As a person who suffers from painful swelling of the lower legs, I know all too well the debilitating effects of edema. Whether the condition stems from varicose veins or thrombophlebitis, the result is the same, you're in pain.
Summer seems to bring out the worse in my edema. The heat, humidity, a lot of walking around amusement parks - the reasons vary. I have and use compression stockings, but wow. They get h o t and are altogether unattractive when wearing shorts or a sundress. then of course are the questions, "What's wrong with her legs?", "Are they broken?", and my personal favorite, "Are those real legs?" I suppose one can understand that last one as my stockings are rather dark in color and I guess they could look like wooden legs to a wildly imaginative child.
A love of salty snacks does my legs no favor either. Fluid retention is often exacerbated by overconsumption of salt. I wonder if salt water taffy counts? Nonetheless my legs swell, I am unhappy, in pain and sometimes feel house-bound with anxiety. I know the condition will resolve, I know often I am my own worst enemy with either intentional or unintentional sabotage (salty foods and all) and I know others suffer right along side me.
Working for a medical supply company, I've seen several version of our elastic bandage line. So far, these are my absolute favorite bandages! They're super soft as well as substantial enough that I can use, wash and re-use them several times. The Velcro is much less "pokey" than others I've tried; which is especially helpful when you're moving around during the day or sleeping at night not to feel a sharp scrape or jab where the Velcro is sticking you. Side note: I tend to toss and turn quite a bit during the night, so I reinforce the Velcro closure with some first aid tape. Keeps things right where they should be until morning! I've very happy we found these and can share them with you! To see them for yourself, follow this link to elastic bandages. And if you have questions, send us an email to sales@mcrmedical.com or call 614-782-2100 and happy wrapping!
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical
advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your
physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may
have regarding a medical condition.
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.
A while ago MCR Medical Supply offered a CPR key chain pouch kit with gloves, but quality manufacturers stopped
making the kits a couple years ago and good, pre-made kits became hard to
find. The pouches in the market became a little shoddy and the masks
started showing up from unknown parties. We decided then that we would not offer a kit, rather than offer one of the available but lower quality kits. Even the big name kits on the market today leave much to be desired. As a result, last year we decided to start assembling the kits ourselves and
have been working on the project since. Finally, we found a manufacturer
willing to make us a nice pouch, then convinced Ambu to provide the masks in
bulk, and ultimately decided to include a pair of Adenna nitrile gloves to both complete and compliment the contents.
The
compact, easy to use Ambu CPR Res-Cue Key mask in the kits feature a CPR
face shield with one-way valve that prevents contamination of the
outer surface of the mask and has elastic bands to secure the mask to
the patient. The Ambu mask also includes a handy instruction card that illustrates how to apply the mask and a reminder of the CPR basics.
The gloves are 4mil nitrile, which out perform the vinyl gloves found
in most other kits. The texture on the gloves provides a strong grip in
both dry and wet applications. The Adenna Precision Nitrile Gloves
ensure maximum dexterity as well as superior puncture and tear
resistance making these an overall excellent choice in barrier
protection.
The kits are assembled here in Ohio by our staff. We understand that some folks want to supply their own preferred
gloves, so the CPR keychain mask kit without gloves is also available. Thank you for your patience while we worked to develop and manufacture this new product. We're especially excited to reintroduce our own kit,
and appreciate the opportunity to once again be your supplier of CPR
keychains with or without gloves!
Welcome Summer! Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of Summer. In addition to fresh lemonade, taking a dip in the pool and having outdoor sunlight past 7pm, summertime can also means stings and scrapes -- sometimes worse.
The latest 2015 statistics show accidents as the 4th leading cause of death in America. That's why it's important to not only keep current with your CPR skills, but to revisit your basic First Aid training as well. While the basics remain the same, like applying direct pressure to stem bleeding and splinting an injury in the position you find it, it is still necessary to practice what you've learned and keep the supplies you need on hand to best utilize those ingrained skills.
