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Show I . i ' - K " ' i , i , ; - I f ' ; y r y .i J s-- v ' s ' i I . : V , - . ! ' PAOAKED PBOORAftl By TOM BUSSELBERG WOODS CROSS When some students at Woods Cross High School hear that a man has suffered third degree burns in a news report, they'll have more than just an inkling of what that means. BECAUSE FOR 90 of them, one hour a day was spent over the past week learning life-saving life-saving procedures in the Para-med Para-med program, a new life-saving life-saving techniques program geared to teach all county residents, resi-dents, 14 years-of-age and up, what to do to aid a stricken patient until the paramedics or other help arrives. "There are three types of burns." volunteer Paranied Instructor Karen Edson told the students. "A first degree means red skin, second degree affects skin tissue and third has destroyed all skin layers down to the bone." A second degree burn should be kept in cold water wa-ter for 15-20 minutes, she explained. ex-plained. A PATIENT suffering third degree burns, on the other hand, should be placed in a sheet or pillow slip something some-thing sterile, Mrs. Edson said. "The biggest problem with burns is iniection. People often get pneumonia and die." Turning to poisoning, she said the University of Utah Medical Center's poison control con-trol center should be contacted immediately. "To dilute the poison with miik is the best don't induce vomiting." she cautioned the students, unless so instructed by the poison center. THE CLASS wasn't only lecture. Near the end. students were turned loose to try some of the life-saving techniques they'd Lamed. That included cardiopulmonary resuscitation resuscita-tion on resusciannis or practic-inc practic-inc the Heimlich manueer. used to free dislodged items in someone's throat, preventing choking. Woods Cross High sophomores Blair Kent and Tim Marsh apply cardiopulmonary car-diopulmonary life-saving techniques to resuscibaby during paramed class. Students appeared interested in-terested in the class, intently watching the demonstrations and asking questions. Student Troy March said of the class, "I've learned a lot from this. I'm getting certified in CPR." THE WOODS Cross class was a first in Davis County, but may lead to similar classes in other schools and throughout through-out the county to adults, as well. In fact, Allan Parker, who is coordinating the program for the county health department, says he has a "battery of instructors in-structors trained" and ready to provide instruction to anyone interested. ALL IT takes is a group of 10 people, from friends and neighbors to members of a social so-cial club, church or civic group. In four hours, they can receive the instruction. A S3 donation to help cover material mate-rial costs is all that is asked in return, he says. "It was organized for the great need recognized for citizens to respond to an emergency in the proper way," Mr. Parker says. "If a trained bystander or citizen can do something to keep a patient pa-tient breathing for three minutes mi-nutes (until help arrives) it can mean saving a life." CPR administered within one minute of trouble can mean a 9S percent chance for recovery. Tfiat diminishes to only eii.ht percent in seven minutes mi-nutes and a patient could actually be dead within Ut.r-six Ut.r-six minutes it n-'-thing is done. Mr. Parker notes. Speakinc of the in.T: 'ors he says. "I ;Nrk they ure the best we can !inJ. We ha ecct-stanJing ecct-stanJing emergency medic! scrv ices m D;r is County . They 're rea.:; great but it n;;; takes two-three ir.iriic for them to get there 'to an accident, acci-dent, etc.). We'll save some liv es in Da', is County ." INSTRUCTORS will teach during 'ancb hearts or w henev - er possible at a location chosen by potential students. "If a single person can get nine of his neighbors together we can have the class in his home," Mr. Parker points out. The program has operated successfully in Salt Lake City, where it originated several years ago. Those wishing more information should call the health department at 867-2291 , 295-2394or773-7800,Ext.340. |