The information contained in these emergency preparedness courses is of value to all Customs employees and is of special importance to those required to deal with hazardous or life-threatening conditions in the workplace. Training opportunities include:

First Aid/CPR-
First Aid is the immediate care given the victim of an injury or sudden illness until a higher level of care is provided through the Emergency Medical System (EMS). This 4-hour training prepares individuals to provide emergency care in a variety of circumstances including severe bleeding, cardiac emergencies, respiratory distress, shock, choking, allergic reactions, poisonings, heat and cold related problems, broken bones, and other medical emergencies.

CPR is an emergency lifesaving procedure utilizing rescue breathing and external cardiac compression to sustain life following the onset of a cardiac emergency. Skills learned through this training are used when either breathing or heartbeat has stopped due to an accident or sudden illness. Permanent brain damage can occur if oxygen flow is not restored within about 4 minutes. Therefore, it is critical that blood flow and breathing be started as soon as possible and continued until trained medical help arrives. The goal of CPR training is to provide people with the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize this form of life threatening emergency, to activate the EMS as soon as possible, and to provide temporary basic life support for the victim. The Customs sponsored training class covers basic CPR techniques for adults and lasts 4 hours.

Advanced First Aid-
Advanced First Aid training prepares selected employees to respond to a variety of emergency situations. Trainees will be able to provide basic life support and administer non-invasive pre-hospital medical procedures to an injured person until a higher level of care is provided through the EMS. This comprehensive course includes CPR, AED, and First Aid training and lasts 24 hours. As a follow on, employees may receive an additional 16 hours of training (total of 40 hours) and become certified as instructors.

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Training-
This specialized training is included as part of the advanced first aid curriculum. AEDs are able to automatically perform an analysis of heart activity or lack of it, determine if defibrillation is required, and deliver either a single electrical shock or multiple shocks to restore normal cardiac rhythm. AEDs substantially improve a victim's chance of survival following a heart attack. Since AEDs are now located at most U.S. Airports, it is highly recommended that each site train employees in the proper use of these lifesaving devices. Training is 2 hours and current CPR certification is a prerequisite to enrollment.

In FY 01, 360 employees participated in CHEP-sponsored emergency preparedness courses. All training is sponsored by Human Resources Management without charge to field offices. A sampling of training courses available through the SAFE Division is listed below. If you are interested in attending a training session, please contact your supervisor for details.

Other courses offered by the SAFE Division Bloodborne Pathogens Occupational Exposure to Tuberculosis Radiation Safety Training Radiation - Annual Refresher Training Safety Training for HQ Managers Safety Training for Principal Field Office Managers Safety Training for Safety Officers (SHSO) Safety Training for Supervisors - Managing Employee Safety and Health (MESH) Family Liaison Injury Compensation Coordinator Fitness Coordinator