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The story of two boys saving their grandma from death using CPR skills their mother taught them is an amazing feature, and further proves that even with just a little training, all can save lives no matter what age or size.
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A man wearing an orange lifebuoy stands on a sandy beach, shielding his eyes from the sun. He faces the ocean, surrounded by greenery. The sea is calm, and the sky is clear and bright.
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Poisons that enter the body through the mouth and digestion system are known as Ingested Poisons, or Swallowed Poisons as well. Many poisons that are swallowed are cleaning supplies, medication, or expired liquid products such as cosmetics or household products. More than 90% of poisonings occur in the home.
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Birth can be nerve-wracking, especially during an emergency childbirth in public. Learn how to help an expecting mother in this guide!
Continue readingAt Coast2Coast, we continuously want to bring awareness of conditions that can be helped with CPR/AED and First Aid training. This November, we want to bring attention to Diabetes, as World Diabetes Day is on November 14th.
Over 11 million Canadians are diagnosed with diabetes, or pre-diabetes. Did you know every 3 minutes, a Canadian is diagnosed with diabetes?! Considering that almost 1 in 3 Canadians have some form of diabetes or pre-diabetes, it is easy to say we probably know at least one person with diabetes. In that case, we need to understand what exactly diabetes is, what happens if a diabetic emergency happens to someone around us, and how we can be prepared for a diabetic emergency.
Diabetes is a chronic condition, which is characterized by the body’s inability to process glucose (commonly known as sugar) in the bloodstream.
The pancreas, which sits right behind the stomach, releases insulin, a hormone that causes glucose to move from the bloodstream into your cells, where it is used to create energy for the body.
For someone who has diabetes, the pancreas either deteriorates the insulin before reaching the bloodstream, or the body’s cells are unable to reciprocate to insulin. With ether scenario creates an abnormal increase of glucose to the body.
A person with diabetes can manage their condition, by injections of insulin or oral medication. A well-balanced diet and healthy & regular exercise regime plays a huge role in maintaining a healthy body with diabetes as well.
The timing of meals and snacks is critical along with proper use of medication to maintain their insulin levels. When daily routine is disrupting this routine, either by going on a holiday, or becoming ill and not taking diabetic medication, can fluctuate the sugar levels more than usual.
There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 appears when the immune system mistakenly attacks and kills the beta cells in the pancreas. This causes small amounts, or even no insulin to be distributed in the body. As a result, sugar builds up instead of being used as energy. Only ten percent of people with diabetes have type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes normally develops in childhood or adolescence, but can develop in adulthood as well. Type 1 is always prescribed with insulin. A planned diet also helps with keeping blood sugar at the right levels.
Type 2 diabetes takes place when the body can’t properly utilize the insulin that is released (insulin insensitivity), or does not create enough insulin. About ninety percent of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is often diagnosed as an adult, but can be diagnosed to children in extreme cases. It requires a healthy meal plan, daily exercise and medication such as insulin or glucose tablets.
There is also pre-diabetes, with estimates of almost 6 million Canadians carrying the condition. Prediabetes refers to glucose levels that are above the average level, but still are not high enough to be considered for type 2 diabetes. Although not everyone with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes, most people will.
It is very important to know if your body contains prediabetes, because extensive medical research has determined that some long-term complications associated with diabetes (heart disease, strokes, ulcers) may begin with pre-diabetes.
With low levels of insulin can result in either two ways: hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.
Hypoglycemia develops when insulin levels are too high in relation to the level of glucose in the body. Small doses of glucose are burned easily through energy, and with missing meals and snacks, exercising more than your daily routine, can offset your balance and cause an insulin shock. It is the most likely cause of diabetic emergencies.
Hyperglycemia develops when insulin levels are too low and the level of glucose in the body is higher than average. If one who has diabetes eats more than usual, does not exercise, and does not take proper medication can result in a diabetic coma.
If one is suffering from a diabetic emergency, the most common symptoms to watch out for include:
If the person is unable to follow simple commands, to swallow safely, or is unresponsive, ensure that 911 has been called, and place the person in the recovery position.
If they are able to follow simple commands, answer questions, and swallow safely, offer 15 to 20 grams of sugar.