Having a first aid kit is a step in the right direction. There is, however, no substitute for preparedness. We all need to examine our lives, busy as they are, and see what accidents or illnesses we're most likely to encounter. Our warehouse personnel need to be cautious when handling boxes as a mishandled cardboard box cuts just as easily as paper. And office workers can attest to how painful and inconvenient a bad paper cut can be. Little league coaches, do you know how to care for a child after they slide into second base and nick a fielder's cleat?
Scrapes and scars are part of life's adventure. Congratulations to everyone reading this as I bet at some point you've faced a situation where you required some first aid care, but no one was around. Your excellent administration of self-care is allowing you to read this article now - I applaud your efforts!
I must confess that one common practice often portrayed on TV and in movies makes my husband and I cringe every time we see it. Please, please do not worry about cleaning a wound when it is still bleeding profusely!!! If you're soaking dressings with fresh blood, there's no need to worry about washing germs away -- the bleeding is going to kill you faster than any perceived infection. So please, get that bleeding under control first, then worry about cleansing, dressing and bandaging, that way you'll stick around long enough to worry about infection!
With that said, a personal first aid kit ensures you've got your essentials at hand. MCR Medical Supply's compact kit is small in stature but big on
utility. Measuring just 4” x 4”, it’s chock full of components to treat
minor injuries. Plus, it’s our smallest kit which still includes the popular ice pack. The compact first aid kit is made from durable
nylon, stores easily in a briefcase, purse, glove compartment, or desk
drawer, and has a loop for easy carrying on a duty belt or backpack accessory strap. The kit comes with:
1 Instant Cold Pack
2 BZK Antiseptic Towelettes (alcohol-free towelettes to cleanse without stinging)
1 Non-Adherent Bandage
1 First Aid Tape 1/2" x 2.5yds.
1 Rolled Gauze 2" x 4yds.
10 Adhesive Bandages 3/4" x 3"
5 Adhesive Bandages 3/8" x 1 1/2"
1 Fingertip Bandage
1 Knuckle Bandage
1 Pair Vinyl Gloves
1 Triple Antibiotic Pack 0.9gm
1 Hydrocortisone Pack 0.9gm
1 Hand Sanitizer Pack 0.9gm
1 First Aid Instruction Guide
Not everything you need in your kit? (Because you've assessed your daily living situation and found you really don't need the hydrocortisone, but could really use some extra gloves.) Personalize it! Make it fit your lifestyle. That's good advice for any first aid or 72-hour disaster prep kit you buy. It has been assembled with what someone thinks folks will need, but I always think of things I'd like more of and some items I don't need at all. Always open the pack to see what's in there and where it is. Don't waste precious minutes rummaging through an unfamiliar pack searching for a dressing. Keep sterile packaging in its original condition, but absolutely rearrange, add or remove things from the kit. A rescue medic friend says you should be able to close your eyes, reach into your kit and know what's where. We'll work on it, Mike!
Welcome to MCR Medical Supply's very first, Black Friday / Cyber
Monday sale! We've never had such a sale before in the six year history
of our company and we're all very excited to offer exceptional price reductions on some of our most popular and big ticket items.
While
our business model has always been to find, and now develop, products
that work well and pass the cost-effective savings onto you, our valued
customers, after months of planning we're poised to bring you even more
substantial savings!
But why the sale? We're both
making room to stock new items as well as re-pricing current offerings
based on special permissions received from a few vendors to advertise
exceptional pricing on products we distribute for them. We won't always
be able to offer these better-than-great values, so I encourage you to
take us up on this while you can!
And there are lots of shopping options; look for deals on premium CPR and First Aid Training items on our website, eBay and Amazon stores. Watch for promo codes and more details to be published on Google+, Twitter and Facebook.
Black Friday-Cyber Monday discounts START THANKSGIVING DAY! After
the thanks have been given and you've stuffed yourself to bursting,
don't rush out to battle the cold and crowds. Relax in front of the web
and browse our CPR, First Aid and disaster preparedness supplies in the
comfort of slippers and sweats.
