Curtis Newport

I came across the following in my inbox last month. It is from a personal acquaintance of mine from Denver, who has firsthand experience of having had CPR used effectively and successfully.

“I am sending this out to virtually my entire mailbox so that I don't forget anyone and to make things simpler here. If you receive this and do not feel it is for you, I understand and you may delete. I send this not as a message of fear or doom, but of faith. God has been strongly at work in our lives this past week and many of you have been praying for us. I want you to know that prayer DOES WORK! We have been given many miracles. Last Friday, Nick (17 and healthy) collapsed when his heart stopped. His breathing stopped as well. He was in a friends' front yard and thankfully fell onto the grass. His friends that were with him called out to the Mom who was home sick that day. God provided us a Mom who is a nurse and who immediately began CPR while others called 911.

The paramedics responded and began to prepare for transport. They had to shock him twice to restart his heart. He suffered seizures during this time as well. Nick did not wake up. They admitted and began a hypothermia protocol to cool his body to 91 degrees, a paralytic to keep him from seizing and shivering, and a heavy sedative so he would be (hopefully) unaware of what was happening. This continued for 24 hours. We had no idea if he would come out of it or not, or what state he would be in if he did. He recovered with remarkable quickness, and other than some short-term memory loss does not seem to have any ill effects from the ordeal.

Tests have failed to reveal anything wrong with his heart. Thanks to modern science they have been able to implant an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) into his chest and heart. This device will be with him for life but will know if his heart is not pacing correctly and if it stops. A shock will be sent to the heart automatically. Once every 30 days (later less often) they will read the device to see if any activity has taken place. We hope to be going home today of tomorrow. It is by the grace of God that the son and brother we almost lost just a few days ago is currently sitting in bed eating Dominos pizza. Our thanks to everyone who prayed and for those who will continue to.

Rebecca

I submit the above for your consideration.

Many of you have taken CPR classes from me because you have to (due to job or school requirements). Some have taken it because you just wanted to be in possession of knowledge in order to make a difference should the need arise. Please remember, practice makes perfect. If you have taken a class, double check your card’s expiration date. If you’ve been considering taking a class in the near future, there is no better time than the present.

Thinking of "sprucing up" some areas on the outside of your home? Me, too. However, once you've been to your neighborhood home and garden store, and you've completed your shopping list, don't forget to go through a mental checklist of how to keep yourself well during the repairs. This goes beyond getting a drink every few hours, and not remembering how to work well in the heat can have devastating effects.

Heat emergencies, such as Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke, are silent emergencies that can sneak up on you. We are usually fairly responsible about putting sunscreen on ourselves and our children, but that only extends the amount of time we can be in the sun without getting sunburned. Sunscreen does nothing to regulate your body temperature. The reality is, allowing your body temperature to get too high can be a serious, even life threatening emergency.

Heat-related illness usually comes in stages. The signal of the first stage is heat cramps in muscles. These cramps can be very painful. If you are caring for a person who has heat cramps, have him or her stop activity and rest. If the person is fully awake and alert, have him or her drink small amounts of cool water or a commercial sports drink. Gently stretch the cramped muscle and hold the stretch for about 20 seconds, then gently massage the muscle. Repeat these steps if necessary. If the victim has no other signals of heat-related illness, the person may resume activity after the cramps stop.

The signals of the next, more serious stage of a heat-related illness (often called heat exhaustion, which is defined as a body temperature up to 104 degrees) include:

* Cool, moist, pale skin (the skin may be red right after physical activity, and this is to be expected, but should subside after a short period of rest in a cool environment)

* Headache

* Dizziness and weakness or exhaustion

* Nausea

* The skin may or may not feel hot.

Someone who is experiencing heat exhaustion should be moved indoors and/or to a cooler environment. Add moisture to their skin (like pouring or spraying water on them), to create an evaporation (cooling) effect, and have them evaluated by a medical professional.

The signals of the late stage of a heat-related illness (often called heat stroke, which is defines as a body temperature at or above 105 degrees) include–

* Vomiting

* Decreased alertness level or complete loss of consciousness

* High body temperature (hot to the touch)

* Skin may still be moist or the victim may stop sweating and the skin may be red, hot and dry

* Rapid, weak pulse

* Rapid, shallow breathing.

