First Voice EID upgrades NOW AVAILABLE!

Talking First Aid Book / First Aid Calculator

ECC / AHA & National First Aid Science Upgrades were released in late 2010.  For more information on this see our blog post from October:

http://thinksafe.wordpress.com/2010/10/19/the-2010-guidelines-for-cpr%E2%80%A6/

Think Safe’s First Voice EID is ready for CPR/First Aid upgrades to be sent to you, our dealers and customers!

Part No. DC01: The $29 upgrade is sent in a datacard and can be easily inserted/changed by following the user instructions sent with the upgrade.  

Dealers please contact us for further information on how to provide your customers easy upgrades (email:mmaly@think-safe.com).

The First Voice EID is the only Emergency Instruction Device / Talking First Aid Book / First Aid Calculator on the market for business use, containing all first aid & CPR AHA manual current protocols.  The device is easy to upgrade through an accessible dataport on the back of the device as first aid & CPR protocols do change every 3-5 years through scientific studies and advances in first aid / CPR science.

2010 updates implemented in 2011 on the EID protocols include:  CPR updates to include compression depth & C-A-B changes for trained rescuers and hands only CPR for untrained rescuers, education & recognition of gasping vs. normal breathing, and advised AED use for infants.  First Aid updates include additional heat stroke advice, jellyfish sting updated care,  clarification on aspirin use for heart attack symptoms, both US and Canadian Poison Control contact information, bleeding wound care updates (elevation, pressure points, tourniquet, compression bandage use), additional information on when to suspect head, neck or spinal injuries, and snakebite first aid care updates.

Please contact us today for your upgrade:

(email:pwickham@think-safe.com or 888/473/1777)

SafetyMate Trade-in: $50 Value!

Or, if you have an outdated SafetyMate model

NOW is the time to upgrade to First Voice:

$50 REBATE on ANY SafetyMate exchanged

& First Voice EID (AVU5001) ordered!

Expires:  3/31/2011

School Mandates for AEDs slowed by economy

I recently read this article:  http://www.northjersey.com/news/health/111835889_Defibrillator_bill_stalled_over_funds.html

There are several very good points made in this article.

Of note is that these lifesaving devices can be purchased for $1000 or under and AED packages (cabinet, etc) are $1000 to $1500.  And, companies and facilities should want to purchase and maintain the devices under their own lead, not based upon being MANDATED to buy.

I know of several MANDATED customers (schools, fitness clubs, gyms, etc) where they – without hand holding and an easy database solution that is inexpensive – DID NOT hold up their end of the bargain historically due to the absence of an AED program Champion.    Pads expire, Batteries expire, devices go unchecked and management is crossing their fingers [and toes] that the device works when it is needed at their location (if it is even remembered to be used).

The key is that these devices save lives, they should not be mandated, they should be affordable and easy to maintain.  THEY SAVE LIVES and let’s not forget that Sudden Cardiac Arrest is the biggest killer annually in the U.S.

How can you fund an AED?  There are grants – email us for a copy of “THE FOUNDATION OF FUNDING AEDS” – FREE, COMPLIMENTARY and no strings attached!

EMAIL:   grants@think-safe.com (subject – COPY OF FOUNDATION OF FUNDING AEDS)

How can you make sure the AED is constantly in compliance and checked regularly for under $25 – 50/yr at your location?  info@firstvoice.us or check out this link:

http://www.firstvoice.us/Products/FirstVoiceAEDProgramManager/tabid/727/Default.aspx

It seems that the answer to placing the devices are not mandates but rather, proper funding and program solutions for the long term!   We can always be reached at  as well at the contact info below, and we are happy to give you our technical insights into accessible funding sources and cost reductions, where applicable!

Making Minutes Matter

Think Safe Blog /grants@think-safe.com (888.473.1777)

The 2010 guidelines for CPR….

The American Heart Association (AHA) on October 18, 2010 has unveiled its new guidelines on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), which aim to improve rescue time and make the process easier. The “2010 American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care” went online on October 18, 2010 in AHA’s publication, Circulation (http://circ.ahajournals.org/).