Check the nutrition facts on packaged products to determine how much to provide to the victim. The following are samples of sugar to give, listed in order of preference:
Monitor the person’s condition for 10 minutes:
Some people with diabetes may have a prescribed glucagon (similar to insulin) kit to use in case of an hypoglycemic emergency.
Glucagon is a hormone that prompts the liver to dispense glucose into the bloodstream. The glucagon kit is only used when the person is unresponsive, or is unable to swallow.
Only those who have been properly trained to use glucagon kit may administer this medication. For someone who has diabetes, they will often reach out to those who they spend frequent time with (co-workers, fellow students, teachers, coaches, family members, close friends) to ask if they may receive training to learn how to administer a glucagon injection.
If you know someone who has diabetes, ask them about it, and see how often they have had diabetic emergencies. If you spend a reasonable amount of time with this person, have your surroundings prepared such as:
At Coast2Coast First Aid, we provide training to know about diabetes and how to help those in diabetic emergencies through our Emergency and Standard First Aid courses. You will learn hands-on what to do in various situations, as well as how to implement insulin or glucose tablets. With over a third of our population carrying some form of diabetes, we need to be ready for any situation, which you can do by registering for Coast2Coast First Aid today!
Register today for a First Aid Training course and learn how to deal with emergencies and keep your loved ones safe! Check out our facilities and book your spot now.
A seizure is a matter of abnormal electrical signals in the brain that result in temporary and involuntary disruptions in brain function, shaking or contraction of limbs (convulsions),changes in sensory processing, behaviour deviation, and altered levels of coherence.
Continue readingEvery public institution you send your child to, whether it is a school, after-school program, club sport, religious centre, or daycare; you want to know that they are safe at all times. With the recent story of a young boy choking to death in a mosque in England, it has many of us worried that not everyone who is looking after our children are CPR/AED or First Aid trained.
There were several reasons why this result ended morbidly, which included not knowing how to use a defibrillator, or the location of one, volunteers and staff not being trained in emergency first aid, but most of all, not knowing how to respond to infants and children in choking and breathing emergencies.
These stories are somber to read, but they must be reminders for those working with children to be updated in their CPR and first-aid knowledge, as well as being aware of the defibrillator locations in all facilities.
Although child care workers are required to have CPR and First-Aid training, there are many establishments we send our children to where volunteers and staff do not have the requirements to be first aid certified. Your child’s safety is the number one priority; it is up to you to make sure that whoever is in care of your son, daughter, or relative is certified in the appropriate way.
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The first action is to know the whereabouts of the facilities’ defibrillator, or commonly known as an AED. The device is used to deliver electrical currents through the heart, via the defibrillation pads attached to the machine. Survival rates go from 5% with only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to 75% with an automatic external defibrillator.
To learn more about what defib’s are, check out our blog post where we explain how to use one and where they are usually located.It is essential to be comfortable using a defibrillator in an emergency. In all our First-Aid and CPR courses at Coast2Coast, we provide the knowledge and practice of how to use a AED on infants, children, and adults (depending on your level of choice).
For most public centres, the AED would be located in the front foyer or staff room. When touring a new place, such as a church or sports facility, it is important to find out where the facility AED is located, and which staff members and volunteers know of its location, and how to use it.
Along with knowing about the facility’s AED location, it is also beneficial to find out how many first-aid kits are in the building, and where exactly they are located. Let your child know in what rooms or who has them, as he or she might be in a scenario where it is up to them to find one if there is no other supervisor around.
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As well as being trained in AED use, all staff workers and volunteers with children should be trained in Emergency First-Aid (EFA). Coast2Coast offers the EFA in a one day course that covers skills such as CPR, wound care, and emergency situations. We also offer our EFA course in an online blended curriculum, which allows the participant to study theory at home, and practice the skills in class for half the day.
Emergency first-aid covers many situations that your child may face, such as heat exhaustion, burns, choking, and intense bleeding. As well as your child’s caretaker, it is invaluable as a parent or guardian to obtain first aid training as well. Moreover, it gives you some skills that might be useful to save your pet’s life.
Last but not least, those in care of children should be fully educated in reacting and saving a child or infant from choking or breathing emergencies. Like many cases such as the young boy at the beginning of this blog, they rely on adults to help them when they are in pain and danger.
