Did you know that traumatic injuries are the leading cause of death for people under age 45? A person can die from blood loss in less than five minutes.
Would you know what to do if faced with a life-threatening bleeding emergency? You can learn bleeding control skills by taking First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST) training.
The FAST course is a collaborative initiative between the American Red Cross, National Center for Disaster Medicine, and the Department of Homeland Security.
The FAST course covers response principles, scene safety, emergency communications and care of life-threatening bleeding with direct pressure or a tourniquet. Participants earn a two-year certification from the American Red Cross. Thanks to a grant from Department of Homeland Security, the course is offered at no charge to high school students under age 19.
“FAST adapts important first aid techniques from combat lessons learned and more than a decade of research by the U.S. military”, explained Dr. Craig Goolsby, Defense Department liaison to the Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council. He adds, “Accidents happen more frequently than we would like, but people can save lives when they are prepared.
OBXCPR, a North Carolina Non-Profit corporation, has been established with a mission of teaching people how to save lives and is a proud provider of American Red Cross FAST Training. Training in CPR and use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) are also available. For more information or to schedule a class contact Frank Spruill at obxcprinc@gmail.com.