On the Prep List: Basic CPR and First Aide

If you were with someone who had a heart attack or almost drowned, would you know what to do? When blood flow or breathing stops, seconds count. Permanent brain damage or death can happen quickly. If you know how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), you could save a life. CPR is an emergency procedure for a person whose heart has stopped or is no longer breathing. CPR can maintain circulation and breathing until emergency medical help arrives.

Even if you haven’t had training, you can do “hands-only” CPR for a person whose heart has stopped beating. “Hands-only” CPR uses chest compressions to keep blood circulating until emergency help arrives. If you’ve had training, you can use chest compressions and rescue breathing. Rescue breathing helps get oxygen to the lungs for a person who has stopped breathing. To keep your skills up, you should repeat the training every two years.

Basic CPR is on this weeks "prep list" here at our house.  It's been a while since I got my CPR certification so I need a brush up and I want the boys to know what to do in the event of an unforeseen emergency.  Better safe than sorry.  So, I started searching for some on-line info. on things I want to be sure everyone here knows how to do.   First on the list is CPR, so we watched this quick "how to" You tube" video and did some  roll playing with each taking turns being the victim and the rescuer.  We also practiced making "the 911 call" so that didn't feel foreign to them.  Here's some of what we've learned:

Before you begin
Before starting CPR, check:

• Is the person conscious or unconscious?
• If the person appears unconscious, tap or shake his or her shoulder and ask loudly, "Are you OK?"
• If the person doesn't respond and two people are available, one should call 911 or the local emergency number and one should begin CPR. If you are alone and have immediate access to a telephone, call 911 before beginning CPR — unless you think the person has become unresponsive because of suffocation (such as from drowning). In this special case, begin CPR for one minute and then call 911 or the local emergency number.
• If an AED is immediately available, deliver one shock if instructed by the device, then begin CPR.

Remember to spell C-A-B

In 2010, the American Heart Association changed its long-held acronym of ABC to CAB — circulation, airway, breathing — to help people remember the order to perform the steps of CPR. This change emphasizes the importance of chest compressions to help keep blood flowing through the heart and to the brain.

For a printable pages with CPR and Heimlich instructions (for adult, child and infant) that you can post at your house, go to:  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-cpr/FA00061/METHOD=print

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-choking/FA00025/METHOD=print

Today it is adult CPR, next is child and then infant.  Following that, we will move on to Heimlich and then First Aide.

This video is the "up-to-date" method of providing CPR for anyone even if they are not "certified".  For more advanced information, it is best to sign up for certification.  There are classes offered frequently.  You can check these sites for  finding local CPR, First Aid, AED and Emergency Cardiovascular Care (ECC) classes. 

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3012360

http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/rco_search?q=cpr%2Bclasses&submit=GO

Here's our "victim" and our "rescuer"...hey, is that victim smiling?

Here's a video that's quick enough to hold every one's attention, however, I suggest you go through the process with everyone you're teaching because it helps them to remember the technique better.  (**Note: Do not actually do chest compressions on someone with a beating heart but do learn where on the chest to place  your hands to perform compressions.)  Also, it's a great idea to practice occasionally, perhaps try to get back to it every 3 months or so.

During the video you may have noted that they suggest doing compressions to the beat of the song by the Bee  Gees called "Stayin' Alive"...hahahaha!  So I found the You Tube for it so my kids would have the approximate rhythm in mind to follow... hahaha!  So here you go, just in case you have kids who aren't old enough to remember this one!

(The boys thought the Bee Gees had on strange pants!)

Well, if you actually watched that to get the beat or just for the heck of it, I'll bet you're at least smiling right now (or smirking).  Making preparation doesn't have to be all serious, (even though it is serious business) it should be a fun time to learn things together that benefit us and those around us.

Pro 3:5-8  Trust in Elohim with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 

  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 

  Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear Elohim, and depart from evil. 

  It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. 

Blessings to your home:)

Here's advice from the American Heart Association:

• Untrained. If you're not trained in CPR, then provide hands-only CPR. That means uninterrupted chest compressions of about 100 a minute until paramedics arrive (described in more detail below). You don't need to try rescue breathing.
• Trained, and ready to go. If you're well trained and confident in your ability, begin with chest compressions instead of first checking the airway and doing rescue breathing. Start CPR with 30 chest compressions before checking the airway and giving rescue breaths.
• Trained, but rusty. If you've previously received CPR training but you're not confident in your abilities, then just do chest compressions at a rate of about 100 a minute. (Details described below.)

The above advice applies to adults, children and infants needing CPR, but not newborns.

Take a look at the  blog hop "Preparedness Challenge" which is inspired by the events in Japan over at Homestead Revival