Learn First Aid and CPR

Early recognition and activation of 911 for Stroke and Heart Attack Victims saves lives.

By learning how to provide basic First Aid you can know what to do to help in case of an emergency.  Additional training to learn CPR and how to use an AED can help make the difference in saving a life.

Stroke

Clayton County Fire and Emergency Services responded to over 300 stroke patients last year (2016). In 2008 Southern Regional Hospital became a Primary Stroke Center and in 2012 began its initial collaboration in addressing stroke care in the community with CCFES.

Every year about 800,000 people in the United States have a stroke. Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and is the major cause of adult disability. Fact on average someone in the US dies every 4 minutes from having a stroke.

Stroke is a medical emergency. Do you know the signs of a stroke? Receiving immediate treatment is important in preventing death and disability from having a stroke.

By knowing the signs and symptoms of stroke, you can be prepared to take quick action and perhaps save a life—maybe even your own.

Signs of Stroke in Men and Women

• Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech.
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or lack of coordination.
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Call 9-1-1 immediately if you or someone else has any of these symptoms.

Acting F.A.S.T. Is Key for Stroke

Acting F.A.S.T. can help stroke patients get the treatment they desperately need. The most effective stroke treatments are only available if the stroke is recognized and diagnosed within 3 hours of the first symptoms. Stroke patients may not be eligible for the most effective treatments if they don’t arrive at the hospital in time.

If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T. and do the following simple test:

F—Face: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop?
A—Arms: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S—Speech: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange?
T—Time: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately.

Heart Attacks

In 2016 Clayton County Fire & Emergency Services responded to 288 Cardiac Arrest Victims and over 11,338 patients experiencing chest pain.

It’s easy to delay action when a heart attack occurs for this simple reason: You may not think it’s a heart attack. A heart attack may also begin with mild pain or pressure in the chest.

Unfortunately, any delay in taking action can mean greater damage to the heart muscle. For the best odds of saving the heart muscle, a heart attack victim must get to the emergency room immediately, where doctors will try to reopen the blocked artery within 90 minutes of arrival at the hospital.

Get to know the heart attack warning signs.

Warning Signs of Heart Attack

Many heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts longer than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like –

• Uncomfortable pressure,
• Squeezing,
• Fullness, or
• Stabbing pain.

However, NOT ALL HEART ATTACKS ARE PRECEDED BY CHEST PAIN.

 Heart attack symptoms include –

• Chest discomfort
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body:  one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
• Heartburn, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain
• Breaking out in a cold sweat
• Dizziness or lightheadedness

Warning Signs of Heart Attack in Women

These heart attack symptoms are more common in women. They may occur without chest pain.  

• Sudden onset of weakness,
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea, vomiting, indigestion
• Body aches
• Overall feeling of illness
• Unusual feeling or mild discomfort in the back, chest, arm, neck or jaw (Remember, these may occur without chest pain and still be a heart attack)
• Sleep disturbance

People who have diabetes or are elderly may also experience atypical heart attack symptoms.

If you or someone you are with experiences any of the symptoms above, get help immediately. Don’t delay.

In a heart attack, every second counts. Dial 911 to get to the hospital as soon as possible.

If you can, chew an uncoated aspirin tablet. This can help slow blood clot formation while you wait for Clayton County Fire Department’s (EMTs and Paramedic’s) to arrive in an ambulance. REMEMBER EVERY SECOND COUNTS !