EmergiLearn

SCA Foundation recognizes EmergiLearn Team Members at Ceremony

emergilearn — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 14:25:42 +0000

SCA Foundation Recognizes Civilian, EMTs for Life-Saving Effort

Posted February 25th, 2013 by SCAFoundation

Roland “Mike” Dulaney survived sudden cardiac arrest on Christmas night. The SCA Foundation recognized his rescuers at an event Sunday in Penn Hills, PA. They include Andrea Huzinec, a neighbor who provided CPR, and responders from Rosedale VFD, Plum EMS, and Forbes Paramedic Response Unit.

PITTSBURGH–Nick Gerstel had just finished Christmas dinner at his father’s Penn Hills home when the radio his dad uses as a volunteer firefighter sounded.

“We heard the call go out,” said Gerstel, 29, a firefighter and EMT in South Strabane. A 62-year-old man in the neighborhood had collapsed after going into cardiac arrest.

The Rosedale Volunteer Fire Department, where his father, Jeff Gerstel, is assistant chief, dispatched a response unit. It was six blocks away.

Nick Gerstel started running. He was only two streets from the home of Roland “Mike” Dulaney and aided in administering CPR. He also called the fire station to say the patient needed an automated external defibrillator, or AED.

Meanwhile, neighbor Andrea Huzinec, who is a nurse, went to Dulaney’s home and performed CPR until firefighters arrived.

With that and the AED, Dulaney’s heart soon was beating and he was breathing on his own.

“Having them there with the AED was key,” the younger Gerstel said.

He and others who aided in saving Dulaney were recognized Sunday by the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, headquartered in Wexford.

SOURCE: Pittsburgh Tribune Review

It Takes a Village to Save a Life

The SCA Foundation recognized the following individuals for helping to save the life of Mike Dulaney, noting that “To save one life is to save the world”:

Neighbor who provided CPR at the residence

Andrea Huzinec

Allegheny County Department of Emergency Services Division of 9-1-1 Commmunications

David Nickel
Patti Misselwitz
Jeremy Olsen

Rosedale Volunteer Fire Department

Nick Gerstel
Stacy Gerstel
Tom Hordubay
James Muse
Frank Ribich
Matthew Strauss (former member who secured the AED used in save from the St. Margaret Foundation in 2002)

Plum EMS

Eric Ritter
Glenn Kopec, Jr.
Dan Fitzhenry
David Bender

Forbes Paramedic Response Unit

Steve Simpkin

SOURCE: http://www.sca-aware.org/sca-news/sca-foundation-recognizes-civilian-emts-for-life-saving-effort

SCA Foundation: Pit Crew Approach to CPR

emergilearn — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 14:18:13 +0000

Pit Crew Approach With Real-Time CPR Feedback Saves Lives

Posted February 28th, 2013 by SCAFoundation

WASHINGTON–Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training that included real-time audiovisual feedback and that emphasized a “pit crew” or team approach to pre-hospital care for cardiac arrest patients increased survival by almost 60 percent. The results of a clinical trial of scenario-based training were published online yesterday in Annals of Emergency Medicine (“The Influence of Scenario-Based Training and Real-Time Audiovisual Feedback on Pre-hospital Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Quality and Survival from Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest”) http://tinyurl.com/a6455n6.

“Ours is the first study to demonstrate an association between a dedicated CPR quality initiative using real-time audiovisual feedback and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes,” said lead study author Bentley Bobrow, MD, FACEP, of The University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix, Ariz. ”It is also the first to show an association between performance of the 2010 American Heart Association CPR quality metrics and increased survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.”

The Mesa Fire and Medical Department in Mesa, Arizona implemented two hours of didactic teaching, two hours of scenario-based training and activation of real-time audiovisual feedback. Training emphasized a team approach to resuscitation, assigning each member of the team a role in a “pit crew” model of resuscitation.”

CPR quality measures improved significantly after the training protocol was established. Chest compressions decreased from 128 to 106 per minute. Chest compression depth increased from 1.78 to 2.15 inches. Other measures improved similarly. Survival for all groups increased from 8.7 percent to 13.9 percent. For patients with shockable rhythms whose arrest was witnessed, survival more than doubled, from 26.3 percent to 55.6 percent.

