MI -CPR/AED/Basic First Aid -AA- 11/5

[Barbara]

A group of us are getting together to get and/or renew our CPR/First Aid certs and there are still some openings in the class if anyone is interested.

The class will be held at the Red Cross in Ann Arbor, from 9-5. Cost is $60.00.

This will cover adult/child/infant CPR/AED use/and basic First Aid.

Despite the location, everyone attending will be a gunnie.

 

[444]

A little off topic, but at least you get a free bump.
Has anyone had any experience with the AEDs that I have seen advertised on TV that people own and keep in their homes ?

If anything is mentioned about it in that class I would be interested in hearing about it.

 

[hso]

The AED componenet of the course if of minimal value. While AEDs save lives, my wife has had 3 guys saved by AEDs she persuaded her client to put in, it takes only the least bit of training to be able to use them.

OTOH, First Aid training is invaluable and anyone that doesn't take it is floating listlessly toward the old gene pool filters.

 

[444]

Ok, I can't seem to figure out why you consider the AED training to be of minimal value based on what you wrote.

Personally, I think the AED is a significant breakthrough in the American EMS system. For the first time in history, first responders and lay citizens can begin Advanced Life Support on their own, prior to the response of paramedics. Here in Las Vegas, AEDs are playing a major role for first responders. Virtually all the hotel casinos in town have their security guards trained in the use of AEDs and the hotels have the AEDs to use. Airline personel have been trained in the use of AEDs: who else could benefit more than airline personel when they are at 30,000 feet and someone suffers sudden cardiac death ? I know law enforcement officers are carrying AEDs in various parts of the country for the times they arrive on the scene of a medical emergency before EMS personel. I have read of AEDs being placed on the wall in airports the same way fire extingushers have been in the past. Shopping malls in some areas have done the same . There was a big push on here locally within the last year to have gyms equipped with AEDs and most of the big ones jumped on board. Now, people can have their own AED in their home. I am sure they are expensive. It would be silly for everyone to go out and buy one. But for someone with a known cardiac history, it certainly would give piece of mind. I am absolutely sure that the ones out there will save lives.
The fire department I work for has an AED on every unit that is not a paramedic unit (BLS, ILS units). A few years ago, I was riding a truck company (ladder truck) when we happened to be right around the corner from a reported man down. In our EMS system, truck companies don't normally respond to medical emergencies, but we were right there and we had the gear including an AED. We arrived five minutes before the ambulance and found a man lying in a parking lot who was unconscious, was not breathing and had no pulse I personally used the truck companies AED to defibrillate the man and he lived to see another day. I have done this same thing many times over the years: I have worked full time as a paramedic for over 20 years, but I never before or since used an AED.
The very idea of posting a statement that learning to save someone's life is of minimal value is ridiculous.

 

[firefighter4884]

444...

for the most part, using an AED is foolproof. the machines have voice prompts that tell you exactly what to do. While it is a good idea have a little bit of practice in using one, it isn't necessary to have training to use one.

From what I understand, there are AEDs in cabinets along the walls of Chicago's airport. They are wired so that whenever the are pulled, the automatically dispatch a paramedic team to that location. According to the account I got, they had a save within 40 minutes of putting the AEDs in place, and the person who used the machine was a lay person with minimal or no training.

I don't think the other guy was saying that the training was wasteful (from the point of view of learning to save a life), but that it wasn't strictly necessary for the aed to be useful.

Just my 0.02

Jim

 

[444]

Not trying to argue, just trying to understand.
I would think that to most people, an AED would be intimidating. If they never saw one before, they wouldn't have any idea what they were supposed to do. In fact, it would probably never enter their mind that their might be such a thing available for their use. I think they would be far more apt to use one if they had some training on how to use one. If a fire broke out, how many people do you think would grab a fire extinguisher and knock down the fire ? What about if they had actually used a fire extinguisher before and there was no doubt in their mind that they knew what they were doing ? An extinguisher isn't hard to use either, but being familiar with it would prompt it's use in an emergency.
You are right, there is nothing to it. But it does take SOME instruction in it's use.
I am not trying to be mean. I would have understood if he had said that the instruction was minimal on the AED. But what he said was, the instruction was of minimal value. Totally different meaning.

 

[hso]

Bingo, 4884. The AED's available today "talk" you through the process. If you have 5 minutes of instruction and 10 minutes of practice you can use one effectively. The AED is not a 'magic bullet' though and will not help all "heart attack" suffers so people need to understand that if someone dies it probably isn't due to improper application of the AED.

The real value of First Aid/CPR/AED training is in the First Aid. You will have much more potential to use this training and much more potential to actually save a life due to this training. Everyone should have it.

 

[Barbara]

I've never taken the AED training, so I'm looking forward to it, effective or not.

I have 6 people taking this, so still have 4-6 openings available.

 

[Barbara]

We still have room for 4 more people if anyone is interested.

 

[444]

Old Thread, Important Subject

Just thought I would add a little thought to this old thread. Yesterday I was working overtime on the strip. Luckily I hadn't worked the strip in quite awhile.
Anyway, about 0500 we got a call to one of the hotels. A band was playing in a lounge when the guitar player suffered a lethal dysrthmia and collpased off the stage. Several bystanders were trained in CPR: they immediately accessed him and realized he was not breathing and he had no pulse. They began CPR within a VERY short time of this man's arrest. A VERY short time after that, security arrived with an AED. They tore open his shirt, applied the pads and were advised to shock. They delivered one shock prior to our arrival. Upon our arrival the patient was awake and talking. He arrived at the hospital very much alive.

This happens every day throughout the US. CPR and AEDs are lifesavers and we need your help to use them. Get some training so when the SHTF for someone, you can save a life.

 

[Vic]

Training...

In most large industry, it's volentary for labor and mandantory for supervision. It is also FREE to the trainee and a TAX writeoff for the employer. In the Military, ALL personnel are trained and certified CPR (minimal) and emergency combat wound stabilazation for transport if assigned to a combat unit. Save your $60.00...There are FREE programs available even offered by the american red cross...check on it before commiting OPE for this type training.