This late stage of a heat-related illness (heat stroke) is life threatening. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number, and get them to an emergency room. Above all, take sensible precautions when it is warm outside, especially on high humidity days. Keep plenty of fluids with you, and drink lots of water. If you spend time outdoors, these are critical steps to ensuring a happy and healthy summer.

Need to stock up for Hurricane Season? Need to do some shopping for supplies that "could" help you if a storm struck? This week, the Commonwealth of Virginia is not assessing sales tax on items ranging from batteries to generators!

The Commonwealth of Virginia has announced a Tax Free Holiday from May 25-31, 2009. There will be no sales tax charged during this time, on items that you would use to prepare your home for a Hurricane. It doesn't matter if you live in Virginia Beach, Alexandria, Winchester, or Blacksburg. You can save a few extra bucks on everything from bottled water and batteries, to generators, and more.

Included in this sale are First Aid Supplies and certain CPR Supplies, available through your friends at Newport Enterprises.

For more information, visit http://www.tax.virginia.gov/site.cfm?alias=HurricanePreparednessEquipmentHoliday and be prepared to stock up and be prepared!

As the weather gets warmer, many of our thoughts (or at least our children’s thoughts) turn to spending some time by the pool this summer. Pools can be a lot of fun, but, of course, are a big responsibility. Whether you own a pool. Or just visit one from time to time, there are a lot of things to consider, when it comes to safe practices, and many of us forget how dangerous swimming pools are. In many areas, drowning is the leading cause of accidental death in the home of children under 5 years old.

Each year, nationwide, more than 300 children under 5 years old drown in residential swimming pools, usually a pool owned by their family. In addition, more than 2,000 children in that age group are treated in hospital emergency rooms for submersion injures. In researching this article, I came across the following facts from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The facts are taken from states where swimming pools are commonplace (mostly Arizona, California, and Florida), but I find it hard to believe our habits are much different:

• 75% of the submersion victims studied by CPSC were between 1 and 3 years old; 65 percent of this group were boys. Toddlers, in particular, often do something unexpected because their capabilities change daily.

• At the time of the incidents, most victims were being supervised by one or both parents. 46% of the victims were last seen in the house; 23% were last seen in the yard or on the porch or patio; and 31% were in or around the pool before the accident. In all, 69% of the children were not expected to be at or in the pool, yet they were found in the water.

• Pool submersions involving children happen quickly. A child can drown in the time it takes to answer a phone. 77% of the victims had been missing from sight for 5 minutes or less.

• Survival depends on rescuing the child quickly and restarting the breathing process, even while the child is still in the water. Seconds count in preventing death or brain damage.

• Child drowning is a silent death. There's no splashing to alert anyone that the child is in trouble. Not a substitute for supervision, but an important part of having a pool, is the barrier that goes around it. Even if your children “know better” than to go into the un-gated pool, other children may not. Aside from a potential tragedy, there is enormous liability risk.

While having a fence or a gate does not make the area childproof, it does provide a layer of protection for a child that strays from supervision, giving caregivers additional time to locate a child. Another idea would be to include door alarms for the house, and a power safety cover for your pool or spa. In addition to door alarms for the house doors, there are also pool alarms. If the water level changes and the alarm has not been deactivated (ie, someone falls in, causing little waves), an alarm sounds. Often, these alarms can also be connected through your home alarm system, to automatically contact authorities, similar to your burglar or fire alarm. Fences and gates should be at least four feet high, and be without footholds or handholds that would assist a child in climbing over it. Slats should be less than 4 inches apart, so that small children are unable t squeeze through. Gates should be self closing, and the latch should be unreachable to little hands. For those that have an above ground pool, steps and ladders should be removed and secured (locked away), to prevent access. Remember, though, that kids are resourceful, and may find another way. Again, this is not an acceptable substitute for supervision.

