Community Medicine at HCESD 48
Welcome to the Community Medicine page for Harris County ESD 48 Fire Department. The mission of the Community Medicine Division is to provide health education and increased access to healthcare to residents within our community. We also work closely with the Community Risk Reduction Division to assist in special events and public relations requests.
The Community Medicine Division provides low or no-cost classes such as CPR, Stop The Bleed, and A Matter of Balance. Classes such as CPR and Stop The Bleed are designed to increase the amount of “immediate responders” in the community. In other words, individuals who are present when an emergency happens and can provide life-saving care immediately until emergency services arrive.
Through our robust partnerships with local nonprofit organizations, acute care hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, and primary care groups and clinics, we are able to provide a variety of solutions for the complex healthcare needs of our community.
Programs and Services
Tactical Emergency Casualty Care
Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) is a 16-hour course through the National Association of EMTs. HCESD 48 leads the course in partnership with the Katy ISD Police Department and the Spring Branch ISD Police Department.
The main purpose of TECC is to develop a co-operative medical and police team, referred to as a Rescue Task Force, to rapidly stabilize and evacuate injured persons in a threat environment, such as an active shooter situation or other type of violent/potentially violent setting.
The purpose of TECC is to train personnel to think differently in high-stress situations. The emphasis is on priorities instead of scripted routines. The TECC model can be implemented in a wide variety of circumstances faced by first responders.
The course presents the three phases of tactical care and integrates parallel EMS classification:
- Hot Zone/Direct Threat Care that is rendered while under attack or in adverse conditions.
- Warm Zone/Indirect Threat Care that is rendered while the threat has been suppressed but may resurface at any point.
- Cold Zone/Evacuation Care that is rendered while the casualty is being evacuated from the incident site.
Community Classes
AHA Heartsaver Classes
American Heart Association Heartsaver® First Aid CPR AED classes are taught by a dedicated team of volunteer, full-time, and part-time team members. All instructors are certified by the American Heart Association as CPR instructors.
HCESD 48 offers several options for CPR certification. The classes listed below are for ages 8 and up. All children under the age of 16 must have a parent present for the duration of the class.
- For those who need a healthcare provider certification, we offer a 4-hour Basic Life Support (BLS) class. Cost of the class is $55.00 per person and includes a student handbook and electronic certification card (E-card) valid for two years.
- If you are a non-healthcare provider, we offer Heartsaver® CPR/AED with and without First Aid. The Heartsaver® class without the First Aid component is a 4-hour class. The Heartsaver Class with First Aid is an 8-hour class. The cost for both classes is $35.00 per person and includes a student handbook and electronic certification card (E-card) valid for two years.
Stop the Bleed
The purpose of the STOP THE BLEED campaign is to make our nation more resilient by better preparing the public to save lives if people nearby are severely bleeding. Classes are 2 hours in length and students are taught a variety of techniques to control severe bleeding. Instruction includes a brief lecture portion followed by hands-on instruction. A Certificate of Completion will be given at the end of the course.
The course cost is $45.00, which includes a Stop The Bleed kit that has all the tools needed to control severe bleeding. This class is suitable for ages 12 and older.
A Matter of Balance
A Matter of Balance is a community-based, small-group (8-12 participants) program that helps older adults reduce their fear of falling and increase activity levels. Coaches work in pairs to lead small group classes that consist of eight 2-hour sessions. The behavior change curriculum addresses the fear of falling and engages the participant to view falls and the fear of falling as controllable. Exercises are introduced and performed in 6 of the 8 sessions.
Participants are involved in group discussion, problem-solving, skill-building, assertiveness training, sharing practical solutions, and exercise training. Developing an action plan to address ongoing exercise, reducing risk factors, and changing behaviors that contribute to risk factors supports ongoing efforts to reduce the fear of falling in participants.
This class is for adults, 60 years old and older, regardless of physical ability or limitation.
Upcoming Community Medicine Events
There are no upcoming events at this time