This just in -- In time for the holiday sale, we have extended our free shipping offer to
include Alaska and Hawaii!!! Now, orders over $100 at MCRmedical.com ship for free to the whole United States, INCLUDING
Alaska, Hawaii, and APO/FPO armed forces mailboxes!
Make room for 2015! Next
year promises to be a very exciting year for the company with the
introduction of new products and the re-introduction of redeveloped old
favorites. Tweets to follow when those are available.
Most importantly, I'd like to offer a heartfelt Thank You
everyone for a great year. We here at MCR Medical very much appreciate
your business and are honored to continue serving you in 2015 and
beyond!
Summer sales have been especially brisk this year. I suppose that's true for the season too. I distinctly remember telling someone, "you know, it's just six months til Christmas!" Now, it's a little more than four months! Lamentably, where has the time gone? Looks too, like everyone is having their previously strangled training budget-belts slightly loosened. They can replace their 15+ year old CPR training manikins with new Prestan ones. I know I for one am getting much too old to lug those Laerdal Annes up and down flights of stairs.
I'm looking forward to having one of my favorite products back in stock, our Adult/Child Training BVM in a hard case. The infant is great too, but as an old CPR rescuer, I never learned to resuscitate using a truly infant sized BVM. We worked with what we had and nine times out of ten, that was an adult Ambu bag.
The carrying case that holds the training BVM's contents is awesome. Roomy enough to add other training necessities and sturdy enough to last through a couple drops - oopsie! My students get a real feeling for what can be described as the art of resuscitating using a bag valve mask; without fail they say it's not as easy as it looks on TV! That comment always makes me laugh.
Our restocking shipment is set to arrive this Monday, August 18, 2014. In that shipment will be our training masks (MCRTM-I / MCRTM-A) and yes, they will still come with free training valves (MCRTV)! Also coming are RM-2033s, RM-2071s and our adult/child as well as infant training BVMs. Thank you everyone for your patience during our supply drought. It is very much appreciated as is your continued shopper loyalty. We promise to keep bringing you great CPR and First Aid supplies! Now, if we could only get the American Heart Association to let us stock their books and DVDs.....
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!
CPR masks are necessary while performing CPR or rescue breathing as they help prevent transmission of harmful bacteria.
While we now train predominately with rescue or pocket masks, these aren't always practical to carry around with us on a lanyard, on our key ring, or even in our purse.
For a great any patient, any place alternative, Ambu manufactures this CPR mask and pouch. Ambu, a worldwide leader in professional rescuer equipment is a name synonymous with quality resuscitation supplies Their products can be found anywhere patient care is being performed - from the ambulance to the OR, Ambu is designed, used and trusted by those in the emergency response and patient care field.
This individually packaged CPR key chain is branded with the Ambu logo. The 2" x 2" ultra-compact, easy to use CPR Res-Cue Key features a CPR face shield with a one-way valve that prevents contamination of the outer surface of the mask. The woven nylon pouch even has a standard key ring hook so you can easily take it with you - on a keychain, belt, or on a lanyard.
Resuscitation is simplified as the latex free mask secures over the patient's ears for hands-free rescuer operation. Essential operating instructions are printed on the semi-transparent barrier, which also allows the rescuer to monitor the patient's color and response. It's great as an all around CPR mask, as one size fits children to adults.
We all learned in class to wear our PPE during CPR. Now you can respond with greater confidence knowing you'll be protecting both you and your patient as you work toward ROSC - a successful resuscitation!
With Summer now in full swing, the kids are out riding their bikes and skateboards, having soccer practice and baseball games - it's more important than ever to make sure you have a good first aid kit stocked and ready to care for those bumps and scrapes.
Here's a good one! It's appropriate for 8-10 people, comes in a water resistant nylon bag and has a handle for complete portability. The FAK4100 is a well-equipped kit that's perfect for everyday situations as well as emergency preparedness.
