First come, first serve, first aid

DSU hosts first aid courses for Douglas College students

By Jessica Berget, Editor-in-Chief

Do you know how to give CPR if an emergency situation arises? On November 16 and 17, you can learn how! The Douglas Students’ Union (DSU) will be hosting Red Cross Emergency First Aid courses.

There will be three different first aid courses available, each with three different price points and duration times. The first one—Emergency First Aid/CPR-C will be an eight-hour course with a $50 fee. It will teach the basics of first aid—such as what to do if someone is choking, bleeding, having a heart-attack, having a breathing emergency, or having a stroke. It also includes automated external defibrillator (AED) certification.

The second, Standard First Aid (SFA)/CPR-C is a 16-hour, two-day long course for a $115 fee. It will cover everything the first course covers as well as the skills to handle life-threatening emergencies and traumatic injuries, such as head or spinal injuries, fractures, burns, or poison.

Finally, Emergency and Standard First Aid/CPR level Basic Life Support (BLS) is a 17-hour two-day course costing $125. It will teach everything in SFA, but the CPR is on a basic life support level—meant to help participants feel confident that they are performing CPR at the highest level of skill.

These courses are held on a first come, first serve basis and are available for current Douglas College students or DSU fee paying members, with a portion of the fees subsidized by the DSU. Students who are interested are asked to register online at vital-link.ca.

Douglas College itself has an Occupational First Aid (OFA) program which adheres to WorkSafeBC regulations. All contracted security officers are trained in level 1 or 2 OFA in support of the college and can administer first aid to students, employees, and campus users. A level 2 OFA trained officer is on duty at the college during campus hours.

There are first aid rooms in every Douglas College Campus (yes, even the Anvil Centre) and are equipped with first aid kits, AED’s, Naloxone Nasal Spray, and other required emergency supplies.

According to the Douglas College website, to summon first aid attention, it is recommended to either call local 2400 from a college landline phone, call campus security, or go to the security campus kiosk.

In the case of a life-threatening situation, you must call 911 first and then advise campus security. If you have to call first responders, provide as much information as you can and don’t hang up until they hang up first.