates also participate in hands-on teaching demonstrations and positive coaching techniques. The practical session concludes with an evaluation of the Self Study Knowledge Review completed during the online course and a written final exam.

After you successfully complete the practical session, you may submit your EFR Instructor Trainer application to the local EFR Office. Once you are notified that Emergency First Response has approved your application, you are authorized to advertise and offer EFR Instructor courses.

Get started now by contacting your local EFR office.

Interestingly, the children’s body mass index – a statistical measurement comparing a person’s height and weight – was the biggest influence on compression depth and amount of air inhaled. Age did not play a role, indicating that a well-built nine-year-old can be just as capable of delivering effective care as an older child. Sterz said, “We found that students as young as nine years [of age] are able to successfully and effectively learn basic life support skills. As in adults, physical strength may limit depth of chest compressions and ventilation volumes, but skill retention is good.”

Children have long learned first aid skills and stories of youth making a difference in an emergency are not uncommon. Emergency First Response provider programs recognize this potential and is one reason why EFR programs are performance-based and do not have a minimum age. Participants meeting all performance requirements and objectives are entitled to receive a course completion card regardless of age. Those who lack maturity or unable to meet performance requirements are encouraged to study and work on their skills until they can meet the requirements.

 You can also have some fun by playing the Bee Gees song “Stayin’ Alive” during the CPR portion of the class. Not only will participants enjoy it, but the song also has the perfect tempo for delivering chest compressions at the correct rate.

 Plus, you can make your own media. Take photos throughout the course of participants completing different activities or practicing skills. Then, show them as a slide show at the end of the course to reinforce how much the participants have accomplished

I immediately checked her (the casualty) for breathing and for a pulse and there was none detected. I telephoned for an ambulance and began CPR on the back seat of the vehicle. I continued this for approximately 10 minutes until a rapid response vehicle arrived. The Paramedic told me to keep going while he set up his equipment. She was connected to a De-Fib and was in VF. The Paramedic shocked her twice and on the second time a normal rhythm returned. By this time another ambulance had arrived and the lady was put onto a stretcher and taken to the Bristol Royal Infirmary.

I have to say that whilst this event unfolded I was thinking of what I had been taught on my EFR Course and more recently on my Instructor course in September.  It was pretty much all automatic and I am so pleased I was able to help in an appropriate manner, hopefully going some way to saving this lady.

Since then I’ve checked on the condition of the lady I helped and the news is that she should make a good recovery and is expected to be discharged from hospital soon. When I visited the ambulance station in Bristol last evening the Paramedic who arrived at scene commented specifically that my intervention was the key factor in this person’s survival.
It’s the best feeling in the world knowing that my training went into automatic mode and my little bit of help has helped to preserve someone’s life.  It has given me the confidence to help again should the situation arise.

Many thanks for the quality training.

Dave Bennett – Emergency First Response Instructor

Fall, slips and trips were the most common reason for injuries, accounting for 81 percent of all injuries, according to the report.  Smith first suggests that parents use slip resistant mats inside and outside of the bathtub to prevent slip and falls. Secondly, Smith remarks that manufacturers must look at the current standard for slip resistance and strengthen the criteria.

Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine, said it’s, “alarming that more than 40,000 children are injured badly enough each year in bath and shower tumbles to warrant a trip to the emergency room. “If these injuries were unavoidable, that would be one thing,” Katz said. “But they are extremely, if not completely, preventable.” Katz noted.

For now, parents are forewarned that tub and shower tumbles in young children are a common cause of injury, Katz said. “So the first line of defense is parental vigilance. But the more definitive response is to re-engineer tubs and showers,” he said.

When thunder roars – go indoors!  This is a slogan that the National Weather Service (NWS) is promoting to remind us that lighting is a very real threat.  According to the NWS, in the United States an average of 58 deaths per year are attributed to lighting strikes. Hundred of others are permanently injured.  Minimize your risk of being struck by educating yourself on the behavior of lighting.

Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles from the area where it is raining. That’s about the distance you can hear thunder. If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance and should seek shelter right away. Once indoors, stay off corded phones, computers, and other electrical equipment that put you in direct contact with electricity.

Should someone be struck by lighting remember that victims do not carry an electrical charge, are safe to touch, and need urgent medical attention.  Cardiac arrest is the immediate cause of death for those who die.  Some deaths can be prevented if the victim receives the proper first aid immediately.  Call 911 immediately and perform CPR if the person is unresponsive or not breathing and use an Automatic External Defibrillator if one is available. 

Photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com

The holidays are an exciting time of year for kids, and to help ensure they have a safe holiday season, here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Trees

When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label “Fire Resistant.”

When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness.  A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.

When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators or portable heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.

Cut a few inches off the trunk of your tree to expose the fresh wood.  This allows for better water absorption and will help to keep your tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard.

Be sure to keep the stand filled with water, because heated rooms can dry live trees out rapidly. 

Lights

Check all tree lights-even if you’ve just purchased them-before hanging them on your tree.  Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires, broken sockets or loose connections.

Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.

Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.  To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples, not nails or tacks.  Never pull or tug lights to remove them.

Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.

Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Decorations

Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals.

Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.

In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable.  Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to prevent them from swallowing or inhaling small pieces.  Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a young child to eat them.

Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass “angel hair.” Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.

Remove all wrapping papers, bags, paper, ribbons and bows from tree and fireplace areas after gifts are opened.  These items can pose suffocation and choking hazards to a small child or can cause a fire if near flame. 

Toy Safety

Select toys to suit the age, abilities, skills and interest level of the intended child.  Toys too advanced may pose safety hazards for younger children.        

Before buying a toy or allowing your child to play with a toy that he has received as a gift, read the instructions carefully. 

To prevent both burns and electrical shocks, don’t give young children (under age ten) a toy that must be plugged into an electrical outlet.  Instead, buy toys that are battery-operated.

Children under age three can choke on small parts contained in toys or games. Government regulations specify that toys for children under age three cannot have parts less than 1 1/4 inches in diameter and 2 1/4 inches long.

Children can have serious stomach and intestinal problems – including death — after swallowing button batteries and magnets.  Keep them away from young children and call your health care provider immediately if your child swallows one.

Children under age 8 can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. Remove strings and ribbons from toys before giving them to young children. 

Watch for pull toys with strings that are more than 12 inches in length. They could be a strangulation hazard for babies.

Food Safety

Bacteria are often present in raw foods.  Fully cook meats and poultry, and thoroughly wash raw vegetables and fruits.

Be sure to keep hot liquids and foods away from the edges of counters and tables, where they can be easily knocked over by a young child’s exploring hands.

Wash your hands frequently, and make sure your children do the same.

Never put a spoon used to taste food back into food without washing it.

Always keep raw foods and cooked foods separately, and use separate utensils when preparing them.

Always thaw meat in the refrigerator, never on the countertop.

Foods that require refrigeration should never be left at room temperature for more than two hours.

Happy Visiting

Clean up immediately after a holiday party.  A toddler could rise early and choke on leftover food or come in contact with alcohol or tobacco.

Remember that the homes you visit may not be childproofed.  Keep an eye out for danger spots.

Keep a list with all of the important phone numbers you or a baby-sitter are likely to need in case of an emergency. Include the police and fire department, your pediatrician and the national Poison Help Line, 1-800-222-1222. Laminating the list will prevent it from being torn or damaged by accidental spills.

Traveling, visiting family members, getting presents, shopping, etc., can all increase your child’s stress levels. Trying to stick to your child’s usual routines, including sleep schedules and timing of naps, can help you and your child enjoy the holidays and reduce stress.

Fireplaces

Before lighting any fire, remove all greens, boughs, papers, and other decorations from fireplace area.  Check to see that the flue is open.

Use care with “fire salts,” which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. They contain heavy metals that can cause intense gastrointestinal irritation and vomiting if eaten. Keep them away from children.

Do not burn wrapping papers in the fireplace. A flash fire may result as wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.

2009 – American Academy of Pediatrics

This is where you come in. By teaching people in your community to respond appropriately and with confidence in the event of an emergency, you become part of the emergency preparedness solution. You can also stress the importance of AED training, as home defibrillators are now available without a doctor’s prescription in some areas. As an Emergency First Response Instructor, you have access to the customizable press release kit available at the Emergency First Response Instructor website. You’ll also find an Emergency Preparedness Checklist, a Family First Aid Supply List and an image to include with your promotional advertisements and Emergency First Response course schedule. Emergency preparedness has also been added to the consumer side of the website at www.emergencyfirstresponse.com.

 Now is the time to reach out and help your friends, neighbors and local businesses with disaster preparation. The benefits of doing so can be tremendous.