Written by: Rusty Surette / American Red Cross Public Affairs
Recently, an American Red Cross volunteer proved why everyone should be certified in CPR and First Aid.
Israel Pinkney, 55, was working in wildfire-ravaged Bastrop, Texas when someone suddenly yelled into a crowd, "who knows first aid?"
Pinkney, a former Emergency Medical Technician, immediately ran across the street to a car parked outside a gas station. Inside the vehicle was an elderly man having chest pains. His wife was with him and pleaded for help.
"He was having difficulty breathing and I knew he was likely having a heart attack," said Pinkney. "I told his wife to call 9-1-1 immediately."
Pinkney, a Louisville, Kentucky resident, stayed with the man to monitor his symptoms and condition until paramedics arrived. Pinkney also kept the gathering crowd calm and collective.
"You just never know when this kind of thing will happen," said Pinkney who joined the American Red Cross in May 2010.
"It just proves that everyone should know CPR and First Aid, or at least have one person in your house who knows it. You just never know when it will be used or when someone will need you."
To find a CPR / First Aid / AED class near you, go online to www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.
When you take your children to a public pool or water park this summer, you want to know with certainty that the lifeguard on duty knows what to do in the event of an emergency. On Wednesday and Thursday, July 13-14, 2011, 43 lifeguard teams from North Texas, Houston, Oklahoma and Arkansas will gather together for the annual “North Texas Guard Games”, a competition where lifeguards are tested on their ability to recognize and treat a spinal injury, perform a water rescue and CPR, respond to active and passive drowning victims and more.
Event Details:
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Sun Valley Aquatic Center, 801 S. Valley Pkwy., Lewisville (behind Lewisville High School)
Opening Ceremonies: 11:30a.m.
Competition: Noon-2:00p.m. (continued on Thursday, July 14, 8:00a.m.-Noon)
Already, nearly 80 children have died from drowning in the state of Texas this year. Most of those were in unsupervised waters.
A child can drown in as little as one inch of water so it’s critical to keep constant eye contact while children are in the water. It is best to take kids to an establishment with a certified lifeguard. All families with a backyard pool should have at least one adult trained in CPR and First Aid.
New American Red Cross survey shows majority of respondents more likely to give CPR without mouth-to-mouth contact.
Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of people say they would be more likely to perform CPR on someone if they did not need to have mouth-to-mouth contact such as through rescue breaths, according to an American Red Cross survey.
“Hands-Only CPR is an effective lifesaving technique especially for an untrained bystander who witnesses someone suddenly collapse,” said Dr. David Markenson, chair, American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council. “Full CPR is recommended for infants, children and those with respiratory problems.”
The national survey of more than 1,000 adults found that when needed, people are more willing to perform Hands-Only CPR (chest compressions without rescue breaths) than full CPR (series of chest compressions and rescue breaths) on strangers – regardless of age, gender or appearance of the person in need of help.
Among the findings:
One in four respondents (25 percent) has been in a situation where someone may have required CPR;
Less than half (46 percent) of those in such situations have helped give CPR;
Three in five (61 percent) said they are confident they know how to help someone who is unconscious and in need of CPR; and
While two-thirds (66 percent) of respondents have taken a CPR class, nearly half (45 percent) said they were last trained more than five years go.
The Red Cross recommends individuals take CPR classes every two years and refresh with online courses in the interim.
The survey findings were released just before the July 4th weekend, when many people travel or take part in outdoor activities.
“People need to know what to do in an emergency,” Markenson added. “Whether it’s performing CPR, using an automatic external defibrillator or providing first aid, knowing these lifesaving skills is critical, particularly as more individuals and families engage in swimming and other outdoor activities.”
As the nation’s premiere training organization, the Red Cross offers a variety of ways for people to learn and review these lifesaving skills. Individuals can:
Download the free, new “S.O.S by the American Red Cross” app for Android mobile devices at https://market.android.com/.
CPR, AED and first aid training can provide the skills and confidence to act in an emergency. The next generation of Red Cross training courses include two-year certifications, free digital materials and skill refreshers. Contact your local Red Cross or visit redcross.org/training for information and to register.
Survey details: Telephone survey of 1,010 U.S. Adults 18 years and older on April 15-18, 2011 conducted by ORC International. Margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Comparison Sample From: Telephone survey of 1,018 U.S. Adults 18 years and older on March 26-29, 2010 conducted by ORC International. Margin of error is +/- 3.1 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
What would you do if a friend or loved one needed CPR? Would you be able to give them a chance at life? Join the next generation of Red Cross training at www.redcross.org/cpr. The Red Cross makes it easy to be the one to save a life. Now, you can train in the classroom, online or a combination of the two! See why these folks joined the next generation of Red Cross training:
To honor Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and all those involved in the Tucson tragedy, the American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter offered free lifesaving training on Saturday, March 19, 2011. Thank you to the 400+ people who learned lifesaving training. Check out these photos from the event:
Written by: Rusty Surette / American Red Cross Public Affairs
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