MEDIA, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — About a dozen Delaware County employees received CPR and other lifesaving training on Thursday through a new program funded by recent opioid settlements. Residents can register to receive the same training for free.
The new Delco Revive program provides residents, organizations, schools and businesses access to free life-saving resources, including Narcan, the overdose-reversing nasal drug; test strips for xylazine and fentanyl; and wound care kits and tourniquet training.
Ali Fequiere with the Delaware County Health Department said these classes can go a long way for both workers and residents.
“They’re all over the county, they’re all over all of the buildings,” she said, “and they really could be a space to save a life or at least help and do what they can.”
Fequiere said the lessons put workers in a position to help just about anyone — “adult, child and infant CPR, how to use an AED and relieve choking.”
Jim Mays, a mechanical contractor at the Delaware County Courthouse, became CPR-certified years ago, but he said he needed a refresher.
“The rules have changed with compressions and breaths and stuff like that, so I want to get updated so I can further myself and be better,” he said.
The military vet said it’s important for workers in all the different county departments to be trained for such critical emergencies.
“We deal with so many people here — every shape, size and color — and when somebody goes down, it’s nice to be able to jump on it right away and help people out,” he said.
The courses and resources are not only for employees. Members of the public can access these materials on weekdays at three health department offices:
— Delaware County Wellness Center at Yeadon, 125 Chester Ave.
— Delaware County Wellness Center at Chester, 151 W. Fifth St.
— DCHD Eddystone location, 1510 Chester Pike, Suite 700
For more information or to schedule a training session, visit delcorevive.com or call the Delaware County Wellness Line at 484-276-2100.