Monongalia County Health Department offers training in naloxone (Narcan) administration, Stop the Bleed and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
The average EMS response time is approximately seven minutes. Within four minutes you can bleed to death from a major injury or have permanent brain damage from lack of oxygen due to cardiac arrest. You can save a life until help arrives.
Individuals in the Monongalia County area who wish to set up training for five or more individuals can contact Joe Klass, chief of operations for Monongalia County Health Department’s Threat Preparedness program, at Joseph.L.Klass@wv.gov.
CPR
CPR is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. Immediate CPR can double or triple chances of survival after cardiac arrest, according to the American Heart Association. CPR is highly effective in restoring blood circulation and oxygenation to vital organs during a cardiac arrest.
Participants will use both adult and infant CPR dolls to learn hands-on CPR techniques.
If performed in a timely manner, it is estimated that CPR could save 100,000-200,000 lives annually in the United States.
American Heart Association CPR training is broken up into two types: Heartsaver ($65 per student) and Basic Life Support (BLS) ($60 per student). Heartsaver is for non-medical personnel and focuses on CPR/AED use in the community. BLS is for medical providers or those who want to be medical providers and focuses on CPR/AED use in health-care or first responder settings.
Upon successful completion of course, students will get a two-year CPR card from the American Heart Association.
Class length: Three to five hours, depending on class size and type of class (Heartsaver vs BLS)
Stop the Bleed
Stop the Bleed training will provide instruction on how to recognize and treat life threatening bleeding. STB students will learn how to apply direct pressure to a wound; how to pack a wound to control bleeding and how to correctly apply a tourniquet, either an actual tourniquet or an improvised one.
Class length: One hour
Naloxone (Narcan)
Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, is a safe and easy-to-use medication used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Anyone can carry naloxone and be in the position to help a friend, family member or stranger by administering naloxone and then calling 911 to get help.
The Monongalia County QRT, a multi-agency group led by Monongalia County Health Departments, promotes naloxone education with private classes as well as Save a Life Day events that are held periodically in Monongalia County. Classes can be held for groups or individuals.
Class length: 45 minutes