Getting ALL leaders First Aid CPR Trained.

[Scoutfish]

About a month and a half ago, I had an inkling of an idea start crawling around that hollow space over my shoulders: Get all pack leadership CRP/AED First aid trained.

 

As of right now, I am two leaders shy of that goal. I have 13 out of 15 leaders having been certified CPR/AED and First Aid trained. The other two had prior obligations on the night of our training, but will be taking the class as soon as I can scrounge up enough people to meet the minimum nuber of class size.

 

So, doe your unit have a fisrt aid/ CPR requirenment or at least a goal of having any training of a first aid/CPR nature?

 

 

Our Pack doesn't require anything outside of Council requirements, but I thought having all leadership trained would be great.

 

 

[Basementdweller]

We have a couple of leaders cpr trained....We have a number of police and firefighter leaders.

 

Does your Pack own an AED????? Does your CO? Who maintains that Pads and batterys????

 

Heck most Packs and troops have a tough time maintaining a decent first aid kit.....

 

I think it is always a great thing to have more trained leaders....

 

 

[resqman]

Great!

 

The 5 most active ASMs in our troop have taken CPR in the last year. The one drawback is you have to take the class again every year to maintain the certification. Usually summer camp offers CPR so probably a few of us will renew our certs later this month.

 

We do not require annual renewal of CPR. We hold a YPT for adults and scouts once a year. Since the troop sends a crew to a high adventure base every summer, we usually get at least 2 adults each year to take WFA. Overtime, the means that the most active and most likely to be on at an outing have taken WFA within 3 years.

[Eagle92]

We got several folks who have basic first aid training, and a few paramedics. Pack doesn't own a first aid kit as old CM was a fireman/paramedic, always on call, and kept his bag in the car at all times. So we are in the process of getting one together.

 

I know that I've offered an AHA Heartsaver CPR, AED, and First Aid course and had no takers from anyone in the district, so I am jealous you got as many leaders as you did.

[Scoutfish]

Nah, we don't have an AED, but they are more commonly avaiulable at many places. some of our grocery stors, other churches, and public attractions have them.

 

We do have a first aid kit in our CO and we also have two smaller simpler ones in our scout trailer.

 

The CPR we took is good for two years...but when we took the class last month, the instructor pointed out that the protoco fopr CPR taught before November had already changed.

 

So, even if your CPR is good for a year, it has probably changed already.

 

Eagle92

 

I think the thing that convinced them was an e mail I sent to all the leaders and parents ( we did open the class to all all parents of active scouts):

 

"WE Pack camp at least twice a year as a pack, WE go to council camp at least twice as year also. We have a minimum of 3 summer activity days, and we average at least 6 trips (collectively) between our dens for go see its.

 

Most ogf the time, medical help is only a few minutes away. But what if you only had a few secoinds?

 

What if we are at council camp which is 12 miles ( at the pavement) from the closest EMS station? What if we are at Camp Kirkwood which is 7 miles from the closest EMS station?

 

What if we are hikning in the woods?

 

If you only have a few minutes, but help is over a half hour away...what do you do?"

 

 

 

Matter of fact, I even sent an invite to leaders of the newest pack ( just started this year)in our district to join us. The CM came.

 

WE are planing on holding another class this fall after any new adults join.

 

It may flop next time, but the e mail did get people to think...even if they didn't do anything about it.

 

 

(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

[Eagle92]

Yep CPR has changed ALOT since last year. I've had to remediate a lot more folks on the written test than before the changes. And some folks do have some initial challenges converting to the new science when doing skills practices.

[KC9DDI]

've had to remediate a lot more folks on the written test than before the changes.

 

This is actually a good thing! It means that people are being made to learn the new method, whose effectiveness is strongly supported by concrete evidence. Scoutfish - keep up the good work! As more and more people become trained in effective CPR, hopefully we'll see a nationwide trend of improved survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Evidence already shows the importance of having a a large portion of the population trained, so it would be great to see more Scout units and other organizations encourage training. Also, remember to encourage CPR training for the youth members of your units. Cub Scouts may be too young, but from Boy Scout age and up - there's no reason to NOT have them trained in effective CPR.

[Eagle92]

Since CPR training is required for First Aid MB, Another reason to make it required for First Class like in the 80s.