February 20, 2008. The Chapter’s February meeting was held at Westar Aerospace and Defense, Huntsville, AL, twenty-five (25) members and guests were present. Chad Thrasher, chapter President, opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and thanking our meeting sponsor. Lunch was provided and a working business meeting was conducted.

Recent events were discussed by Jim Blanteno, Special Events Coordinator. Alabama Regional Future City Competition (FCC) and NASA’s upcoming Great Moonbuggy Race in April. Chapter volunteers will also be judged entries at the North Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair in March.

A call for volunteers was passed along from the ISSC 2008 Committee. Anyone willing to assist in the operations and registration in Vancouver should contact Amber Schauf at operations "at" issc08.org. (Please modify email accordingly – not properly displayed to reduce SPAM.). Thrasher also discussed that the committee in Vancouver has performed some cost benefit analysis between sponsor and exhibiter fees. Those analyses are being shared with the TVC to assist in our determination of fees for the ISSC 2009 in Huntsville.

Thrasher then congratulated Saralyn Dwyer of A-P-T Research for her election to National Executive Vice President, Larry Jones of Dynetics, Inc.for his upgrade to Fellow member, and Gary Braman of Sikorsky and Susan Bayley of URS Corporation, Washington Division, for their upgrade to Senior member.

Member discussions were held on a motion to provide funding for the chapter president to attend the annual SSS Executive Committee meeting, which is held just prior to the ISSC. Funding will be within set guidelines, not to exceed $1000. This representation of the chapter at this national event is vital to chapter growth and prosperity, as it allows for leadership interaction and information exchange, while providing chapter input into national issues and discussions regarding system safety. The motion was carried and passed by members that were present and is currently out for the entire chapter membership vote and comment, with a deadline of 19 March.

Thrasher then introduced February’s speaker, Linda Schoo, Workplace Safety Training and AED Program Coordinator for the American Red Cross in Huntsville. She has a medical background and several years of experience with the ARC both in Detroit and in our community. She volunteers with local organizations to promote and maintain community emergency readiness and promote preparedness. Linda has been vital in initiating programs with US Army organizations which train participates in first aid, CPR, and AED usage.

During her presentation Schoo revealed that very year, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a leading cause of death in the United States, claiming over 220,000 lives. When SCA strikes, seconds mean the difference between life and death. With each minute of elapsed time before defibrillation, the survival rate of the victim diminishes by approximately 10 percent. The number of survivors of sudden cardiac arrest increases markedly when the victims are helped by trained responders who can perform not only CPR, but also to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). Proper training is not just for CPR and AED usage, but also for planning and making sure that everyone knows what to do – for SCA and other emergencies that may occur. Can you name the 5Cs? – stay Calm, Call for help, Clear the area, Check the victims, and provide Care until help arrives. Stay calm above all else -- If you panic, who is going to help you? Do you know who to call? Is your area covered by 9-1-1? Are there other hazards in the area that make it hazardous (down power lines, water, etc)? Check the victims, telling them not to move them unless absolutely necessary to prevent further injury. Do you know basic first aid? CPR? Do you know where your AED is located? Who is trained to use it? Beyond the basics, Linda also discussed the “issues” and questions that arise when you offer assistance. There are laws that protect the responders who use AED, plus there is limited liability coverage from the AED manufacturers. In the end, The American Heart Association supports implementing the "chain of survival" to rescue people who suffer a cardiac arrest in the community. The adult chain consists of: 1) Early Recognition of the Emergency and Activation of Emergency Response System (phone 9-1-1 immediately), 2) Early CPR, 3) Early Defibrillation, and 4) Early Advanced Care. The chain only works if all the links are in place -- Are you really prepared? For more information on workplace safety, whose principles can be utilized where ever large groups of people gather, visit the ARC on the web (Link) or think about attending the Free Workplace Safety Seminar, Tuesday, 11 March at the Huntsville office of the American Red Cross. Contact Linda for more information, linda@helpcantwait.org.

Thrasher then thanked Ms Schoo for her presentation and the information that was presented. And he thanked Steve Hosner and Westar for hosting our February meeting and providing box lunches.