Count yourself lucky if you have never been faced with a medical emergency involving yourself, a loved one, a neighbor or a coworker. In 2004, Americans made approximately 110 million visits to the emergency room and were involved in more than 33 million medically attended injury episodes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Safety Council. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that every minute, eight workers are injured on the job.
In a medical emergency, every second counts. You could be the difference in preventing an emergency from becoming a tragedy. It is important for everyone to know the most important critical step in responding to a medical emergency: CALL 911. When faced with a crisis situation on Temple’s campus, employees, students and visitors should call Temple Campus Security at 215-204-1234 (from a campus phone, 1-1234).
Temple University’s Benefits Department recognizes that the first few seconds of a medical emergency are critical and offers the newly revised Red Cross CPR, first aid and automated external defibrillator (AED) training free to full-time employees. This one-day (eight-hour) course trains employees in techniques that can help keep their families and coworkers alive until professional responders arrive.
This training is not for the weak of heart, as candidates will be expected to administer First Aid/CPR/AED in emergency situations. This is a hands-on class and participants should be prepared to work on the floor with manikins. Those candidates who demonstrate the necessary skill and pass a written multiple-choice test will receive Red Cross Certification free of charge.
Because of the remarkable interest in this program and departmental coverage considerations, the Workers’ Compensation Department may not be able to accommodate more that one participant from a department at a time. If you are interested in obtaining more information or a registration form, please contact the Workers’ Compensation Department at 215-204-3328 or e-mail them at workcomp@temple.edu.
To submit general safety or health questions or to suggest other related topics, contact the Health and Safety Awareness Committee at healthandsafetywareness@temple.edu.