No worries, your First Voice manufactured equipment is not obsolete! All First Voice manufactured products and software are fully upgradeable.

Think Safe will work diligently to update our First Voice audio and text prompts, instruction manuals, and any other materials for the 2010 CPR guideline updates.  It will take all major training organizations 6-9 months to release updated training materials to instructors.  All First Voice modifications and updates will be available before December 31, 2010 and we will post updates on our blog and provide email notifications of any upgrade completions and how to notify your customers for their upgrade.

What are the changes in CPR?  Here is a summary of the CPR updates to help you understand differences in protocol and new training requirements.

Starting CPR with chest compressions helps save lives

Emphasizing that every second counts, the new guidelines recommend that instead of first opening an unconscious person’s airway and breathing into his mouth, rescuers—whether onlookers or emergency experts—should initiate chest compressions immediately to revive victims of a sudden cardiac arrest.

The stress on the primacy of chest compressions over oral resuscitation led the AHA to revise the standard CPR procedure from the familiar ABC (Airway-Breathing-Compressions) to CAB (Compressions-Airway-Breathing).

“For more than 40 years, CPR training has emphasized the ABCs of CPR, which instructed people to open a victim’s airway by tilting their head back, pinching the nose and breathing into the victim’s mouth, and only then giving chest compressions,” Michael Sayre, M.D., co-author of the guidelines and chairman of the American Heart Association’s Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee, said in an AHA press release. “This approach was causing significant delays in starting chest compressions, which are essential for keeping oxygen-rich blood circulating through the body. Changing the sequence from A-B-C to C-A-B for adults and children allows all rescuers to begin chest compressions right away.”

C-A-B takes into account that, in the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest, some amount of oxygen remains in the lungs and bloodstream of the patient. Chest compressions can pump that blood to the victim’s brain and heart sooner. In contrast, the traditional “old” A-B-C method delays the start of chest compressions; the rescuer has to tilt the victim’s head to open up the airway and apply breaths to commence mouth-to-mouth.

Giving initial chest compressions was found to trim off 30 critical seconds in rescue time and potentially helps save the patient’s life.

Hands On

A couple years ago, the American Heart Association recommended that untrained bystanders use hands-only CPR for an adult victim who suddenly collapses. The new guidelines make this the official policy and include health-care professionals as well. The process also applies for children and infants but excludes newborns.

The AHA hopes that with the updated rules, more people will volunteer to help a heart attack victim. Experts have noted the reluctance of passersby to give aid out of panic, uncertainty about their lifesaving skills, and squeamishness of mouth-to-mouth breathing. With hands-only CPR, the steps are streamlined: Call 911 and push hard and fast on the center of the chest until help arrives.

NEW Guidelines Summary

Here are the new 2010 guidelines from the AHA:

1. Before starting, shake the victim’s shoulders and shout to get his reaction. If the victim is unresponsive, call 911, which should now instruct callers by phone to start chest compressions when cardiac arrest is suspected.

2. Removal of “look, listen, and feel for breathing” from the sequence.  Instead, Begin chest compressions. At least 100 per minute from the previous instruction of close to 100. Compressions must also be strong enough to depress the chest by at least 2 inches in adults and 1.5 inches in infants. This will allow blood and oxygen to keep flowing to the brain until medics arrive.

3. Make sure to fully release the chest before beginning the next compression. Avoid leaning on the victim’s chest so it can return to the starting position.

4. For rescuers with no CPR training, continue chest compressions until help comes.

5. For trained health professionals, open the airway after 30 chest compressions and begin mouth-to-mouth breathing. Give two breaths and then resume chest compressions. Continue sets of 30 chest compressions and two breaths until help arrives.

The last resuscitation guidelines were publicized in 2005. For more information on the new rules, check out the heart association’s video “2010 Guidelines for CPR” on YouTube.