“A carefully targeted CPR training curriculum that included real-time audiovisual feedback helped our EMS system significantly improve survival from cardiac arrest in just 18 months,” said Dr. Bobrow. “This is very encouraging news for all communities trying to tackle the major public health problem of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This intervention is feasible on a large scale and has the potential to save thousands of lives every year.”

For video demonstration of the CPR protocol, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwSo_gdQf8Y&feature=youtu.be.

SOURCE: PRNewswire

Cardiac Arrest: Even if you’re not CPR certified, you can still help.

emergilearn — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 14:16:49 +0000

Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart develops an arrhythmia that causes it to stop beating. Some symptoms of sudden cardiac arrest include a sudden collapse, no pulse, no breathing and loss of consciousness. Experts say, If these signs of cardiac arrest are present, the first response should be to call for help and dial 9-1-1. If you are alone with an adult who has signs of cardiac arrest, health advocates share these steps that you can take:

Call 9-1-1 and get an AED if one is available.
If the person is unconscious and has no pulse, perform CPR. CPR can provide vital resuscitation until more advanced emergency care is available
Push hard and push fast. Once an AED has arrived, turn it on and follow the prompts.
Keep pushing until the person starts to breathe or move, or someone with more advanced training takes over.

There’s no sure way to know who will suffer from sudden cardiac arrest. Reducing your risk may be the best strategy to avoid it. Steps to take include getting regular checkups, screening for heart disease and living a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Source: http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/eightwest/risks-and-symptoms-of-cardiac-arrest

EmergiLearn Member featured in Pittsburgh News!

emergilearn — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:49:46 +0000

Nick Gerstel, EmergiLearn Pittsburgh Branch Manager, was featured in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. Check out the story!

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/3527443-74/cardiac-dulaney-arrest#axzz2LvuLyPCo

Free CPR/AED Class in Pittsburgh – 2/24/13

emergilearn — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:26:27 +0000

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation presents

Rescue Recognition Ceremony & Free CPR/AED Class
Sunday, February 24, 2013
2:00 PM
Rosedale VFD #222
5806 Verona Road
Penn Hills, PA 15147

Come support local rescuers for their heroic actions to save a man’s life on Christmas night. After a brief ceremony we will enjoy a light lunch followed by the free CPR/AED class sponsored by EmergiLearn Solutions.

Visit www.facebook.com/emergilearn for more info. Be sure to write on our wall to let us know you’re coming!

Rescue Recognition Ceremony Poster PDF(1)

SCA Survivor – Rescuer Reunion Class 2/24 in Pittsburgh, PA! PLUS FREE CPR CLASS!

emergilearn — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 15:24:32 +0000

Check out the story by visiting the link below:

http://www.sca-aware.org/sca-news/survivor-rescuer-reunion-scheduled-for-february-24-in-pittsburgh

Free CPR/AED class sponsored by EmergiLearn Solutions.

Contact Matt Strauss or more info at mstrauss@emergilearn.com

Sudden Cardiac Arrest can occur without warning to anyone – Are you prepared?

emergilearn — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 19:53:41 +0000

As an ASHI Training Center, EmergiLearn can help YOU be prepared for the worst:

Sudden cardiac arrest, or SCA, can occur without warning to anyone, at any time. It is one of the leading causes of death among adults in the United States.

Sudden cardiac arrest happens when the normal electrical impulses in the heart unexpectedly become disorganized. The normally coordinated mechanical contraction of the heart muscle is lost, and a chaotic, quivering condition known as ventricular fibrillation can occur.

Blood flow to the brain and body abruptly stops. The lack of blood and oxygen to the brain causes the person to quickly lose consciousness, collapse, and stop breathing.

Brain tissue is especially sensitive to a lack of oxygen. When oxygen is cut off, brain death can occur quickly, within a matter of minutes. Without early recognition and care from a bystander, the person will not survive.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, allows a bystander to restore some oxygen to the brain through a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths.

http://info.hsi.com/Blog/bid/95331/sudden-cardiac-arrest-101?source=Blog_Email_[Sudden%20Cardiac%20Arres]

FREE CPR/AED CLASS!

emergilearn — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 18:12:13 +0000

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association presents

Rescue Recognition Ceremony & Free CPR/AED Class
Sunday, February 24, 2013
2:00 PM
Rosedale VFD #222
5806 Verona Road
Penn Hills, PA 15147

visit www.facebook.com/emergilearn for more info. Be sure to write on our wall to let us know you’re coming!

