Even though your employees are certified or have had training in emergency CPR or first aid, does this actually mean they are prepared for a real life situation when emergency strikes? Keeping your security staff up-to-date and well-rehearsed with safety procedures such as CPR, AED, the Heimlich, and self-defense moves. It is common to have each of these emergency procedures done incorrectly. Keeping your employees current with their training will help decrease their chances of performing improper emergency techniques in these intense situations.
CPR
According to the American Heart Association, did you know that 475,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest and approximately 10,000 people in the workplace go under cardiac arrest? CPR, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, is a live-saving procedure that is performed during an emergency where an individual’s heart stops beating. Depending on the which company you are working for, will declare how long the certification for CPR will last; typically, the CPR certification lasts 1-2 years. Cardiac arrests are common in the United States but it is not common in every individual’s workplace outside of the health care. In the security workforce, the employees are more likely to experience more cases of CPR needing to be administered. It is recommended to receive training every 90 days to stay up-to-date on performing effective emergency CPR.
AED
An Automated External Defibrillator is a portable electronic device that will automatically read any cardiac arrhythmia, improper beats of the heart, once properly set up on the individual who is going through a cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association reports that, 50% of the people will not be able to locate an AED in their workplace. It would be difficult to use an AED if half of the employees do not know the location of the emergency device. It is vitally important to have your security staff know exactly where the AED machines are located because in case of an emergency there will be no hesitation or delay. It is also recommended to get training for AED usage every 90 days to be completely knowledgeable on the device. It would be best to train for CPR and AED at the same time.
Heimlich
The Heimlich Maneuver is a common first aid procedure that is performed when there is an obstruction in the windpipe that needs to be dislodged. Choking is the fourth leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States. There are several modifications when it comes to performing the Heimlich depending on the individual: if they are very obese, pregnant, a child, and an infant. It is suggested to practice the Heimlich maneuver every 6 months.
Self-Defense Moves
There are numerous successful cases when self-defense moves have saved lives, stopped burglaries, and defused intense situations. For the most successful cases, most victims said it was muscles memory that took over during the attack which brings confidence to people in that situation. Every workplace strives to have a hostile-free environment, but unfortunately not every situation can be avoidable. Some of the best resources are to take classes on self-defense and to practice these skills with training videos after the classes have been completed. Keeping your employees prepared will just be in their best interests and the people around them.
Life happens in a blink of an eye and setting your employees up for success with the preparation to deal with emergency situations will bring better results during intense situations. Take the steps to train your employees about emergency situations and they will be ready for when an emergency situation comes, they will have a better chance of success.
By: Kendahl Schlueter
Sources: Heart.org and HealthResearchFunding.org