There are devices, like the First Voice Emergency Instruction Device (EID) that provide instruction via audio and text for emergencies including CPR – from scene safety to assessment to administration of chest compressions and breaths (if appropriate) to proper PPE for rescuers and cleanup.  The First Voice EID retails at $249US and is available from safety and first aid dealers nationally.  Visit www.firstvoice.us for more information or:

http://www.firstvoice.us/Products/EmergencyInstructionDevice/tabid/285/Default.aspx

Various Think Safe EID brands/models can be purchased in over 6 languages and with US or European protocols (compliant with all major training organizations and easily updateable via datacard replacement ports).  Please contact us for full details on model/part numbers and language configurations at or email us at info@think-safe.com for more information.  Think Safe – Making Minutes Matter and saving more lives with effective CPR and CPR Training!

Sources:Circulation (http://circ.ahajournals.org/)

New Emergency Instruction Device (EID) launches in Europe

Think Safe is proud to write about our 2010 European EID that is now available in Dutch and European English.  For Please see:  http://bit.ly/RescueMate for full details.

European EID - RescueMate

This EID has everything you need and is European & ECC compliant:
- first aid, AED and CPR training and emergency use
- fire training
- evacuation training
- communication training

A full occupational health tool for any workplace or organization!

For more details on how to distribute this product please email us at info@think-safe.com or info@aedsolutions.eu

COMING SOON!  German and French languages

Proven Effective! AEDs in Schools Save Lives

The following is from AEDs in School Prove Effective at MedPage Today by Todd Neale on the importance and effectiveness of having AEDs at every school.

In a survey of high schools that had an AED program and had had a cardiac arrest within the preceding six months, 64% of cases — students and nonstudents alike — survived to hospital discharge, according to Jonathan Drezner, MD, of the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues.

Most of the schools (83.5%) had an emergency action plan in place for responding to sudden cardiac arrest, the researchers reported online in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

More than 92% of individuals suffering an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest do not survive to hospital discharge, and survival declines 7% to 10% for each minute defibrillation is delayed, according to Dr. Drezner and colleagues.

One study found that survival after exercise-related cardiac arrest in particular was only 11%.

Responding to the low survival rate, many schools have implemented AED programs and emergency response plans for sudden cardiac arrest.

However, it had remained unclear how effective early defibrillation was for treating cardiac arrest among student-athletes and others in schools.

To explore the issue, Dr. Drezner and colleagues identified 1,710 U.S. high schools that had at least one AED using the National Registry for AED Use in Sports.

According to a survey completed by school representatives, 83.5% of the schools had an established emergency action plan for sudden cardiac arrest; 60% of those with a plan developed it in collaboration with local EMS.

However, only 40% practiced and reviewed the plans at least once a year, and only 18% posted a written emergency plan at each athletic venue.

Of the respondents, 2.1% of the schools had had a sudden cardiac arrest occur on premises within the preceding six months.

Almost all (97%) were witnessed, 94% received CPR from a bystander, and 83% received an AED shock.

The average time from arrest to first shock was 3.6 minutes for students (mean age 16) and 1.8 minutes for nonstudents, including teachers, coaches, visitors, and other adults (mean age 57).

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of cases survived to hospital discharge, including nine of 14 student-athletes and 14 of 22 nonstudents.

“Although some deficiencies in emergency response planning were identified, a high survival rate for both student athletes and older nonstudents with sudden cardiac arrest was reported in high schools with on-site AED programs,” the researchers said.

“The need for ongoing CPR training, fully developed and executed emergency plans, and links to EMS are vital to the immediate and long-term outcomes of shock delivery,” Dianne Atkins, MD, of the University of Iowa in Iowa City said.

“The tragic death of an adolescent has a profound effect on the community, and the desire to protect this population may outweigh financial considerations,” she said.

Dr. Drezner and colleagues acknowledged some limitations of the study, including the low response rate (11%), the inclusion of schools that already had AED programs, the use of self-reported data, and the possibility that some cases of sudden cardiac arrest may have been missed.

