By Cheryl Calhoun
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

The University Forest Apartments recently hosted a first-aid class for its residents and all UH-Clear Lake students, faculty and staff.

Trina Lewis, a registered nurse, teaches a first-aid class at the University Forest Apartments.
photo by Natalie Seifert

Trina Lewis, a registered nurse in the Health and Disabilities Center at UH-Clear Lake, conducted the class.

"Taking the class is a way for individuals to gain the skills, training and confidence needed to act in an emergency situation," Lewis said. "The class offers something for everyone-the parent, the teacher and the student."

The National Safety Council reports that each year about 60.5 million people, nearly one in four seek medical attention or suffer at least one day of activity restriction from an injury.

Meanwhile, unintentional injuries continue to be the fifth leading cause of death overall, exceeded only by heart disease, cancer, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

The term first-aid simply refers to the first person on the scene to render aid. Therefore, this puts most of us at risk for helping someone in need at sometime, Lewis said.

Some simple steps to know are the emergency action steps-check, call and care. If you arrive at a scene and find someone in need of medical attention, you must first check the scene for safety. Then, check the victim to see if he or she is breathing, if there are any injuries to the skin, and if he or she is complaining of pain. Next, call for help or emergency care. Last, care for the victim until help arrives.

"One of the more important things I learned at the first-aid program is what to do when someone is choking," said Erin Landry, a resident assistant at the University Forest Apartments.

Lewis feels that along with first-aid, everyone should be certified to administer cardio pulmonary resuscitation, CPR is a procedure designed to restore breathing after cardiac arrest.

The Office of Environmental Health and Safety offers CPR and first-aid classes to the students, faculty and staff at UH-Clear Lake.

If someone is interested in a CPR or first-aid class they can contact the Office of Environ-mental Safety. As long as there are six or more participants, the classes will be provided free of charge, said Harry Stenvall, director of risk management, Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

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