AgRespond: First Aid for Farmers

October 17, 2018

AgRespond         

Keeping America’s Farmers Safe                                                   Next Class: 11/17/2018

Presents                                                                                                    LOCATION: Oxford, MA

First Aid for Farmers

This first of a kind course was created specifically for those employed in the agricultural field. This course utilizes the National Safety Council first aid curriculum and specialized agricultural situational scenarios to provide realistic training.  Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive a certification from the National Safety Council in CPR and First Aid and a course certificate from AgRespond.

 

WHY TAKE THIS COURSE?

Agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world. This training prepares farm staff and employees in agricultural employment to provide life-saving skills to family, co-workers and the general population. Participants who complete this training may also be entitled to insurance discounts.

COURSE FEE:

We want all agricultural staff to have access to this training. We keep our course fee as low as possible to ensure it is affordable. The course fee includes: student manuals, certification cards, classroom rental fee, class equipment and supplies. The current fee for the course is $55.00 per person. Depending on the class size, discounts may be available to families or staff of 4 or more.

For More Information or to Register, contact:

Email:agrespond@outlook.com                                               Phone: (508) 864-9425

Crime Prevention

October 4, 2018

Jonathan in rescue vestSeptember is over yet hurricane season remains throughout October. Quiet periods in between weather events are perfect times to check your existing emergency preparedness plans, to complete planning yet accomplished, and to acquire emergency supplies not yet in place. October is considered a quieter time than other months. Although storms can happen at any time – recall the October 8, 2011 ice storm in New England. It is the perfect time to prepare as a consequence.

October is National Crime Prevention Month. The National Crime Prevention Council sponsors this. (https://www.ncpc.org/programs/crime-prevention-month/) The organization produces a 28-page crime prevention kit as a PDF titled “Keeping Our Communities Safe.”

(https://www.ncpc.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/CrimePreventionMonthKit_2017-2018.pdf)

October is also Fire Safety Month. Fire safety week is October 7 ending October 13, 2018, and many local fire departments sponsor educational awareness event this week. Be sure to change the batteries in you fire and smoke detectors.

 

Here are three excellent sources of researched-based information on fire safety:

National Fire Prevention Association

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Campaigns/Fire-Prevention-Week

Consumer Safety

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Staying-safe/Preparedness/Fire-Prevention-Week

American Red Cross

https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire.html

Feel free to email me with any questions and you are encouraged to visit the UConn EDEN (Extension Disaster Education Network) website. (https://eden.uconn.edu/)

Robert M. Ricard, Ph.D.

Coordinator, UConn EDEN

Be Prepared for High Heat

August 29, 2018

During high heat and humidity it’s important to take precautions:

  1. Drink more water than you think you need, to stay hydrated
  2. Limit outdoors activity, stay in cool places or the shade
  3. If you feel dizzy at all take a break, rest
  4. Maintain adequate calories, eat to maintain your metabolism

Training Courses Available with UConn Rescue

August 27, 2018

UConn Rescue is excited to be teaching more training courses than ever before!  
 
This fall 2018 semester we will be teaching the following courses. 
 
6 American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider CPR/AED classes (1sttime class takers)
4 Healthcare Provider Recertification classes (recertification only)
2 AHA Heartsaver CPR/AED classes
3 AHA Heartsaver First Aid classes
5 Stop the Bleed classes (free, no medical experience needed)
 
All the details regarding the classes including cost, dates/times, locations, etc. can be found on the registration website below.  
 
Link to Registration Site & More Information:
 
*Please note: registration for ALL courses will open on Monday August 27that 11am.  If you encounter difficulty please be patient as we anticipate a high volume of traffic at this time.  If you continue to encounter difficulty email justin.pedneault@uconn.eduwith the specific issue you are encountering.  

When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!

August 23, 2018

Learn how to protect you and your loved ones during a thunderstorm. Being outside when lightning is present is not something to take lightly—ever.

The weather forecast calls for a slight chance of thunderstorms, but you can only see a few fluffy white clouds overhead. So you and your tennis partner grab your racquets and balls and head for the tennis court. You spend a few minutes warming up and then—wait! Is that thunder you hear? Was that a lightning flash?

What do you do? Keep playing until the thunder and lightning get closer? Go sit on the metal bench under the trees to see what happens? Or get in your car and drive home?

Correct answer: If no substantial, non-concrete shelter is nearby, get in your car and wait out the storm.

Why? Because being outside when lightning is present is not something to take lightly—ever.

Risks of Lightning Strikes

Although the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are only around 1 in 500,000, some factors can put you at greater risk. Lightning most often strikes people who work outside or engage in outdoor recreational activities. Regional and seasonal differences can also affect your risk of being injured by lightning.

In 2017, Florida, Alabama, Colorado, North Carolina, and Texas had the most lightning deaths. Florida is considered the “lightning capital” of the country, with more than 2,000 lightning injuries over the past 50 years.

The consequences of lightning strikes are serious. Lightning is one of the leading causes of weather-related fatalities. During 2004–2013, lightning caused an average of 33 deaths per year in the United States.

When you see lightning, take safety precautions.

Protect Yourself from Lightning Strikes

You can protect yourself from risk even if you are caught outdoors when lightning is close by.

