While it may have been fun to watch, and certainly raised CPR & AED Awareness, Baywatch sent some very wrong messages about CPR. CPR rarely actually "Resuscitates" as the name implies, but rather helps maintain stasis until an AED or other more advanced lifesaving arrives. It is CPR & AED Awareness Month - We'd like more celebrities and politicians to help spread the word about how affordable and Fun CPR Training can be, and how readily accessible AEDs save lives.

Birmingham, AL Mayor William Bell received CPR training at a city council meeting

It's not every day you see Birmingham's mayor giving a dummy CPR.

Mayor William Bell and several Birmingham, AL city council members got on-the-spot CPR training at a city council meeting.

It was part of an effort to raise awareness and train more people about the lifesaving technique.

AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) should be in every school, every business, and every public place - but people haven't clued in to the fact that they aren't enormous, scary expensive hospital devices. These are simple-to-use, efficient lifesaving devices that instruct the user. While CPR & AED training certainly makes their use more efficacious, it is not necessarily required as the devices walk the rescuer through the process with audio and visual instructions.

More than ever, too, AEDs are easy to obtain, and funding is available even to private businesses and individuals (not just organizations) to obtain them.

Consider the National AED Grant program at www.AedGrant.com - they provide funding assistance for getting AEDS. Their program is described as -

An AED in every Home…
An AED in every Business…
An AED in every Public Place…

Our Goal: An AED wherever tragedy may strike.

AEDGrant.com ~
Providing Funding to Empower America in Deploying these Critical Lifesaving Devices...

In part due to growing awareness of the ease-of-use, and efficacy of AEDs through efforts like National CPR and AED Awareness Month, and partially due to the easier accessibility of funding for AEDs for schools, public places, business and even Individual use, studies say the AED Market will top $900 million over the next 4 years.

"AEDs today are simliar to Microwaves in the 70's...they keep getting smaller, more affordable, more effective and easier to use," says Matthew Henry of FirstAidStore.com

The "Automated External Defibrillator Market (Trends, Technology and End-Users) (2012-2017)" analyzes and studies the major market drivers, restraints, and opportunities in North America, Europe, Japan, Asia, and Rest of the World.

The global automated external defibrillator market was worth $616 million in the year 2012. The market will grow at a healthy pace in the next five years due to the increasing incidence of cardiovascular disease, growing awareness about the lifesaving potential of AED, increasing installation of public access AEDs, and technological advancements. Strategic collaborations, untapped emerging markets and home defibrillators represent vast opportunities for major shareholders of this market. However, frequent product recalls from various manufacturers and intense competition in mature markets will restrict the growth of the market, to some extent.

North America is the largest market for AED, followed by Japan and Europe. Public access defibrillation programs have stimulated the growth of AED market in these regions. The European and Asian markets are expected to witness double-digit growth over the next five years, owing to the increasing installation of public access AEDs.

Key players in the AED market are Philips Healthcare,  ZOLL Medical Corporation, Physio-Control, Defibtech, HeartSine Technologies

Read more about the report

Picnics are a great way to enjoy the outdoors but did you know that warm weather increases opportunities for foodborne illness?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will host a webinar "Picnic Food Safety," Thursday, May 30 at 1 PM ET. Nadine M. Shaw, of FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, will share tips on how to ensure a safe picnic.

Visit FDA Basics to learn how to join this webinar.

During National CPR & AED Awareness Week, you can help in Raising Awareness About the Nation’s Leading Killer: Sudden Cardiac Arrest:

• Schedule CPR & AED Training for your group
• Get an AED (You Apply for an AED Grant, too)

You can do more - The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, a national nonprofit organization, will participate in the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community on Saturday, May 18 in Pittsburgh, Penn., to raise awareness about the nation’s leading cause of death and help save lives. Survivors and families affected by sudden cardiac death are urged to join or support the team.

Spread awareness of lifesaving CPR & AEDs

Sudden cardiac arrest, an abrupt, unexpected pulseless condition, is a much bigger public health problem than most people realize. SCA, which differs from a heart attack, affects nearly 360,000 people each year in the U.S., including youth, and only 10% of victims survive. For most unsuspecting victims, dropping dead is the first indication of a heart problem.

To grasp the enormous scope of this life-threatening condition, consider the following:

The annual incidence of death from cardiac arrest occurring outside hospitals is eight times higher than the death toll from breast cancer and 10 times higher than the death toll from gun shot wounds;
The number of people who die each year from house fires is roughly equivalent to the number of people who die every 34 hours from sudden cardiac arrest.

The good news is that when cardiac arrest victims are treated quickly with CPR and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) before emergency medical services arrive at the scene, survival rates jump to nearly 40%. If the national average survival rate increased from 10% to 40%, more than 100,000 additional lives could be saved each year.

Award-winning TV news journalist and cardiac arrest survivor, Susan Koeppen, understands this firsthand. “Knowing CPR and how to use an AED are key to saving someone who goes into cardiac arrest. Doing something is better than doing nothing in an emergency situation,” said Koeppen, who serves as National Spokesperson for the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation.

The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation aims to elevate the national dialogue about sudden cardiac arrest through multiple initiatives including its participation in the Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community on May 18 in Pittsburgh. Highmark underwrites the cost of the walk for 68 health and human service organizations so that all monies raised go directly to the charity of choice.

