Imagine sitting down to enjoy dinner, whether at home or at your favorite restaurant, and someone at your table or at an adjacent table stands up abruptly and clutches his or her hands around their throat in a universal sign for choking or suffers cardiac arrest and stops breathing…what do you do? Scenarios like this can happen around you at any given time, knowing the correct way to respond to an emergency can help save someone’s life.
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology, choking is the fourth leading cause of death in children behind motor vehicle injuries, drowning, and fires. Additionally, about 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home.
Metzger Wickersham hosted a certified CPR and First Aid Course last year for staff members to gain lifesaving skills that can help respond to emergencies. The training taught us how to perform the proper techniques of the Heimlich Maneuver and the CPR skills you need to know to help adults, children and infants during breathing and cardiac emergencies. We also learned how to treat burns, how to secure tourniquets, and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
Opportunities for First Aid trainings are available in many convenient locations throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – making it easy to find a class that's near your home, school, or office. Contact the American Red Cross or your local YMCA to find a class that suits your schedule and your learning style.
Metzger Wickersham is looking out for you, our staff is certified in First Aid, CPR, and use of the AED – we’ve got your back! Educate yourself on how to respond to cardiac emergencies. Remember, CPR certification takes just a few short hours, but can help you add years to someone's life.
