Hawkeye Reporter

Phil Arensdorf, program developer for NICC Business and Community Solutions, provided a two-hour AED training session for a group of St. Vincent de Paul staff members and volunteers. 

Sudden cardiac arrest emergencies, such as what millions witnessed when NFL player Damar Hamlin dropped to the ground, require quick thinking by observers and bystanders.

That’s why Northeast Iowa Community College reminds everyone in the region to consider CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training for themselves and their employees. February is American Heart Month and it’s the perfect time to enroll in a training program to be prepared in case of an emergency at home, at the office or in the community.

St. Vincent de Paul staff members and volunteers completed AED training last fall and purchased an AED unit for their Radford Road thrift store location in Dubuque. Executive Director Rick Merfeld believes this training blends seamlessly with the organization’s mission and the people they serve.

“Many of our staff, neighbors, patrons and volunteers could be in some of the high-risk categories for cardiac emergencies. At St. Vincent de Paul, we are focused on people and their needs, and this is the primary reason we invested in this training,” Merfeld said.

The organization required several EMT service calls last winter for various types of health emergencies. St. Vincent de Paul started having conversations about this training with board members and researched AED installation and training.

Phil Arensdorf, program developer for NICC Business and Community Solutions, provided a two-hour AED training session for a group of St. Vincent de Paul staff members and volunteers.

“For every minute a victim is in cardiac arrest, the chances of survival decrease 10 percent, so early action is necessary. When the general public has the skills and confidence to recognize someone in cardiac arrest, early CPR and applying an AED can be life-saving,” said Arensdorf. “NICC has been a trusted provider in the community to deliver American Heart Association classes, the gold standard for CPR and First Aid training. By partnering with Zoll, we can also offer AEDs that can be used by the lay public at an affordable price, furthering our mission to impact the lives we serve districtwide.”

Another local business, StackStone Wealth, also contracted with NICC. CEO and private wealth advisor Scott Leibfried wanted his employees to be prepared for these emergencies. 

“We care about the well-being of our team and our clients. We want to be sure that if a cardiac emergency would arise, we have people in the building trained to act. It could be a matter of life and death,” Leibfried said.

CPR and AED training, and on-site defibrillators, helps save lives when seconds count. This American Health Month consider training options for you and your people. Contact Arensdorf at 844.642.2338, ext. 3327, or arensdorfp@nicc.edu.

Original source can be found here.