If a child does begin to choke, begin CPR immediately with thirty compressions, checking the airway, and repeating for two minutes. If you are the only person around, call 911. If there is a child or adult around, have them call 911 and find the AED while you are with the child in need.
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For children and infants, chest compressions are performed differently, as they only need two fingers (infants), or pressing down two inches (child). Make sure the neck is not tilted back too far for babies, as you do not want to cause head or neck injury as well. Continue doing compressions and checking for breathing until emergency medical responders come. When checking for breathing, and if no air is being released, put your mouth over the nose and mouth (infant) or cover the mouth with your mouth and hold the nose (child) to do rescue breathing.
These methods can be properly taught through our CPR/AED courses, especially in our level C course, where we show the exact techniques one must do for a baby or kid that is choking. Our classes go through step-by-step instructions and show the exact techniques for every situation possible.
Our kids are our most precious treasures, and we want them to feel safe and protected at all times. With their teachers, caregivers, youth group leaders, and any other worker or volunteer that is under their care, we hope that in any emergency situation they can preserve life and not cause a fatality because of their ignorance to first aid and CPR training.
With the school year coming up, youngsters all around will begin new activities and sports for enrichment purposes. Talk about first-aid and CPR experience when registering your child, and know that Coast2Coast First Aid is here for all your training needs!
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Register today for a First Aid Training course and learn how to deal with emergencies and keep your loved ones safe! Check out our facilities and book your spot now.
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This past shooting on Danforth Avenue in Greektown, Toronto has us concerned and worried for the safety and protection of our city.
We mourn for the families and loved ones for those who lost someone and hope and pray for a speedy and healthy recovery from those who have been injured in the shooting. The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) has had over 200 shootings in 2018, with 26 fatalities as a result. It is unfortunate that we now have to become aware of our surroundings at all times, but we must be prepared for future shootings and massacres to happen again.
Coast2Coast provides the community of GTA with Emergency and Standard First Aid courses to equip and strengthen our communities with First-Aid trained members. Through various news outlets, we find that many first aid trained people have helped out several victims and have saved many lives because of their proficiency and courage. However, there are still far too many people who succumb to death or face life-altering injuries that could have been prevented or helped with first aid assistance.
Many bystanders who are in the area of a mass shooting often flee the scene for their own safety before assessing the area to see if they could provide first aid to any victims. In these horrific situations, emergency medical responders are often delayed, depending on how large the area affected is, and how many people are needed to be treated. The most important thing in preserving one’s life during a mass shooting is to stop the bleeding.
To begin to help, always call 911 when you see someone bleeding from a shooting. Then assess the area to make sure the shooter(s) have left the area, and that there are no hazards or objects around you that can injure you and the person in need.
Find out if the victim is responsive, and explain your steps of aid to you and other bystanders loudly and clearly. If they are responsive, ask consent to remove or cut away the clothing to calculate where the wound is, and where to put the dressing and/or tourniquet. If the victim is unresponsive, let the bystanders know what you are doing and explain why you are removing the clothing for assessment and first aid.
For those who lose blood at a very fast rate often experience shock, where the body shuts off all functions, which concludes with the brain turning off and resulting in death. This is why it is imperative to stop the bleeding FAST. If the weather is cold or freezing, try to keep the person in need with warm garments and/or blankets where there is no injury or wound. As bullets can infiltrate bones and muscles, keep their movements to a minimum, as the location of the bullet often go unseen unless assessed by an emergency medical responder or a medical professional.
With your emergency first aid training, begin the dressings with an available first aid kit, or available garments that can be wrapped around the wound. If extreme bleeding continues to be an issue, apply a tourniquet (if no first aid kit is available, use a shoelace, belt, scarves, etc.) that is two to three inches above the wound. If bleeding goes through the bandages, DO NOT take them off. Just continue to put dressings over the old ones and make sure the tourniquet is tight and secure.
Once the patient has been dressed with bandages, keep them calm until emergency medical responders relieve you of your duty. Make sure they are as comfortable as possible, as they might still be going through shock and trauma of the shooting. Most importantly, make sure the location is safe for you to be in, and stop any aiding if the bearings become unsafe for you and other bystanders.