The customizable bag includes an emergency essential not found in many kits, a CPR barrier. When unzipped, the bag opens flat which makes for quick access to needed supplies. The zippered, interior pockets list contents and are clearly labeled by emergency category. This well designed bag keeps frequently used items at your fingertips; no more valuable minutes spent rummaging through a cluttered kit!
Perfect for use anywhere including the car, home, office, and especially with your 72-hour disaster preparedness gear. Consider upgrading your kit with elastic bandage wraps, or extra triangular bandages (not included, but can be found in our store).
Be ready with the right tools to protect yourself and your family when camping, hitting the trail, soccer field or anywhere life takes you. Need a gift idea? It also makes a great housewarming gift!
Contents are organized using a clearly marked section system for fast, easy access. The 108-piece kit includes:
Severe Bleeding and Burns Pack 2 Combine Pads, 5" x 9" 1 Cello Wrapped Self-adhering Rolled Gauze, 4" x 4 yards
Medium Cuts and Scrapes Pack 5 Sterile Gauze Pads, 3" x 3" 5 Sterile Gauze Pads, 4" x 4" 1 Cello Wrapped Self-adhering Rolled Gauze, 3" x 4 yards 1 First Aid Tape, 1" x 10 yards
Small Cuts and Burns Pack 1 Pair Plastic Tweezers 2 Fingertip Bandages 2 Knuckle Bandages 25 Adhesive Bandages, 3/4" x 3" 1 Adhesive Bandage, 2" x 4.5" 5 Adhesive Bandages, 1" x 3" 26 Adhesive Bandages, 3/8" x 1.5" 5 Adhesive Bandages, 1.5" x 1.5" 5 BZK Antiseptic Towelettes (alcohol-free towelettes to cleanse without stinging) 5 Triple Antibiotic Packets, 0.9 grams 2 Hydrocortisone Packs, 0.9 grams 2 Ethyl Alcohol Hand Sanitizer, 0.9 grams
Instruments Pack 1 Nextemp Thermometer 1 Patho-Shield Plus CPR Barrier 1 Emergency Blanket, silver, 54" x 84" 1 First Aid Instruction Guide 2 Tablets Chewable Aspirin, 81mg 2 Pairs (size Large) Powder-Free, Latex-Free Medical Grade Vinyl Gloves
Splinting Pack 2 Triangular Bandages, 38" x 38" x 54" 1 Ammonium Nitrite Instant Cold Pack 1 Pair Scissors
CPR, while an integral and crucial component of the resuscitation process, often isn't enough to convert your patient's heartbeat to an effective rhythm. Dramatically increase survivability rates of your patient during a cardiac emergency by performing CPR in conjunction with the use of an AED. Early defibrillation is a critical component to master in the cardiac chain of survival.
An introduction, even a brief one, coupled with training increases bystander confidence and improves performance in AED usage. Equip yourself and your staff to increase survivability rates for persons in sudden cardiac arrest knowing that no device other than a defibrillator has consistently improved long-term survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
WNL's Universal AED Practi-TRAINER has been completely updated and features many functional improvements from their last version. They gathered feedback from customers, worked with both a designer and a manufacturer to produce an incredible product. Fully compliant with the new 2010 ECC CPR guidelines, this AED training unit includes a replaceable scenario/language module - making it the most unique and cost effective unit on the market today.
As an instructor, a few of the features I love include the built-in metronome with audible tones and a flashing light to help students time their compressions to 100 per minute. The clear voice prompts, even when the unit is at low volume, guide students through each step of the defibrillation process. As for the training pads, they conform perfectly to the torso and leave no sticky residue on my Prestan CPR manikins!
With training comes confidence. Participants will actively embrace both their and the AED's role in the cardiac chain of survival. And that confidence is what saves lives.
