This is the third year the city has hosted the training/appreciation event. Around 56 providers attended the training, which was available to individual at-home providers and providers working at daycare centers.

Economic Development Authority (EDA) Director Heather Bregel said the two-day training seminar came out of discussions with First Children’s Finance three years ago. The EDA was seeking methods to grow and retain daycare providers. Minnesota has experienced a shortage of daycare providers. Training requirements to retain childcare certification were identified as one struggle to keep providers in the business.

The EDA and First Children’s Finance decided to bring the training courses to New Ulm to help providers get necessary training without the hassle of driving to other communities. Daycare providers typically work during the day. Traveling to another city to take training after work in the evening is a hassle for many. By creating a local program, it removes one obstacle for providers.

“I think that’s why they like it so much,” Bregel said. “It is local to New Ulm.”

EMT and CPR/First Aid instructor Deb Huhn demonstrates new procedures for performing CPR on infants for a classroom for of childcare providers.

The local training classes proved extremely popular. Most of those participating in the training are providers from New Ulm or the Brown County area.

The EDA chose to make the training program an annual tradition. First Children’s Finance has helped sponsor the event as well as other local businesses and organizations. Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) pays for the trainers to attend. EDA also provided free use of the community center.

SMIF, 3M, First Children’s Finance, New Ulm Area Chamber, Jensen Motors and State Street Theater provided gifts and door prizes for the providers attending the training event.

Pauline Holz with Brown County Family Services said childcare providers could get 12 of the 16 hours of required training by participating in the two-day event. The program is designed to emphasize the necessary training such as pediatric first aid and CPR; Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SIDS)/Abusive Head Trauma; childhood development and active supervision.

Pediatric First Aid and CPR was the most popular training course on Friday. The class was led by EMT Instructor Deb Huhn.

Huhn began the training event by praising the providers for their continued training emphasizing the importance of what they do.

“You are taking care of the most important people in other people’s lives,” she said.

It is important to have the most up to date information. Huhn ran providers through the basics of First Aid and CPR, emphasizing the changes in guidelines.

Infant CPR has a new chest compression method. When performing compressions on an infant, the goal is to compress the chest 1.5 inches.

Huhn said this was a big change. For some, it is going to feel like you’re bouncing off the child’s backbone. She admits in some cases, that’s exactly what will happen, but recent studies found the compressions need to go deeper and faster.

How do you know if CPR is working? Check the patient skin color. If their color is normal, their brain is getting the proper air.

“Pump the color back into them,” Huhn said.

On the first aid side of the training, one of the big changes was the use of Narcan, also known as Naloxone. Narcan can block the effects of an opioid on the brain. It can reverse an opioid overdose.

Cassie Sandmann, an EMT and first-aid training instructor said “Some people are scared of Narcan but it is safe and effective.”

Huhn added that Narcan worked on all ages from infants to grandparents. She said Narcan is for the grandparent who forgot how much paint medication they took, or the child who accidentally got their hands on the pills.

Huhn said it can also be administered to a patient who is not breathing because Narcan is absorbed through the body.

“There is no real side effect to using it,” Sandmann said. “If a person doesn’t have opioids in their system it won’t work.”

The first aid training included practice tests for administering a dose of Narcan. The use of the opioid blocker was one of the biggest takeaways from providers attending the seminar.

Darla Remus, a childcare provider for 39 years, said the information about Narcan was new to her, but she appreciated how the class was taught.

“[Huhn] does a real good job of putting everything in layman’s terms,” Remus said.

“It is always good to have a refresher,” Brenda Janni said describing the training course. Janni has been doing daycare for 27 years. She now has a co-license with her daughter Krista. Janni said the Narcan information was new, but she also appreciated the updates on EpiPen use. A provider is allowed to administer a second EpiPen dose 15 minutes after the first without a doctor present. Any more than two should be done under medical supervision.

The next childcare training program will likely be held in spring 2025. Holz explained there were changes in the law regarding when providers received the training. Previously a provider needed to have 16 hours of training based on the date they first became licensed. Now, the training is needed every calendar year rather than the annual licensing renewal date.

Bregel said most providers will want to get the training earlier in year. The city is aiming for a date in April.