Stay with them until emergency medical responders (EMR) take over, as they may have questions they want to ask you about the shooting, the victim, how long you have been there, etc. Along with the EMR staff, report the incident to the police on the scene, and describe the wound, and if you have any knowledge of who the shooter was or what they looked like, wore, spoke, etc.
Helping a victim itself is a traumatic event in itself; one can feel anxiety, spirts of depression, and confusion. It is important during this time to surround yourself with positive and loving people, such as family members, romantic partners, and friends, who are here for you and can talk to you about what happened. If signs of anxiety, depression, and panic continue and/or worsen, it is important to seek external help. Asking for help is a big sign of strength, and can help you overcome the trauma you have went through for your courageous gesture.
At Coast2Coast, we pride ourselves in training the GTA with credible Canadian Red Cross classes for unfortunate situations such as The Danforth shooting. We cannot prevent massacres and immoral incidents from happening in our community; instead, we can be equipped and educated for these events to continue to help save lives when these tragedies occur. Call or register online to sign up for one of our First Aid & CPR/AED classes today and be the lifesaver your community needs today!
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You are in a scenario where you see someone grab their chest, lose all colour in their face, and suddenly drop to the ground, unconscious while displaying no movement or breathing. The signs resemble of someone suffering from a Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). You know CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), but where is the closest defibrillator?
Decreasing the time it takes to locate an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is essential to the little time you have to save one’s life. If an AED is used on a sudden cardiac arrest victim within the first minute of collapse, their probability of survival is 90%. For every minute that passes, their likelihood of survival drops 10%, leaving a 10 minute ‘window of opportunity.’
Not every defibrillator has their location registered. The location varies in every town, but defib’s are universally located in large public places, such as:
Before using an AED, understanding its proper usage is crucial. The following YouTube short guides you through essential tips every potential responder should have to help someone with an AED. These seven tips will help you remember the right ways to operate a defirillator in a cardiac arrest emergency. Whether you’re at home, work, or in public spaces, being prepared can make all the difference. Watch now to learn how to confidently and effectively use an AED in critical moments.
Defibrillation operates by delivering an electrical current through the heart muscle, via the defibrillation pads. All electrical activity in the heart becomes pulseless, in the belief that when the pulse returns,  it will be in a rhythm that is coordinated with an effective pumping motion.
Survival rates are the highest when defibrillation is given within the first few minutes of the time of the collapse. Greater defibrillator availability and recognition of device locations will increase the survival rates of sudden cardiac arrests victims. Coast2Coast offers CPR/AED courses that properly educate how to administer a defibrillator, and how to recognize and respond to those in a cardiovascular emergency. Â
Primary survey is the first thing that should be done when observing and helping a victim in need. The abbreviation DRSABCD is the acronym check-list we ask bystanders to use to in the process of saving lives.
DÂ = Danger. Check for danger before approaching the victim. Whereabouts to check for may include live wires, exposed needles, or flammable liquids. Your safety ALWAYS comes first.
RÂ = Response. Attempt to get a response from the victim by asking them to say their name or squeeze your hand.
SÂ = Send for Help. If there is no response, now is the time to call 911. If there are other people present at the scene, send someone to locate the nearest defibrillator.
AÂ = Airway. Is the airway clear? Check to make sure the victim has nothing in their mouth, such as broken teeth, food or vomit.
BÂ = Breathing. Once a clear airway is established, check to see if the victim is breathing.
CÂ = Compressions. Commence chest compressions at a rate of 30 compressions to 2 breaths. You should be pushing at the depth of 1/3 of the victim’s chest, and at a rate of 100 chest compressions per minute (this will be interrupted by administering their breathing). Coast2Coast teaches you the proper method of compressions and how not to over-exert yourself of energy.
DÂ = Defibrillator. Apply the defibrillator following the voice prompts. If emergency medical staff are there applying the AED, follow their instructions.
It is never too late to learn CPR and how to accurately use a defibrillator; contact Coast2Coast to find out more about our CPR/AED courses and becoming a lifesaver today!
Besides the fact that swimming improves balance, coordination, and posture, it is also a flourishing physical activity to enhance cardio, burn calories, and gain muscle! The popularity of the sport is a result of open participation — everyone can learn how to swim! Swimming is a non-impact activity which helps those who have problems in their joints, knees, lower back, and those who are differently abled to improve their health, movement, and their accessibility.
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