USAG Ansbach Safety, Occupational Health Office and AHA team up to offer community CPR Training

By Michael Beaton, U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach Public Affairs

ANSBACH, Germany — The American Red Cross and U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach Safety Office hosted training on cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, use of an AED and basic first aid March 2 in the community chapel conference room located on Katterbach Kaserne.

Sgt. 1st Class Teresa Prupis, Chief of the U.S. Army Medical Department Activity Bavaria (MEDDAC Bavaria) Education Department, taught the course to USAG Ansbach community volunteers, spouses and program directors. The 5-hour course progressed through three sections: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and first aid.

During the CPR portion of the training, the participants used mannequins of an adult torso and a full-size baby to physically learn the techniques of CPR. Prupis and her assistant taught the correct procedures for determining whether someone needed CPR, including asking whether the person needed help and checking for vital signs. The mannequins require a correct tilt of the head to breathe into them, and they also provide the resistance necessary to simulate chest compression. The participants learned how to apply protective equipment to lessen the chances of transmitting a disease.

Prupis provided instruction on delivering effective compression to the adult (locking the elbows to push with gravity) and the infant (only two or three fingers for an effective one-inch compression). Following the CPR training module participants moved on to understanding and working with AEDs.

AEDs provide their users instructions when activated and make audible instructions for the user to apply the special adhesive pads to the victim’s chest. It then analyzes the victim’s heart beat and instructs the user to perform CPR, delivering an electric current to get the heart beating normally, then re-analyzes the rhythm.

Instruction concluded with a module on basic first aid, focusing on treating injuries that require triage and stabilization prior to the arrival of emergency responders. These injuries include emergency conditions such as shock, hypothermia, choking and emergency trauma-related illnesses.

“If you come upon a car accident, or find yourself in any emergency medical situation whether at home or on vacation, knowing what to do and act quickly to treat and stabilize an injured person is essential – we are literally talking about skills that can mean life or death to an injured person,” said Stefanie Diaz, Occupational Health Technician at the Ansbach Field Office.

“CPR helps to preserve an individual’s brain function during cardiac arrest. As such, learning how to conduct this procedure enables you to supply oxygen to a cardiac arrest victim, increasing the chance that you’ll be able to keep this individual’s blood flowing and vital organs alive.” she said.

“Who knows? I might be the next in need, or my husband, or even my child,” Diaz speculated, “with the knowledge and CPR skills taught today in this class.” she added. “One of our participants may be that person who can save a life while others are in shock, hesitate or are too scared to take action. That’s why we don’t just train on what to do; we also talk about preparing your mind when you encounter an emergency situation in this training.”

Diaz also recommended that those who have taken the course in the past refresh their skills periodically to stay current and knowledgeable of the latest techniques and procedures.

“It’s an all-day class that stays with you your entire life” said Don Busbice, DAC Garrison Safety Director, who had previously been certified, but participated in the class to refresh his emergency CPR and life-saving skills. “If a person here today finds themselves in a dire emergency situation, they’ll be ready to help.”

The next CPR classes are scheduled for April 20. To learn more or to register, call 09802-83-1670 or 468-1670.

More photos to view of the training are available at the USAG Ansbach Flickr photo archive:  https://www.flickr.com/photos/usagansbachphotos/albums/72157666400296748

AHA FACT SHEET

• According to the American Heart Association (AHA) 70 percent of Americans feel helpless to act in a cardiac emergency because they do not know how to perform CPR or their CPR training has significantly lapsed.
• Only 32 percent of cardiac arrest victims receive CPR from a bystander.
• Four out of five cardiac arrest incidents happen at home; this means a cardiac arrest victim is likely to be a loved one.
• More than 359,000 emergency medical services-assessed cardiac arrests take place outside of a hospital.
• For every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation, a cardiac arrest victim’s chances of survival decrease between 7 percent and 10 percent.

ABOUT THE U.S. ARMY COMMUNITY IN ANSBACH

The U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach (USAG Ansbach) Military Community is located in the Franconian region of Bavaria and is spread across six sites and nine kasernes dispersed around the city of Ansbach and the village of Illesheim: Barton Barracks, Bismarck Kaserne, Bleidorn Kaserne, Franken Kaserne, Katterbach Kaserne, Oberdachstetten Training Area, Shipton Kaserne, Storck Barracks, and Urlas Kaserne. Today, Ansbach is the home of the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (12th CAB), the community’s largest tenant unit. USAG Ansbach continues its mission of streamlining base support operations management, allowing tactical commanders to concentrate on their essential training and missions. The garrison takes pride in its support to more than 6,000 Soldiers, civilians, and family members, working and living within the USAG Ansbach area. To learn more about the people and facilities of the U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach (USAG Ansbach) and the people they support in Ansbach, Katterbach and Illesheim, visit the community website at http://ansbach.army.mil