Safety precautions outdoors

  • If the weather forecast calls for thunderstorms, postpone your trip or activity.
  • Remember: When thunder roars, go indoors. Find a safe, enclosed shelter.
  • The main lightning safety guide is the 30-30 rule. After you see lightning, start counting to 30. If you hear thunder before you reach 30, go indoors. Suspend activities for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.
  • If no shelter is available, crouch low, with as little of your body touching the ground as possible. Lightning causes electric currents along the top of the ground that can be deadly over 100 feet away.
  • Stay away from concrete floors or walls. Lightning can travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring.
    Although you should move into a non-concrete structure if possible, being indoors does not automatically protect you from lightning. In fact, about one-third of lightning-strike injuries occur indoors.

Safety precautions indoors

  • Avoid water during a thunderstorm. Lightning can travel through plumbing.
  • Avoid electronic equipment of all types. Lightning can travel through electrical systems and radio and television reception systems.
  • Avoid corded phones. However, cordless or cellular phones are safe to use during a storm.
  • Avoid concrete floors and walls.

Lightning strikes may be rare, but they still happen and the risk of serious injury or death is severe. So take thunderstorms seriously.

Learn and follow these safety rules to keep yourself safe from lightning.

Originally published on https://www.cdc.gov/

2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season Expected to Be Above-Average

June 5, 2018

Originally published by Jonathan Belles and Brian Donegan
May 24 2018 12:30 PM EDT
weather.com
Numbers of Atlantic Basin named storms (those that attain at least tropical storm strength), hurricanes and hurricanes of Cat. 3 or greater intensity forecast by NOAA, The Weather Company and Colorado State University, compared to the 30-year average (1981 to 2010). Note: CSU is forecasting 13 additional storms, but the total is 14 when accounting for Alberto in May.
Numbers of Atlantic Basin named storms (those that attain at least tropical storm strength), hurricanes and hurricanes of Cat. 3 or greater intensity forecast by NOAA, The Weather Company and Colorado State University, compared to the 30-year average (1981 to 2010). Note: CSU is forecasting 13 additional storms, but the total is 14 when accounting for Alberto in May.

The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to produce a near- or above-average number of hurricanes and tropical storms, according to a seasonal outlook released Thursday by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.NOAA expects 10 to 16 named storms during the season, including five to nine hurricanes and one to four major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher intensity.

This is slightly more activity than expected by The Weather Company, which in May called for 12 named storms and five hurricanes this hurricane season. However, NOAA’s forecast is on par with the Colorado State University outlook also released earlier this month. An updated outlook will be released by Colorado State University on May 31.

These three forecasts are near or above the Atlantic Basin’s 30-year historical average (1981 to 2010) of 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

Last year, 17 named storms, 10 hurricanes and six major hurricanes tore through the Atlantic Basin.

Read more….

Generation Rx

March 21, 2018

Generation Rx infographic

Since 2009, the College of Pharmacy at The Ohio State University and the Cardinal Health Foundation have partnered to provide open source educational materials that anyone can use to help prevent the misuse of prescription drugs. These ready-to-use resources are designed to provide everything you need to make a presentation or offer a program in your community, school or college. Learn more.

4-Hers Learn Basic Life Support CPR

February 9, 2018

CPR training at 4-H volunteer forum Carol Cournoyer teaches basic skills CPR to 4-H Members and volunteers CPR demonstration at 4-H volunteer event

At the 4-H Volunteer Forum at Middletown High School on February 3rd, both teens and adults learned basic life support CPR. It was a very popular class at the forum, taught by Carol Cournoyer. Photos: Nancy Wilhelm

Save a Life: CPR, First Aid and Stop the Bleed

January 17, 2018

UConn Rescue will be hosting 7 American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Provider CPR/AED classes, 4 AHA Heartsaver CPR/AED classes, 2 AHA Heartsaver First Aid classes, and 4 Stop the Bleed classes during the Spring semester. You may register for all of these courses on the same registration form at the link below. All the details regarding the classes is found in the registration form.   

The Healthcare Provider CPR/AED course is 4 hours long and costs $40 and is designed for students in the healthcare field. The Heartsaver CPR/AED course is 3 hours long and costs $40 and is designed for the layperson, not working in a healthcare setting. This course meets the requirements for teachers, coaches, counselors, etc. The form will assist you in differentiating between the two courses and direct you to the one you need.

The Heartsaver First Aid course is 3 hours long, costs $35 and covers all first aid topics with a brief overview of CPR.  This course does not certify you in CPR, only first aid.

The Stop the Bleed classes are 2 hours long, free of charge and designed for any person, regardless of medical background or training to successfully complete.

Link to Register:

https://goo.gl/forms/S9EoVkJ4xDID1fea2

The form allows multiple entries and each entry is for one course. If you are signing up for multiple courses please complete the form for each class. The form will only allow you to register for one class per entry.

For those looking to re-certify please keep in mind your certification, if issued by AHA, is valid for 2 years.  Unfortunately, AHA no longer has a shorter recertification course, you must take the entire course again to maintain your certification.

Please feel free to reach out with any specific questions.

Sincerely,

Justin Pedneault

UConn Rescue Training Coordinator

For more information, contact: Justin Pedneault at justin.pedneault@uconn.edu