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Programming and Medical Standby Services

Programming

WCU EMS personnel facilitate programs for students, faculty, and new employee orientations, student organizations, and community organizations on an ongoing basis. Topics for programming incude: Bleeding Control and First Aid Training, Hands Only CPR and Emergency Preparedness Training. 

The #1 preventable cause of death after a traumatic injury is bleeding, which is also known as hemorrhaging. In 2013, the Whitehouse and the Department of Homeland Security launched a national Stop the Bleed Campaign with the goal of reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with hemorrhage secondary to traumatic injury by educating the public on how control life-threatening bleeding.

WCU EMS offers a nationally recognized Stop the Bleed (STB) course through the American College of Surgeons STB program. As Emergency Medical Technicians, our members are registered instructors who can teach members of our community how to control life-threatening hemorrhage in the event of a bleeding emergency. A formal presentation is followed by a hands-on skills session using training aids. Since our goal is to educate and empower the members of the community to help in times of crisis, this program is offered free of charge.

Program topics include:

  • Ensuring Personal Safety in Emergency Situations
  • Recognizing life-threatening bleeding
  • The “ABCs” of Bleeding Control
  • Rapid Trauma Assessment
  • Bleeding Control Techniques (Direct Pressure, Wound Packing, Tourniquet Application)
  • Improvising in Special Situations (Improvised Tourniquets)
  • Carry/Movement Techniques

The typical program length is 1.5-hours. Upon completion of the program, all attendees will receive a certificate of completion from the American College of Surgeons.

The Hands-Only CPR and AED training program is designed to teach members of our community how to recognize and respond to someone in cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest is when someone’s heart stops functioning, resulting in sudden death. Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading natural cause of death in the United States, resulting in over 325,000 deaths per year.

Using CPR manikins, trainer AEDs, and realistic scenarios, our instructor cadre of Emergency Medical Technicians will help every person who attend this program to feel more confident and prepared to respond in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest emergency. Since our goal is to educate and empower the members of the community to help in times of crisis, this program is offered free of charge.

Program topics include:

  • Defining sudden cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
  • Busting common cardiac arrest and CPR myths
  • Recognizing cardiac arrest
  • Activating the emergency response sequence
  • How to perform Hands-Only CPR
  • How to use an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)
  • Practical application of the skills learned

The typical program length is 1-hour. Upon completion of the program, all attendees will receive a certificate of completion. This class is intended for lay persons and other members of the community. It is not an American Heart Association or Red Cross certification course and is not intended to meet the standards for healthcare providers.

When seconds count, it will take minutes for trained professionals to arrive on the scene. That is why it is important to be prepared and know how to respond in the event of an emergency, before help arrives. This program is designed to teach members of our community how to recognize and respond to life-threatening medical emergencies and common traumatic injuries while waiting on emergency medical services to arrive. The program also covers various areas of preparedness which will enable the participant to plan for emergencies before they occur.

Program topics include:

  • Recognizing and responding to a heart attack, stroke, cardiac arrest, choking, allergic reaction, opioid overdose, and an unconscious person
  • Recognizing traumatic injuries and managing common injuries (extremity splinting, bleeding control, wound care)
  • How to assess vital signs (Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, Respirations, etc.)
  • Components of a First-Aid kit
  • Preparing your Vehicle for Emergencies
  • Planning for disasters and tragedies

The typical program length is 1.5-hours but can be tailored to the request of an organization or group. There is no cost associated with this program.

For specific program options and requests, or for more information please contact the EMS Office at wcuems@wcu.edu .

Request A Program (available soon)

Medical Standby Services

Event standby coverage will normally be provided for on-campus university-sponsored or approved events only. Other event standbys must be approved by the EMS Supervisor or Health Services Director. Typical events that require medical standby services include concerts, marathons, athletic events, large student organization or club events, as well as any other events with a large number of attendees.

WCU EMS will make every effort to cover standby requests with at least one North Carolina Certified Emergency Medical Technician. After a standby request is submitted, the EMS officers will determine the level of staffing that the event requires. Staffing for an event may include an ambulance, quick response vehicle, and/or a standby team comprised of two EMT's. In the event that an ambulance is not assigned to an event, the standby team can request one to respond. EMS personnel or ambulances standing by at an event will be subject to leave for emergency calls at any time. Please provide as much information about the event as possible, inlcuding the anticipated number of attendees. The person requesting the standby will be notified by e-mail or phone if the standby request is approved. Ambulance coverage at standby events will be provided based on availability of personnel and the order in which the request is received.

Because the first responsibility of WCU EMS is to respond to campus emergencies, dedicated coverage by a staffed ambulance cannot be guaranteed at any event and the ambulance may be called away from a standby to respond to an emergency call at any time. In the event that this happens, WCU EMS will make an attempt to return to the event after other calls for service have been answered.

For specific standby request or for more information please contact the EMS Office at wcuems@wcu.edu .

Request Standby Services

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