Worried that when ECC guidelines are updated, you'll need to buy an entirely new unit or send it out for costly re-programming? Not with this model – to upgrade to the newest guidelines all you have to do is replace the inexpensive plug-in firmware module!
The AED training package includes:
1 complete unit with 8 English and Spanish pre-programmed scenarios installed
1 remote control
1 power adapter
1 set of child pads and connector
1 set of adult pads and connector
1 manual
Zippered, nylon-lined, fabric carrying case with handle
Dimensions of the unit are 7.5" x 6" x 1.75" Carrying case dimensions are 11" x 8.5" x 3"
Remote requires 2, AAA batteries (not included) Training unit requires 3, AA batteries (not included)
This unit is for training purposes only and cannot be used for patient defibrillation.
At one time or another, we've all said those words. The truth is - stuff is always happening - and it's happening to someone who spoke those very words.
Preparing for the unexpected isn't something we put on our To Do list. It's not like laundry or dishes that demand our attention on a regular basis. It's not something that gnaws at our subconscious reminding us to, Be Prepared! But when the unexpected happens, catching us unaware ...well, then it's in the forefront of our every waking thought. It demands our complete and undivided attention. "If only we'd thought of that sooner" becomes the new mantra.
Humans have the wonderful ability to put off until tomorrow what doesn't need done today. But when it comes to disaster preparedness, we must think today about what we'll need tomorrow. Time and again I hear people, especially here in Ohio, say - "Oh, we're not the target of any terrorist threat, we don't have earthquakes or hurricanes - what's the point of preparing for something that'll never happen?"
Let's take a look at Ohio and what we have happening. Ice and snow storms. Flooding and yes, we even have earthquakes. A 5.4 magnitude quake shook western Ohio in 1937 and as recently as March 17, 2011, a magnitude 2.6 quake rattled the morning coffee cup. For a complete history of Ohio quakes, click here.
And what about personal disasters? Can you imagine your home burning to the ground, your possessions fueling the all-consuming blaze? I'd call that a disaster.
So, even here in "safe" Ohio, we're under threat of debilitating winter storms, crushing ice storms, fire, severe flooding, tornadoes ...oh my, what can we do?!
About the climate and weather, nothing. What we can do is prepare ourselves as best we can to help mitigate the impact to our property, our family, and ourselves. The good news is that we can do a lot in this area. Whether it's a weather disaster, or a personal crisis we are responsible for how we react and respond. Wouldn't it be nice to have some tools in our toolbox to aid and support us through this trying time?
There are numerous ways you can acquire those "tools". Attending a safety seminar at your local firehouse is a great way to learn how to keep your home and family safe. Fire safety personnel are a fantastic resource for fire safety information and are more often than not happy to share fire safety tips. Do you know how to use a fire extinguisher? What size fire can you safety extinguish? What type of extinguisher goes with which type of fire? Wouldn't it be nice to know the answers to these questions before you NEED to know the answers to these questions? Here's a quick 2-minute video to help you with some of those answers:
Ok, so now we've thought about fire, but there's still so much to think about and prepare for! I know, it's a lot to deal with all at once, but that's the good thing about preparedness - you don't have to do it all at once. A little bit of attention a little bit at a time can build you a physical and psychological tool kit you'll be able to draw from when the need arises. That's the good news. But you have to start. And you have to start now.
The first step in learning what kind of disasters to prepare for might be to learn your city's hazard profile. Often, your state EMA can help you with this question. As an example, flooding and tornadoes are of particular concern here in Ohio. While you can't predict what type of disaster you'll have to deal with, you can always prepare. And preparation helps prevent panic.
There are a ton of resources to help you with the planning and preparing part. Often the hardest part is sifting though the mountain of information out there. Some sites lead you to believe that when it comes to disaster preparedness, anything less than a fully stocked underground bunker is pointless. That's just not true. You want to think ahead to what you'll need to keep you and your family alive and well should say, you're snowed-in and can't leave your house for three days. Or, what's my family's plan if there's a home fire? The questions you ask now and the plans you make can mean the difference between a struggle for survival versus safe, sustainable living through the trouble.
