My Monday Morning

[mrw]

I'm walking through a parking lot and a guy ahead of me trips on a curb and drops face first onto the concrete. SHIT! Me and about 10 other people run over to the guy and he's just lying there face down, out cold bleeding like a stuck pig. A flurry of cell phones appear and 911 calls are made. So here we stand, at least 10 of us and not one knows any first aid what so ever.Gapers all. The guy starts to come to, rolls over and is breathing in short gasps. At this point I'm sure the guy is about to expire.Sirens are heard but this guy is not looking too good to me. Finally,The guy's eyes are starting to focus and I'm talking to him just kind of telling him that help is on the way and to stay calm.The ambulance arrives, scoops the guy up and off they go. One thing was driven home to me, I have to get some cpr, first aid training. Any suggestions?

[Viva]

CPR classes are offered everywhere. I think that the Red Cross offeres them. Your local jr. college should also offer classes. You may even want to consider taking an emergency medical training course.

[Oarhead]

I had to take first aid training for patrol and I am super happy since I have had to use it a couple of times.

That sucks when you feel completely powerless in situations like that. Sometimes ski patrol first aid courses are offered cheaper than most other providers even though the courses are the same.

[KQ]

Wow - what a way to start the week (for both you and the victim)!!

Situations like that are always so scary when you realize you don't have the requisite skills to give aid. Check out this web site:


American Heart Association - CPR

[Superstar Punani]

I'm walking through a parking lot and a guy ahead of me trips on a curb and drops face first onto the concrete.

....and he THROWS IT!

[slim]

American Heart Association - CPR

Not that it probably matters in this situation but American Heart Association is a valid cert for a two year period where as the Red Cross is only a one year. You get a bit more bang for your buck out of the Heart Association.

Also, American Red Cross First Aid courses are worth the effort and give you the basic First Aid skills you don't get in anyway from CPR. Both courses will cost you maybe $50 total and is completely worth your time.

[Crinkle]

agreed, first aid and cpr are good things to have. I havent done my first aid in a few years, but that stuff is easy to remember. CPR i have to stay current on for my job. I've used my first aid a few times, very handy knowledge. Better yet if you are a BC skier or traveler in the summer is Wilderness first responder, more serious class, but good skills to have in the woods.

[snowsprite]

I completed a Red Cross first aid certification class last month after my 10 yr old son almost choked to death at his cousin's birthday party and I didn't know how to help him properly (that was my big wake up call--I still get the shakes when I think about it too much).

It is extremely helpful, but you have to review the book from time to time. I've told myself I'm going to take 1/2 hr a month out of the time that I waste online to go through the book and refresh my memory (oh well, there goes the 1/2 hour of work a month I do around here )

You did the right thing by staying calm and talking w/ the guy though. Good for you for thinking about getting schooled in first aid too. Everybody should! The Red Cross class was really good, you probably have one in your local if you want to check that out. It cost $65 and lasted 4 hours though (it's quite thorough and IMO you really need that long to properly learn the basics...probably 4 more hours to learn it well).

Sprite

[gincognito]

So, back to the event that started this thread, what would the response of someone who has taken a basic first aid/cpr class have been? I know that unconcious = call 911 and make sure they know the victim is unconcious. Other than that, check breath and pulse and go from there?

Sick and ashamed and happy (and fairly useless),
d.

[snowsprite]

Well, he actually did the right thing despite the fact he didn't know it. I'd have to know more but it sounds like the guy was breathing. You don't want to do CPR unless a person has no heartbeat and is not able to breathe on their own...you could severely injure them. If they are not breathing and do have a heartbeat you'd perform rescue breathing for them for as long as it takes for help to arrive.

A problem here is the nightmare scenario that we discussed in our class...person is bleeding like a stuck pig. At that point you have to make some split-second and major-ramification decisions. If you ingest some of this blood you risk HIV, Hepatitis and lord knows what other diseases. If you don't act the person can die. I do carry around a kit with me that has a disposable shield I can use to protect against blood, saliva, etc. But how many carry some such thing?

The guy who taught our class said it's a personal decision, but once he did not have a shield w/ him and he really thought that death was imminent in this person he was trying to help. So he just decided to risk it and pulled the person's sweater over their head to minimize the body fluid exposure while he did rescue breathing.

I give the EMT's, firefighters, and cops who deal w/ this type of issue on a daily basis a lot of credit. Takes major cojones!

But anyway, the first thing and most important thing you do in these cases is assess the scenario and call for help (both of which were done). Staying with/comforting the victim is also excellent if that's the only thing you know how to do (and in this case was apparently the correct thing from what I can tell).

Sprite

[Droopy]

CPR is cake, 4 fingers up, 15 compressions 2 breaths, check. Repeat till your arms fall off

[Dr. Gaper]

Let me guess, he didn't put his arms out to break his fall because he was talking on his cell phone?

[mrw]

Let me guess, he didn't put his arms out to break his fall because he was talking on his cell phone?

no, the guy looked like he was in his 70's and I think he just tripped on the curb. I guess his reaction time had slowed over the years. Both arms were at his side just like he would have been if he had been standing up. My first thought was either stroke or heart attack.A lady who was closest to him said that she saw him stumble then kaboom.


Lots of great advice here, thanks.The blood was an issue.Iwas holding his head and ended up covered in it from the wrists down.After, I scrubbed with antibacterial soap. I have no open sores or cuts so I'm guessing I'm okay. Scary stuff .

edit..truth is, I have washed my hands about 50 times today.BLOOD FREAKS ME OUT

[Dr. Gaper]

Yowser!!!!