For information on Think Safe’s AED solutions contact our AED Expert James Moroney.

The Government’s Requirements on First Aid Preparedness

Be it running a company or working for one, you need to know what is recommended for first aid treatment and preparedness protocols. There are groups like Raise Your Hand trying to spread awareness, and of course the United States Department of Labor: Occupational Safety & Health Administration (commonly known as OSHA) does its part to spread the word too.

Here’s how OSHA puts it:

It is a requirement of OSHA that employees be given a safe and healthy workplace that is reasonably free of occupational hazards. However, it is unrealistic to expect accidents not to happen. Therefore, employers are required to provide medical and first aid personnel and supplies commensurate with the hazards of the workplace. The details of a workplace medical and first aid program are dependent on the circumstances of each workplace and employer.

OSHA even provides general information that may be of assistance here.

Here at Think Safe we spend a lot of time and energy into making sure our products not only meet OSHA’s standards, but exceed them as well. Be it the First Aid Cube, our Online Training, top-rated ResQr First Aid & CPR Coach, or the American Lifeguard Association-endorsed Emergency Instruction Device, the First Voice line of products are setting new standards in emergency first aid preparedness for the home or business.

Minimum’s mentality will never do when it comes to saving a life. Why risk everything by not taking the appropriate actions to ensure the safety of your loved ones and employees? If you need more encouragement, just remember that Uncle Sam says so too.

Distributor of the Month, July 2009: John Crumpton

Informed CPR, first aid, and AED training experts know that training has to be interactive, hands-on, repetitive and engaging to help improve the odds of proper skills use during emergencies…is that all that can be done?

John Crumpton of STP Consulting is Think Safe’s First Voice featured distributor of the month for July 2009. John [email at jdcrumpton [at] verizon [dot] net] and his address is P.O. Box 313 Chino, CA 91708.  Based in California and an expert with 23 years of experience in the industry he prides himself on his attention to detail and servicing of his customer base.

Handing off a new certificate of completion with the Backpack SET System in front on the table.

STP Consulting provides AED, First Aid, CPR, Bloodborne Pathogen, Oxygen and EID training and any program management or product needs and servicing that allows for solid first aid and medical emergency care programs for organizations.  STP carries the complete First Voice AED/EID line of products and services.

Paula Wickham, President of Think Safe congratulates STP Consulting and states, “John is providing great value to his clients. He understands that technology is an asset to first aid programs when integrated properly, allowing everyone better protection and confidence during stressful events.”

Listening close with the First Voice Emergency Instruction Device for reference.

For more information on becoming a distributor of Think Safe’s First Voice products, contact us at info [at] firstvoice [dot] us for more information or call 888-473-1777.

Mom to the Rescue!

I am constantly amazed by the goodness of people. My employees, my family… I have a new story! I’ll try my best to recap the event…

So Pat (my Mom whom I love dearly) was working her job at the rural Waukon, Iowa Fareway grocery when she heard “Pat! Pat!” …it was a young high school girl that was checking out a customer and was frozen in time – looking straight ahead and not moving by the time Pat looked to the source of the cry.

Mom dropped what she was doing and scurried over to behind the counter. The customer was standing upright but would not respond to some questions and was an odd color – a yellowish gray – and Mom knew something was about to happen. Having years of experience with a severely epileptic husband, my Dad, she knew what to do.

She braced herself close to the person and kept asking questions…and then it happened – the customer fainted. But she was ready! Mom caught her, kept hold and got more help. Her past experience had taught her a valuable lesson and saved this young gal a good knock on the head minimally.

In first aid training sessions I often talk about just being prepared and thinking/processing to your best ability… however, I will admit I have been close by when three people whom all have taken nasty bumps on the noggin from fainting episodes. Why didn’t I react and catch them? What was I thinking? I watched as their color faded…they did not move…there was something wrong…and then bam – they fell as I watched.

Patty-cake (Mom’s nickname) gets the applause on this one. Way to go Mom! I love you!