The Office of Safety and Transportation will test the Missouri State Alert system on Tuesday, January 22 at 10:50 a.m. This system notifies the campus community in emergencies and for campus closures. Faculty, staff and students automatically receive the email notification. Please go to the website to update your preferences if you do not receive the text or phone call.
Plaster Student Union staff members took time away from their staff meeting to learn how to save a life. Mercy Trauma Services and MSU’s Emergency Management provided bleeding control training to the 19 participants. In less than one hour, the staff learned how to apply direct pressure, apply a tourniquet and to pack a wound.
The Department of Homeland Security initiated the Stop the Bleed campaign. Stop the Bleed is a national program to teach bleeding control techniques to citizens. It was the result of various active shooter incidents where victims died as a result of blood loss. However, it applies to any situation where someone suffers life-threatening bleeding. This could include motor vehicle accidents, work accidents, and hunting accidents.
Missouri State University is a community partner in providing this training. MSU has placed bleeding control kits in each of its automated external defibrillator (AED) cabinets. The cabinets are located in many buildings across campus. I encourage all members of our campus community to attend this free training. If you would like to set up training for you or your group, contact me at dhall@missouristate.edu or 417-836-8444.
The Emergency Alert System test scheduled for September 20th is delayed until October 3rd. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will send a text, among other methods, to test the notification system used to notify the American public of a national emergency. This text will work much like the Amber Alert system already in use by cell carriers.
While this may be an interruption to your day, the time to ensure emergency systems is prior to an emergency. This test will achieve that result.
I am thrilled to report that Missouri State University, along with other community partners, have rolled out the PulsePoint app to notify individuals trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) of a nearby cardiac arrest. The app provides exact directions to the location of the emergency as well as to the location of the nearest automated external defibrillator (AED). The app has been successfully used across the country to save lives of those in sudden cardiac arrest. I encourage every student, staff and faculty member to get training in CPR and download this app. Use your Apple or Andriod phone’s app store and search for PulsePoint Respond.
During my career as a firefighter, I regularly performed CPR on individuals of all ages, including a student on our campus. I have experienced the joy of getting to visit with someone who once lacked a heartbeat, but because I performed CPR, they were able to return to a normal life. I have also experienced the sorrow of those where help came too late. This is why I am passionate about every individual being trained in CPR and knowing how to use an AED.
Get Trained
CPR is so simple you can learn CPR through online videos within minutes. Here is a three minute video produced by the Springfield Fire Department.
You can also take short one-hour CPR training courses through the fire department. Here is the current schedule:
- Saturday, October 6, 9-10 a.m. at Fire Station 12, 2455 S. Blackman Rd.
- Monday, October 15, 2-3 p.m. at Fire Station 1, 720 E. Grand St.*
- Thursday, October 18, 6-7 p.m. at Fire Station 8, 1405 S. Scenic Ave.
- Saturday, October 27, 11 a.m. to noon at Fire Station 5, 2750 W. Kearney St.
*Directly across from Bear Park South
To register online, visit springfieldmolifesave.org or contact the fire department at 417-874-2300.
If you really want to get certified in both CPR and AEDs, consider taking an American Red Cross course through the Foster Recreation Center. They regularly offer four-hour certification courses.
AEDs on Campus
Did you know that MSU currently has over 40 AEDs on campus with more in the process of being installed? They are located in many buildings on campus. For many years, the Office of Safety and Transportation has maintained a list of the AED locations on campus. Witht his new app, you can have the location of the nearest AED pop up on your phone automatically when an emergency occurs.
Still not convinced?
Here are some facts:
- Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) kills nearly 1,000 people per day in the U.S.
- Nearly 60% of those in SCA do not get CPR until professional help arrives.
- For every minute that passes, SCA survival rates go down by 7-10%
For more information on getting CPR training or about PulsePoint, feel free to contact me at dhall@missouristate.edu or call 417-8366-8444. Whose life will you save today?
The Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice will be sponsoring its annual Cops of Campus event on Wednesday, September 19th. The event will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Bearfest Village area. The Springfield Police Department will have vehicles for show and personnel available to answer questions.
The Springfield Police Department has a substation on our campus. They provide our law enforcement services and interact regularly with our students, faculty and staff. We encourage you to take a few minutes to meet our police officers!