Emergency & Safety Training
What medical emergencies does your CPR AED First Aid Safety class cover?
Our CPR AED and First Aid classes cover emergency medical care for a variety of different emergencies and life saving techniques including:
Legal/Ethical Concerns, Bloodborne Pathogens, Calling 911 and Emergency Medical Services, Scene Management and Patient Assessment, Bleeding, Cuts and Shock, Burns, Falls, Sudden Cardiac Arrest and Heart Attack, Drowning, Eye Injuries, Head and Face Injuries, Injuries to Muscles, Bones and Joints, Allergic Reactions and Respiratory Emergencies, Diabetic Emergencies, Seizures and Strokes, Heat Exhaustion and Hypothermia, Poisonings and Overdoses and a variety of other medical emergencies.
In addition to first aid treatment for medical emergencies what else do you cover?
Our classes are student driven. By this I mean no 2 classes are alike. We encourage the students to talk about medical emergencies that they have seen either on the job or at home. We discuss proper treatment for these emergencies, what to do, and what not to do. We go through many different scenarios and we also stress accident prevention. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Often we discover safety concerns that management was unaware of. Through our classroom discussions, management is then able to take action to correct any safety issues.
How often should CPR and First Aid training occur?
The old expression use it or lose it comes to mind. The American Heart Association CPR AED and First Aid certification cards are valid for a period of 2 years. Every 2 years may be sufficient for the actual training classes but safety drills, similar to the fire drills we had in school should be conducted on a regular basis. These drills apply what was learned in the classroom to real life scenarios that can occur on the job site.
What else can I do to improve the safety of my staff?
Quick access to the proper PPE -- Personal Protective Equipment is a must for your staff. Your PPE should include medical exam gloves, a CPR Mask, eye protection, bio-hazard bag and a face mask. These are relatively inexpensive and should be placed in an easy to reach location to allow quick retrieval for use in the event of a medical emergency.
Does 1st Choice Emergency & Safety Training offer Bloodborne Pathogens HIV AIDS training?
Yes. We often combine this class with our CPR AED class. Bloodborne Pathogens Training is an OSHA mandated training program for any person who may be "reasonably anticipated" to come into contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials (OPIM) as the result of performing their job duties. OSHA Bloodborne pathogens. - 1910.1030
Who needs Bloodborne Pathogens Training?
Adult Day Care and Assisted Living Facility (ALF) Staff, Child Day Care Providers, Coaches and Personal Trainers, Construction Workers, CPR and First Aid First Responders, Emergency Response Teams (ERT & CERT), Cleaning, Housekeeping, Custodians and Janitorial Professionals, Health Care Providers including Doctors, Dentists, Nurses, Dental Assistants and Dental Hygienists, CNA's, Plumbers and Electricians, Tattoo Artists, Teachers, Police Officers, Corrections Officers and Security Guards. This list should include anyone who may come in contact with blood or body fluid for any reason.
Does 1st Choice Emergency & Safety Training conduct Emergency Medical Preparedness Safety Drills?
Yes. We offer onsite drills at your business, school or club. We believe that training is very important, however even with expert professional CPR AED and First Aid instruction it is difficult to gauge how well your staff will react to a real medical emergency. Our onsite CPR AED First Aid Safety drills are designed to test and rate the effectiveness of your employee health and safety program, it also allows us to evaluate if adequate first aid supplies, PPE, and AEDs are readily available. Safety drills are the only way for us to clearly identify your businesses strengths and weaknesses in a proactive manner.
Should my company purchase an AED -- Automated External Defibrillator?
My answer is always "Yes". According to OSHA 13% of all workplace fatalities result from sudden cardiac arrest. According to the American Heart Association, sudden cardiac arrest claims about 340,000 lives each year -- or around 1,000 every day in the United States. Sudden cardiac arrest, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. Cardiac arrest kills more people than breast cancer, lung cancer, and AIDS combined. Currently 95 percent of all cardiac arrest victims die.
Simply put, Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) save lives. Would you spend $2,000 if it saved an employee? The answer is obviously yes. You have smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, security cameras and other systems to save property why not put something in place that saves lives. Think about this, how many fire extinguishers does your company own? How many AEDs? Fire extinguishers are designed to save property whereas an AED saves lives. Life safety is far more important than saving property.
What does OSHA indicate about AEDs?
"Because the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) can save the lives of workers who experience cardiac arrest while on the job, OSHA today encouraged employers to consider making this equipment available in their workplace." US Department of Labor, Office of Public Affairs, Dec. 17, 2001
What about Federal Laws regarding the use of AEDs?
The Cardiac Arrest Survival Act (CASA) of 2000 is our nation's first legislation recognizing the lifesaving role played by automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The law highlights the need to make AEDs accessible to anyone who has had proper training, not just professional medical personnel. The law protects trained AED users from liability, and also protects any person who has maintained the device, provided training, tested the device or acquired it. The law also augments existing state "Good Samaritan" laws by ensuring federal liability protection for trained users and purchasers of AEDs.
What type of training is required to use an AED?
AEDs are designed to be very simple to use. However, this is a race against time. For every minute we delay shocking our victim their chance of survival drops 10%. Training increases speed, confidence and efficiency. I suggest working with a professional trainer that has real life experience using CPR and AEDs on real people. An instructor that can work with your staff to answer any and all questions. Someone that can create realistic training scenarios to use during class and most importantly someone that can make your staff comfortable using their new skills. You don't want an instructor that scares or confuses them. Look for a full time, insured professional that knows AEDs, CPR and First Aid.
What are the odds of my company using an AED?
In August of 2003, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) conducted a survey. Of the 400 members surveyed 34% that implemented an AED program used the AED at least once to help save a life. Of those people in cardiac arrest, 66% were revived by the AED.
What about a first aid kit?
A good first aid kit is very important however it does not necessarily mean signing an expensive service contract to fill your first aid kit or wall mounted first aid cabinet with overpriced aspirin. In fact, I discourage having OTC medications in the company first aid kit. Keeping your first aid kit simple is often best. A good first aid kit will have good PPE -- personal protective equipment such as gloves, glasses and CPR masks as well as bandages, medical tape, burn gel, eye wash and an assortment of band aids in various sizes. The items you include in your first aid kit may vary depending on the size of your business, what special hazards may be present and the number of people at your location. We do not sell First Aid kits but we can refer you to honest companies that will do a good job for you at a reasonable cost.