Rescue Recognition Ceremony Poster PDF-1

Pardon our appearance ~ We’re building a new website!

emergilearn — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:39:44 +0000

Thank you for visiting EmergiLearn.com!

We are currently in the process of building a new and improved website. Our new site will be much more interactive to better serve our clients. We are looking forward to its completion. You will soon find lots of important updates and many exciting new features!

Thanks for you patience and understanding. Despite our website construction, we’re open for business – send us a message today to inquire about hosting a class at your facility.

Thanks!

-Matthew Strauss & The EmergiLearn Team

A Christmas Miracle

emergilearn — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 22:34:08 +0000

PITTSBURGH, PA–It was Christmas night when volunteer Firefighter/EMT Nick Gerstel sat down for dinner with his family in Penn Hills, a suburb of Pittsburgh. It had been a quiet day for the volunteer department located just a short mile or so down the road from the Gerstel residence. In a matter of moments, that all changed. Christmas dinner was going to have to wait. The Gerstels are used to their family gatherings being interrupted by emergency calls for service—the family has more than 50 years of public safety experience sitting at their dinner table.

A call came in for a 62-year-old-man who had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while celebrating Christmas with his family at his home just down the street from the Gerstels. The Gerstel family knew the magnitude of such a call and decided Christmas dinner was going to have to wait.

“Survival rates for sudden cardiac arrest decrease 10% with each passing minute,” said Gerstel during an interview after the incident. “We have an AED at the fire station, which is only a minute or two away. It was imperative to get it to the patient as quickly as possible.”

Rosedale Fire Department and its members have been advocates for CPR and automated external defibrillators since 2002 when they acquired their first AED through a grant from St. Margaret Hospital. They frequently hold classes for the public and public safety/ healthcare professionals. Gerstel is not only proficient in CPR—he has been an instructor for more than five years. He regularly teaches classes for an emergency education company, EmergiLearn Solutions, which was started by a group of former Rosedale VFD firefighters.

Gerstel quickly phoned the fire station and let the other responders know he would be heading directly to the patient’s side. Christmas night was an exceptionally busy evening for the ambulances in Penn Hills and the transport unit that was on its way was in a neighboring town, about 10-15 minutes away. So Gerstel instructed the responders at the fire station to bring the AED and other emergency equipment. Meanwhile, he arrived at the patient’s house and found him unconscious, not breathing, and pulseless in the kitchen. Luckily, there was a nurse in the house and she had quickly recognized the cardiac arrest and started CPR. Gerstel quickly stepped in to assist. The man’s family surrounded him and hoped for the best. This man’s life was in Gerstel’s hands as he started CPR and kept the blood flowing to the man’s brain and other important organs. The CPR was helpful, but Gerstel knew the AED was key to saving this man’s life.

The other rescuers arrived a few moments later with the AED and other equipment. Gerstel and the crew hurriedly worked to hook-up the defibrillator pads to the man’s chest because they knew the clock was ticking.

“I heard the machine power on and analyze the man’s heart rhythm. A few seconds later the AED advised that a shock was necessary. I couldn’t believe what I heard,” Gerstel explained. “I had been to multiple cardiac arrest calls with the fire department, but we were always too late. The AED had never recommended a shock because we weren’t able to get to the patient quickly enough.” Today was different.

Gerstel looked around, made sure all the other rescuers were clear of the patient and without hesitation he pressed the “shock” button on the AED. After one shock, the man’s pulse returned and he started breathing on his own. Nick and the crew continued to care for the man until the paramedics arrived.

Once the paramedics and EMTs from Plum EMS arrived at the scene, they provided advanced life support care for the patient and transported him to a nearby hospital. The patient was admitted to the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

After the incident, Gerstel said, “Without the AED and quick response time from the crew at Rosedale VFD, this may not have been a Christmas miracle after all. The AED was so easy to use and it worked flawlessly. I’m thankful I was nearby and able to use the skills I have developed throughout my career to help this man on Christmas night.”

What about the Gerstel Christmas dinner? They may have had to enjoy it a little later than expected, but they had something really special to be thankful for this year.

-Matthew Strauss, Director, EmergiLearn Solutions.

Matt is also a volunteer for the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. He leads the Metro DC Affiliate.

-Nick Gerstel is the Manager of the Pittsburgh Branch of EmergiLearn Solutions.