Town Of NH, Northwell Health Teach Residents to Save Lives

Town of North Hempstead Supervisor Jennifer DeSena recently joined officials from North Shore University Hospital (NSUH) and Long Island Jewish Medical Center (LIJMC) to hold a Saving Lives Training session at Manorhaven Beach Park. The event was the first installment of the town and hospitals’ second-annual Wellness Wednesdays initiative. The event taught attendees how to perform various life-saving techniques such as CPR, stop the bleed, Narcan administration, and AED use. Additionally, the two hospitals are once again sponsoring free sunscreen dispensers at over a dozen town parks facilities to encourage responsible skincare in the outdoors.

“Town of North Hempstead residents are lucky to have two world-class healthcare facilities in close proximity to where they live,” said North Hempstead Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena of Northwell Health’s NSUH and LIJMC. “While the summer months are a time of relaxation and celebration, you never know when a medical emergency or accident can happen. By encouraging our residents to learn these important skills, we have a safer community. Thank you to all of the medical professionals donating their time for this important event.”

Over two dozen residents and town employees took part in the training, learning how to fashion tourniquets should someone be bleeding heavily, provide CPR to those who may have been rescued from drowning, use an automated external defibrillator (AED) on those experiencing cardiac events and administer Narcan to reverse the effects of a potential drug overdose.

“Events like today are a major focus of our hospital’s mission to raise the public’s awareness of their health,” said North Shore University Hospital Medical Director David Herschwerk, MD. “We want our community to feel empowered and in control should they find themselves, a loved one, neighbor or even a stranger in an emergency medical situation,” he added.

“You never know what skills you are going to need that could possibly save a life at any time,” said Sean LaVine, MD, Assistant Medical Director of Long Island Jewish Medical Center. “This week’s event gave attendees an opportunity to learn so many invaluable skills that will enable them to be prepared for a wide range of situations that may come their way. Thank you to the Town of North Hempstead for hosting us.”

Wellness Wednesdays continues through the end of the month in North Hempstead with two skin cancer screenings and an additional Saving Lives Training. For more information on the upcoming schedule of upcoming Wellness Wednesday events, please visit www.northhempsteadny.gov/sunscreen.