“We invite people who have survived sudden cardiac arrest and their families, as well as those who have lost loved ones to SCA, to join or support our team,” said Mary Newman, Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation president. “Together, we will help the public better understand the critical need for bystanders to call 911, give CPR, and use AEDs to save lives threatened by sudden cardiac arrest.”

Annual Incidence of Death from Selected Causes

Knowing CPR and how to use an AED are key to saving someone who goes into cardiac arrest.

CPR-AED demonstrations will be provided at the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation booth during the 5K walk. The individual or team raising the most funds for the Foundation will win an AED, to be awarded during National CPR-AED Awareness Week in the first week of June.

Learn more

While a bit out-of-sync with National CPR & AED Awareness Month, the Bald Hills Fire Department at least synchronized the performers of CPR with their fun CPR flash mob to the Bee Gees hit "Stayin' Alive"

Stayin' Alive

Remember Lives Lost & Save Lives if You Can

Memorial Day is traditionally a day to remember our fallen. Originally a day of remembrance for soldiers lost duration the American Civil War, it has now become a day to recognize all those that have lost their lives in the service of our Country.

Today is also the first Day of National CPR & AED Awareness Month. What better way to honor those that lost their lives out of dedication to saving others than to learn to save a life yourself? Consider holding a CPR Training Class, or AED Training session - or both at your work, or for whatever group you belong to.

Today is the last day of Water Illness and Injury Prevention Week 2013... take your knowledge of pool safety concepts forward for safe fun in the sun and at the pool this Summer. Don't Fry, Be Swimming Pool First Aid Ready, and Don't Drink the Water!

Recreational Water Illness (noun):

What are RWIs?

Recreational water illnesses (RWIs) are caused by germs spread by swallowing, breathing in mists or aerosols of, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs, water parks, water play areas, interactive fountains, lakes, rivers, or oceans. RWIs can also be caused by chemicals in the water or chemicals that evaporate from the water and cause indoor air quality problems. Diarrhea is the most common RWI, and it is often caused by germs like Crypto (short for Cryptosporidium), Giardia, norovirus, Shigella, and E. coli O157:H7. Other common RWIs include skin, ear, respiratory, eye, neurologic, and wound infections. Children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk for RWIs. More information about RWIs can be found on the Basics of RWIs page at the CDC.

Information for the Public

• Healthy Swimming Information for the Public

While Friday, June 21 is the The First Day of Summer (Summer Solstice) 2013, Memorial Day Weekend is the traditional beginning of Summer Vacation season and the time we adjust ourselves to "Summer Thinking" mentally.

Both Spring and Summer mean swimming, sun, and pools. Swimming Pool Safety is a constant concern for Parents as they envision the havoc of kids being kids poolside.

While most parents know to have plenty of sunblock, a mindful guardian or lifeguard around whenever children are near the water, posted (and enforced) pool safety rules at public pools, and a good pool first aid kit... how many have thought about the safety of swimming pool water itself?

• Public pools are frequently contaminated with feces. Swallowing pool water with
  Swimming Pool Safety

  feces in it can make people sick.

• Contrary to popular belief, chlorine does not kill germs instantly.
• Health promotion materials are available to educate the public on how to prevent recreational water illnesses.

Basic Information About Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types of skin cancer—basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas—are highly curable. However, melanoma, the third most common skin cancer, is more dangerous. About 65%–90% of melanomas are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.

For more information, visit the National Cancer Institute's Skin Cancer.

Ultraviolet (UV) Light

Ultraviolet (UV) rays are an invisible kind of radiation that comes from the sun, tanning beds, and sunlamps. UV rays can penetrate and change skin cells.

The three types of UV rays are ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB), and ultraviolet C (UVC)—

• UVA is the most common kind of sunlight at the earth's surface, and reaches beyond the top layer of human skin. Scientists believe that UVA rays can damage connective tissue and increase a person's risk of skin cancer.
• Most UVB rays are absorbed by the ozone layer, so they are less common at the earth's surface than UVA rays. UVB rays don't reach as far into the skin as UVA rays, but they can still be damaging.
• UVC rays are very dangerous, but they are absorbed by the ozone layer and do not reach the ground.

Too much exposure to UV rays can change skin texture, cause the skin to age prematurely, and can lead to skin cancer. UV rays also have been linked to eye conditions such as cataracts.

UV Index

Check your UV Index 

The National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency developed the UV Index to forecast the risk of overexposure to UV rays. It lets you know how much caution you should take when working, playing, or exercising outdoors.

The UV Index predicts exposure levels on a 1–15 scale; higher levels indicate a higher risk of overexposure. Calculated on a next-day basis for dozens of cities across the United States, the UV Index takes into account clouds and other local conditions that affect the amount of UV rays reaching the ground.

Reference

Armstrong BK, Kricker A. How much melanoma is caused by sun exposure? Melanoma Research 1993;3(6):395–401.

Sun Exposure, Sunburn, and Preventing Skin Cancer

• Sunscreen Lotions & Towelettes
• Skin Cancer Prevention Information
• Protecting Children from the Sun
• Skin Cancer Prevention Education Materials

Safety in the Sun and on the Water is on  our minds Today.

Before going to the beach, visiting the pool, launching your boat, or heading out into the sun, it’s important to understand how to avoid injuries and protect yourself from skin cancer. The information on this page will help you prepare yourself and your family for a safe, healthy, and injury-free experience.

General Information

On the Water

• Safe Boating (Boat First Aid)
• Carbon Monoxide Dangers in Boating