Start thinking about what you use on a daily basis. What you can and couldn't live without. A great exercise is to pack what you think you'd need to survive for three days - and live off that. Take it a step further and live from your pack outdoors for a time. Not a big fan of camping? Wouldn't it be better to see what it's like when you don't have to live that way versus when you're left with no option?
Finally, remember you don't have to do everything all at once. I do hope this gets your thinker thinking and maybe puts disaster preparedness on your To Do list. There's a ton of resource material out there to help you, but whatever you do, make sure your plan fits you, your family, your circumstances. Planning and practice helps prevent panic. Make the decision to be one of the folks who come out the other side saying, "We had the right tools when we needed them. We made it."
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!
During my First Aid classes, I ask my students, "After witnessing a car accident, you choose to take action. During your scene survey and triage (prioritizing care for the injured individuals), you see three victims. A young woman screaming her head off about her broken arm, a middle-aged man standing quietly over by the curb looking disoriented, swaying, clearly having vomited, and an fidgety child playing with his PSP still securely strapped in his car seat.
Who needs your most immediate attention?"
Answers range from the amusing, "What PSP game is he playing?", to "the screaming chick obviously needs the most help. She's noisy." Still, most are surprised by the answer.
In this case, the squeaky wheel doesn't always get the grease. When prioritizing care for your patients remember that if they're screaming, they're breathing. That simple fact is a crucial determining factor during triage since well, breathing is important.
So, now we know the screaming women is breathing. Where should we look next? Some might turn their attention to the child. Pediatric patients can distract caregivers as we always want to save the kids first. While yes, their bodies are small, kids are resilient - they "bounce". They might not be as fragile as we think they are. Children haven't had the occasion to abuse their bodies as much as us older folks have, so no, don't neglect the injured child, but also don't let them draw your attention away from a possibly more injured person.
Despite his unassuming stance, the gentleman standing by the curb needs our attention first. Barring drunkenness, his unsteadiness and expulsion of stomach contents are both telltale signs of head injury. A condition we, as lay responders or spontaneous rescuers, cannot successfully treat by ourselves. We need to care for this patient within our level of training and get them to definitive medical care pronto.
Always, when you're checking your patient, keep this question in mind. What's going to kill them first? Rescuers, even seasoned professionals, can see severe bleeding and focus solely on that condition. But if they aren't breathing and have no pulse, is the application of the best pressure bandage going to save them? Yes, severe bleeding must be addressed. We all stop bleeding - eventually, so let's treat before the system empties itself, but get it dressed and move on.
Additionally, manage the scene through utilization of available resources. That will aid in the stabilization of both you, your patient and the situation. Ask bystanders to, "Please hold this here", to help apply direct pressure to bleeding wounds while you begin CPR. You'll find most people want to help, they just aren't sure what to do. Use them!
Importantly, make sure someones called 911 or the local emergency assistance number. How many times have I happened upon an accident scene minutes after the incident only to find everyone paralyzed by indecision. I ask, "Who's called 911?" Silence. That's not a good feeling. Your patient's life depends on those precious minutes, and the clock starts ticking not when the ambulance arrives, but at initial injury. Give them the best chance for a positive outcome. If you do nothing else, make sure help is on the way.
True, we won't always make the right triage decision. All we can do is think, act, and do our best with the knowledge we possess. Something is always better than nothing. Simply comforting the patient; letting them know you're there and that help is on the way does a world of good. So arm yourself with knowledge and the physical tools to perform your skills; the feeling of empowerment is amazing. You really can save lives.
Often while walking down the street of our fair city during the winter months, I see homeless folks huddling in doorways, over steam vents and sewer grates doing anything they can to get and stay warm. My heart goes out to them as I cannot imagine their daily hardships, endured season to season. I don't, however, always feel comfortable giving them my loose change or just a dollar. I think, "How far can they get on a dollar? That's not enough to make a difference."
