Guess who´s getting a free first aid training....

[FrANkNstEin]

Yay! Me!

So my company is offering a free first aid training through a volunteer EMT (yes we have them here, just like volley firefighters) and i jumped on it! Most likely, i will get paid for it if it happens to be held within working hours.

That´s about all, i´m looking forward to get a refreshment because my last training was ten years ago when i was a volley firefighter in my hometown, and i´m in desperate need for a refreshment!

I just wanted to share my happiness about it with ZS and so i´d post something outside of the firearms forum for once in a while...

Just to show that i´m actually interested in other aspects of prepping too, even if they don´t get as much "airtime" from me as other topics...


I´d like to add that my company also maintains a volunteer fire department with two trucks that will go out whenever there is an emergency. On the companies dime that is, the volunteers get paid as if they´re working while they help others. The company considers this the neighbourly thing to do for the surrounding towns. I´m very proud to work for such a company.

[cap6888]

Getting paid to get certified as an EMT....WIN!

[FrANkNstEin]

Certified EMT would be probably calling it too much. It´s a certified EMT that will teach us, but we´ll not hold any title like that afterwards. But what´s more important is that the ones participating will gather a bunch of first aid knowledge they either didn´t know or have forgotten.

It´s more of a basic 16 hours first aid training, something that everyone has to do here prior to getting a drivers license, i guess i´ll be nowhere near an actual EMT after that but it will be a start/refreshment!

I will investigate further trainings though once i am at it, as it will be a great thing to know. Who knows, the local Volunteer EMT´s/Red Cross/Samaritians may offer extended training on the cheap if not for free and i´ll look into that. (Not that i´d mind dropping the coin for it, it´s just my experience that they often offer it quite cheap if not for free to get more people involved)

[ptAltered]

The vast majority of incidents can be handled by a first aid certified bystander with a well-stocked kit and activation of the 911 system. Learn those basics; conducting an assessment, positioning for airway management, controlling massive hemorrhage, doing proper CPR including the use of an AED. Get these basics down pat and you'll be invaluable in an emergency situation.

HTH
Mo

[FrANkNstEin]

That´s about what i´m trying to learn (again)

It´s not like i´m totally unknowledgeable, but i´ve forgotten a lot since my last training and aside from (sometimes severe, a co worker lost half of his finger to a machine a year ago and i was there.... we found the finger.... but that was three weeks later... it was a bit too late to sew it back on... ) cut wounds, i didn´t have to put my knowledge to test.

It´s been too long since my last refreshment and it´s more then overdue. I will go into the training with new vigor and the knowledge that there may be a time when family/friends can only count on my limited knowledge and that´s why i want to soak up as much knowledge as possible for me to help them as best as i can in case that no traditional help is immediately available.

And i agree, it´s also invaluable in everyday life in case of accidents. It can buy precious minutes for real Emergency personell to properly respond to the whole shebang.

I do think that i still have the basics, well, not down pat, but still in the back of my mind like (crude) assesment, not moving someone if the danger of spine/neck damage is present, the positioning for uninterruptet breathing (if no neck traum a seems to be present), hemmorraghe control and CPR.

AED leaves me at a loss right there as i don´t know what it means in english. I guess it means the use of a Defi or Defibrilator = Electrical Stimulation in case of a heart stoppage?

I´ve learned that once, but i´m not sure nowadays if i could properly employ such a DEFI. IIRC, it was 5 times heart massage, 5 mouth to mout breaths and then use the DEFI once before resuming the heart/lung reanimation activity?

Not to mention that NO ONE keeps a defibrilator in his car but an actual Emergency response Car...... (so it´s kinda moot but still a good thing to know)

[Ech0Sierra]

AED?

[FrANkNstEin]

Uh -ah!

Thanks Echo for the reminder Vid!!

Set me straight again on the times of heart massage/forced breath thing....

I still gotta say that an actual Defi//AED is a rare to noenexistant thing here in the average first responder package, it´s something that the actual EMT´s carry in their Ambulance, but not the average citizen.

Just shows i have a lot to re-learn....

[Acquisitor]

Many public buildings here in the states have AED/Defis in wall cabinets, much like fire-extinguisher cabinets. They don't have those in Austria?

[engr-rn]

[quote="FrANkNstEin"

Set me straight again on the times of heart massage/forced breath thing....

I still gotta say that an actual Defi//AED is a rare to noenexistant thing here in the average first responder package, it´s something that the actual EMT´s carry in their Ambulance, but not the average citizen.

[/quote]

Technique is more important than timing..just getting the feel of pushing on someone's chest and not being afraid to do so. In fact american heart assoc got rid of the mouth to mouth breathing on adults in their layperson programs. Due to people refusing to learn CPR due to fear of disease as well as evidence that keeping blood flowing to the brain until trained help arrives does the most good for the victim.

As for AED's, not sure about your area but most places in the world public buildings such as malls, airports, and large offices are being required to have them hanging on the wall somewhere. Similar to requirements for sprinklers and fire extinguishers.


Tina Harkins

[Sixty-Eight Whiskey]

So... heavy machinery that can cut off body parts and a very own fire service? I guess that's... woodwork?

If you're interested in the Austrian health system I so happen to be an EMT/med student here. I'm quite positive I can answer about 95% of your questions perfectly, depending on where you are.

Many public buildings here in the states have AED/Defis in wall cabinets, much like fire-extinguisher cabinets. They don't have those in Austria?

I can say they most definitely have. How often they are actually used by people is another story though.

[FrANkNstEin]

Hi y´all!

Sorry for checking back in late!

As for mouth to mouth: we have those face masks here to help minimize spreading of disease while doing mouth to mouth. I have no qualms about giving a mouth to mouth (on 95% of people i guess). I have them in my small Bug out FAK as well as in the (mandatory) car FAK.

I´ve learned the hm/mtm stuff already once. I think i´m ok with doing that (after a refreshment of course) should the need arise.

@sixty-eight whiskey:

First off: welcome to ZS!

Industrial machining/Metalworks. Several hundred people working at the facility. Dismemberments are rather rare, but they happen. If i had to make a half educated guess, i´d say once in every five years for the time i´ve been there. I acted as a first responder in some minor incidents where the end effects wheren´t quite as severe though.

I´m sure i will have questions later after the refreshment and will hit you up for some more insight on the topic! Thanks!

Also: thank you for your service as an EMT!