We all have “rules” for our pools. Clever signs are marketed, that usually contain generic statements about the speed at which one should move around the pool, and the acceptable amount of urine that may be left in the pool, and the tolerable volume level for pool users. I submit, for your consideration, some additional rules more focused on safety than convenience:

• If you have babysitters, discuss potential pool hazards to young children and about the use of protective devices, such as door alarms and latches. Emphasize the need for constant supervision.

• Never leave a child unsupervised near a pool. During social gatherings at or near a pool, appoint a "designated watcher" to protect young children from pool accidents. Adults may take turns being the "watcher." When adults become preoccupied, children are at risk.

• If a child is missing, check the pool first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability. Go to the edge of the pool and scan the entire pool, bottom and surface, as well as the pool area.

• Do not allow a young child in the pool without an adult.

• Do not consider young children to be immune to drowning, just because they have had swimming lessons. Children must be watched closely while swimming.

• Flotation devices should not be used as a substitute for supervision.

• Learn CPR. Babysitters and other caretakers, such as grandparents and older siblings, should also know CPR. A“certification card” is good, but general knowledge (refreshed regularly) is imperative. Rescue personnel don’t have much of a chance when they arrive, if no efforts have been made in the meantime.

• Keep rescue equipment by the pool, and check it each season to make sure it is not damaged. Be sure a telephone is poolside with emergency numbers posted nearby. If it’s a cordless phone, make sure it is charged, and ready for use. Remember, seconds count.

• Remove toys from in and around the pool when it is not in use. Toys can attract young children to the pool.

• Never prop open the gate to a pool barrier. Enjoy the pool, but let's be safe out there!

Curt Newport is a Professional Trainer, and the owner/operator of Newport Enterprises, LLC. Based in Northern Virginia, Newport Enterprises has clients from Florida to Pennsylvania, and teaches classes which range from Food Safety management and Alcohol Awareness to CPR and First Aid. Curt has been a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician since 1998, and is on the team of instructors at the Loudoun County (VA) Fire Rescue Training Center. Curt also regularly blogs timely safety tips and advice at http://www.newport-enterprises.com/blog.

Note: This article was originally written for publication in The First Word. Visit www.thefirstword.com for more information. If you wish to reblog or repost this article, or to distribute to your clients, you may do so, providing the article is repinted/reposted in it's entirety, with appropriate credit given.

Open letter to small business owners:

As a small business owner, I take pride in every aspect of my business. I'll be the first to admit that I don't do everything perfectly, but who does? I try hard, I try to learn from my mistakes, and try very hard not to make the same mistake twice.Ok, three times. Let's get real.

As I shifted from the corporate world into being my own business owner, it became very clear that everything I did was from the ground up, and all of the rewards were my own. This was both good and bad. As a hotel manager, much like Realtors, my name tag represented "who I was" as much as I representing the chain. "Oh, hey, you're the hotel guy. I may have someone for you to talk to." I didn't have to sell my products, so to speak. Of course, my relationship building skills would make or break how successful I was, but my name tag spoke a certain amount. In exchange, I got my weekly paycheck. Frequently, when I compared my paycheck to what I saw the bottom line of the P&L being every month, I would just shake my head. Now, it's all mine. The name tag, the business, explaining what I do, and the bottom line. As such, I try very VERY hard not to make mistakes. One of the first things I did in my business plan was to create my company name, followed closely by acquiring a domain name. If you don't believe me, visit www.newport -enterprises.com. It's all me. For better or worse.

I went the next step, as well, choosing to incorporate, to protect my assets, and to keep things separate in my life. There are advantages and disadvantages. I did my research, and drew the conclusion that this is what was right, for my own situation. Since I run my wife's company, as well, I did it twice. I have a web presence, and I think it is pretty good. I market well, and try hard to get good placement with search engines, but I spend a lot of time trying to have a website that looks and feels the way I want it to. I don't have flashy graphics, streaming videos, or anything like that, but I didn't pay thousands to set it up, either.