While I can't do everything for everyone, I can do one thing for someone.
So I started giving out space blankets. You know, the kind that make you look like a baked potato when you wrap up in them? While the majority of people already know how to use them, I also advise to wrap the woolen blankets others donate inside the thermal blanket to keep it dry.
The science behind the material is simple. As an insulating barrier, the blanket protects against some of the major ways we lose heat - by radiation of body heat and convection (think air moving across skin). It's not rocket science, even though the Mylar material is a by-product of the space age.
But their uses don't end when the weather turns warm. They can still keep you and your stuff dry in the Spring and Summer rains!
While I can't solve the complex issue of homelessness on my own, I can feel good about giving comfort to those less fortunate. My dollar seems to go a lot further and bring a bigger smile to the recipient’s face. Now that feels like a win-win to me.
Hello and welcome! This blog is sponsored by the online retailer, MCR Medical Supply, http://www.mcrmedical.com/, and we're here to discuss CPR/First Aid topics, hoping to share some of our knowledge and practical field experience. Read on to learn a little bit about us and our company.
MCR Medical Supply, incorporated July 2008, was founded by the husband and wife team of Charlie and Karen Morrison. Both are seasoned CPR/First Aid instructors as well as instructor trainers.
In their capacity as instructors and instructor trainers, Charlie and Karen knew all too well the financial and logistic hurdles faced when trying to ensure students left class with the right tools to help save lives. While working with their local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), they further recognized the desperate need to have supplies that were easy to use, worked well, and all at an affordable price.
Knowing the need was great; Charlie and Karen sought to help meet the needs of their CERT, their fellow instructors and the emergency response community as a whole. No small task, but their desire to "get quality supplies into the hands of more folks" coalesced into what became MCR Medical Supply, Inc.
Experience abounds in the education, disaster and emergency response fields for both Karen and Charlie. Most recently, Charlie, as former CERT Director and Karen, as former CERT Training & Education Officer, trained their county’s citizens in the Homeland Security program (CERT) designed to help individuals better prepare and respond to emergency situations within their communities.
Charlie volunteered many years with his local Red Cross Chapter’s Disaster Services Department. Volunteering countless hours as an on-call disaster response team leader, Charlie often responded to heart-breaking home fires, aiding families in their immediate need for shelter, food and clothing. Charlie’s remarkable ability to think through the entire problem, decide how to address the most urgent issues and then determine future needs was indispensable as he advanced to emergency shelter manager and Disaster Services Instructor.
Karen’s aspirations toward instructing began at an early age. As the daughter of a teacher, education and sharing her knowledge has always been part of her character. The American Red Cross provided a perfect venue to express her teaching desire. Graduating from volunteer to staff instructor to instructor trainer, Karen took an active role in program improvements. A member of the Chapter’s Quality Control audit team, she always looked for ways to better present crucial CPR and First Aid topics to students all while making sure they walk away from class confident with their knowledge and ready to respond in any emergency situation.
For Karen, emergency response was not limited to a classroom setting. With her background in teaching, level-headed thinking and years of study, joining her Red Cross Chapter’s First Aid Service Corps (FASC) was a natural choice. The FASC team provides support to medics of the Columbus Division of Fire. Working most major football, soccer and concert venues, the volunteers of FASC are the initial responders to patron medical emergencies. Being on the Response Team allowed Karen to bring her experience back to the classroom making for pertinent lectures and real world answers to student questions.
So, after many years of learning, teaching and teaching others to teach First Aid and CPR topics, Charlie and Karen were presented with the opportunity to provide the physical tools needed to help people act on their knowledge of how to save lives. Seeing this as a chance to make our communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond in any emergency situation, the web store was born.
Thank you for following! We hope to present topics and discussions aimed at real world first aid applications for everyday folk. We'll learn some things along the way to be sure, and perhaps empower someone to help save the life of a person in need.
