I’ve written about this before, but when it comes to first aid readiness in the workplace, the National Safety Council truly practices what it preaches.
You also probably know if you’ve read my columns that most NSC staffers work remotely now. But for many years, we were together in our headquarters in Illinois; our offices in Washington, D.C. and Syracuse, NY; and elsewhere.
During that time, I spent many years as part of the headquarters’ in-house response team, and was trained and drilled on providing first aid to colleagues and visitors who were injured or in distress.
Now, two members of the Safety+Health team – Associate Editor Alan Ferguson and Senior Managing Editor Jen Yario – serve as volunteers on NSC’s EHS Committee. A subcommittee focuses on emergency response and preparedness and, even though many of us work from our homes, our in-house response teams are still active.
In addition, the council continues to offer first aid/CPR training to all employees, with opportunities (including our annual “BeNSC” get-together earlier this year) for in-person skills assessment and certification. It’s all part of what ERP Subcommittee member Maria Belen Cordova calls “a culture of preparedness,” and it helps us be ready – no matter where we are – to help in an emergency until first responders arrive.
This month, Alan offers a quick, easy-to-read article about how to recognize and respond to several types of medical emergencies. We hope you’ll share it with your teams or use it as part of a safety meeting or toolbox talk. And if you’re interested in knowing more about setting up your own in-house response team, please check out Kevin Druley’s September 2022 article. Be well.
The opinions expressed in “Editor’s Note” do not necessarily reflect those of the National Safety Council or affiliated local Chapters.