Here's what I'm getting at: I meet a lot of people. I learn about their businesses, they learn about mine. I go to various Chamber of Commerce functions, and exchange over a hundred business cards a month. Not bad, and I don't say that either to brag, or in misery. It is what it is. I also get those same hundred or so business cards, so that I can remember folks, refer folks when appropriate, and do my own follow up, if I've committed to something. As I look through the business cards, sometimes I see websites, and sometimes I don't. I almost always see email addresses, and if you're reading thisblog , you have an email address, too. I'm not certain there is anybody in the US between the ages of 12 and 70 that does not have an email address.Ok, I know there are, but you know what I mean. There are some fantastic email services out there, some are free, some you pay extra for, some that come with your home or businessinternet service. I think those are great for your personal use. Why spend extra, right? Your whole family can get their own email address at no extra charge. You can get your own miscellaneous email address that you will never check, to give out to those sites that demand an email address so they can spam you, but NOBODY gets your "real" email address. Gmail, Yahoo, Verizon, all those are great.

However. When it comes to your business, I am a very strong believer that your web presence (or lack thereof), and your email address speak volumes about who you are and who you are is a business person. Let's take a mortgage broker, for example. Say you had two business cards that were virtually identical. And since I've seen some pretty bad business cards, let's assume these look good. More on business cards later). One person's email address is pam90210@aol.com and the other is pam@mortgagefirst.com. Which one of those has more credibility? All other factors being equal, I would believe that the latter person is more committed to her business than the first. I would believe she is more committed, more serious, and more professional. Let's add in the extension of the home email account, pam-mortgage@verizon.net. A little better, but still not at the same level. Of course, that may or may not be the case. Having worked for two major corporations, I know there are some real nut-muffins that hide behind their corporate email and the credibility that it lends. But we're talking small business. You can ferret out the bad seeds pretty quickly.

One of the business cards I came across recently was for a person who touted themselves as a Corporate Problem Solver. The business card was on nice card stock, and was printed using a basic MS Word font in two different sizes, no color, no graphics, and the email address was jsmith2468@yahoo.com. There were two phone numbers, labeled "Phone" and "Cell", with no address or other contact information. I only talked to this person for about 90 seconds, and the interaction was pleasant. However, if all I had was the business card, I probably wouldn't trust this person to walk my cat, much less solve any corporate problems I may have. If you are going to have a small business, take the steps to get your own domain name and email account. It's not hard, and not nearly as expensive as you think. Yes, it's a service I offer, why do you think I am writing this blog . It just pains me to see good people work hard, and then lose valuable credibility by not taking some very simple steps. Having a generic email is this decade's equivalent of the used car salesman that scratches out somebody else's name on the business card and writes his own in. And his cellphone number.

Speaking of business cards, here's another one: Do not EVER do your own business cards. By that, I am generally referring to the "print your own business cards at home" kits you get at your local office supply store. Why? It's because they look like....they were printed at home. They have that "ink jet" look, the fuzzy edges, from where you separated them from the master sheet. And they are probably ever so slightly off center. Business cards do NOT cost that much. There are local printers who will make you a good deal on that, envelopes, whatever you need. If you spend a little time looking around, you can find some pretty reasonable prices. Yeah, you might end up paying $50 for 1000 cards or something like that. That $50 should be a pretty small investment in your business, based on what you want your return to be. There are some companies out there that offer free business cards, and some of them look pretty good. Anymore, though, they are pretty recognizable as one of the free designs, and they may even make you put the name of the printing company on the back of YOUR business cards. Spend the extra $4 to have that removed. It's okay to design your own business cardsonline , there are some great sites that you can do that with, or even upload one that you already have. However, always bear in mind that EVERY piece of information you put out about your company is going to create an opinion about your company. See the earlier discussion about perceived commitment to your business. Those flyers I get stuffed in my mailbox, which are black type on pink paper, slightly off center, and definitely copied crooked, and are for "Mary's Housekeeping Services, Lisensed and Bonded. We kleen 4 U." [sic] always take a huge backseat to others that are more professionally done.

Bottom line: If you are taking your business seriously, create the image that you want others to have of you. Seek feedback. Do NOT skimp on things you are putting in the public eye. You do NOT need to spend $5000 on a website, and $500 on a domain name and email account. There will be investment, as there should be, but you can and should have "nice stuff" so that you don't turn people off before they get a chance to know you.