Rain, rain go away. Please come again another day!

"Happy to have my MCR poncho!"

Here in Ohio, we're in what seems like our 10th week of rain. It's really raining here -- a lot.

The shows, however, must go on! Concerts, festivals, Fairs!  I love fair food - especially fried dough, aka elephant ears.  Mmmmm, sugary, fried, fluffy on the inside...so yummy...  but I digress.

Recently, when my husband and I were attending a Paul Bunyan show, a huge rainstorm blew in from nowhere. Everyone ran for cover; the barns were packed. It was uncomfortable to be in wet clothes all day even for the ride home.  The show was great, the vendors top notch, but I didn't spend as much time there as I would have liked because our clothes were wet.

We've also done volunteer first aid events where the weather has been wet. Our ill and injured patients need to be kept dry while waiting for advanced medical care or transport. That's another instance when having an emergency rain poncho is useful. Disposability in this case is important.

There are millions of other times when wanting, or needing, to stay dry is a necessity. Our MCR economy rain ponchos can help. Small enough to keep in a purse, pocket or knapsack, they'll be a welcome addition to your 72-hour emergency kit.

Rub-a-dub-dub, but don't put that manikin in the tub!

A question I receive quite often is:

How do I clean and disinfect my CPR training manikins during and especially after class? 

Protecting our students from disease transmission is always important, now more than ever, with the rise in antibiotic resistant strains of bad bugs. The importance of using PPE (vinyl or nitrile gloves and CPR masks) during practice, as well an emphasis on effective hand washing must be a part of everyone's class, all the time.  These simple steps are the first line of defense against various types of diseases, even life threatening respiratory illness and intestinal distress.

Some professional CPR training manikins can be cleaned and disinfected according to CDC guidelines. Instructors should carefully follow all manufacturers’ recommendations and verify the products used to clean / disinfect are appropriate for their particular manikin and will not damage it. While the risk of infection from CPR manikin training is very low, it is still present. Help further minimize the risk by using proper cleaning and disinfection procedures.

If students are sharing a manikin during class:
Between each student, encourage vigorous wiping of the manikin's face, mouth and chest with a gauze pad wet with 70% isopropyl alcohol or a comparable disinfecting product. Leave the surface wet for at least 30 seconds before wiping dry.

After class:
Scrub and wipe the entire manikin with either Clorox®-type disinfecting wipes or a mixture of ¼ cup of non-scented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Leave wiped surfaces wet with the solution for 10 minutes. 
Internal surfaces can be cleaned using rubbing alcohol which will both decontaminate surfaces and aid in drying, preventing fungal growth.

Disinfection protocols change. Stay up-to-date by viewing current CDC guidelines. 

Great for general hand protection, vinyl gloves are a household and training staple!

SPFV1104

Looking for general purpose medical and/or training use gloves? Surecare offers quality soft, supple beaded-cuff examination gloves for single use in non-sterile environments.

Sold in a dispenser-ready box that holds 100 gloves, they are also available by the case. The case contains 1,000 gloves packaged as 10 boxes. 

100% latex and powder-free exam gloves comply with US ASTM standards.  That means you can use them to refill your OSHA required first aid kits!
  
The smooth finish gloves, made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), are manufactured with sensitive individuals in mind as they contain no protein. Why are protein and powder free gloves recommended for sensitive persons? This answer from the CDC:
 
      Proteins responsible for latex allergies are attached to glove powder. When powdered gloves are worn, more latex protein reaches the skin. Also, when gloves are put on or removed, particles of latex protein powder become aerosolized and can be inhaled, contacting mucous membranes. As a result, allergic health care personnel and patients can experience symptoms related to cutaneous, respiratory, and conjunctival exposure. Health care personnel can become sensitized to latex proteins after repeated exposure. Work areas where only powder-free, low-allergen (i.e. reduced-protein) gloves are used show low or undetectable amounts of allergy-causing proteins.

Whether teaching a CPR/AED and First Aid class, coloring your hair, or working in food preparation, vinyl gloves work well for general hand protection. Shop our store and stock up today!

Read on for a great save story from today's guest blogger - Robin



 FIRST AID LEARNED TOGETHER LASTS FOREVER!!

While on a camping trip many years ago, 12 year old Carl tripped while playing. A toy gun he had been holding stabbed into the side of his head. His 13 year old brother Chris made him lie down and stay still, and immediately applied pressure in order to stop the bleeding. While protecting the wound, Chris radioed for help. (They were in a remote area). Help arrived in the form of brother #3, Charlie.

Charlie quickly inspected the wound. The skull was exposed, which is truly frightening, but they knew what to do. Charlie and Chris bandaged Carl's head and headed for the nearest hospital. Carl walked into the emergency room with a brother on each side, and as is frequently the case, had to wait....and wait....

When the Dr. finally decided to treat Carl, he was astonished at the severity of the injury, and complimented Chris and Charlie on the expert care and bandaging job. They had superficially looked at Carl upon arrival, and due to the good bandaging and the fact that he had walked into the hospital, they did not think that the wound was serious (even though they had been told differently).

Now for the life lesson: Always carry a severely  injured person into the emergency room. If you carry the injured person, he or she will get treated much more promptly!