Island fishermen will have an opportunity to improve their life-saving skills this week thanks to a free, two-day event hosted by Fisherman Partnership Support Services at the Chilmark Community Center on 520 South Road.
The program begins Friday Dec. 6 with a CPR and first aid course from 8 am until 4 pm, and on Saturday, fishing industry health day will run from 9 am until 5 pm offering health insurance enrollment, health screenings, a dental clinic, and financial assistance through Women of Fishing Families.
The CPR course is tailored for commercial fishermen, focusing on teaching lifesaving skills to assess and treat injuries or illnesses on board before emergency responders arrive. Training in CPR and AED use, medevac procedures, hypothermia treatment, proper wound care, narcan administration, assessing traumatic injuries, cardiac-event management, injury prevention, splinting, medical emergency signs, and marine bites, spines and stings will all be included in the training. Those who complete the course will receive a free, customized first aid kit designed specifically for fishing vessels.
Saturday’s event will also include demonstrations and testing of different life jackets so fishermen can find some that are comfortable to wear while working.
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