Saving lives-learn it.

[Litespeed]

A subject we normally don't give much thought to is training in "First Responder First Aid". It is often our best and only hope when the unexpected happens.

 

Given we all like to fly and inherent in that is risk of crash or medical emergency. But we normally only think of them separately, but they are really twins. One generally follows the other- you crash get injured or get in medical trouble and crash.

 

I would hope if I am ever in a crash that the passenger will be less hurt and know what to do to save my life. The same goes for anyone who comes to my aid. What happens straight after a crash is Life and Death.

 

Now we will assume you are not so physically damaged that life is impossible- ie head crushed or other massive trauma.

 

For all those who die in aircraft accidents, many are from causes not entirely related to the impact alone, and could in theory be saved with the right help by a conscious passenger with a bit of knowledge. Just like in car accidents many die after the event by blocked airway- head slump forward because they are unconscious.

 

If you can do anything- this is it. No air is DEATH.

 

Make sure they have a unrestricted airway- tilt the head back, check for Breath.

 

Check they have nothing blocking the airway, could be tongue, teeth etc.

 

Even if they have all the appearance of been dead- No responses, No pulse, No Breathing- DEAD.

 

Hope is not lost- if you do CPR you may bring them back Alive.

 

Many deaths from accidents are from shock to the body causing heart failure- Get the heart going again and your chances are good. The Brain, the Heart and the Lungs are the most vital organs. CPR can get these organs going again to sustain life, then you worry about other things. Naturally this assumes you not stuck in a burning aircraft- then get the hell out and if possible help the injured out- then do CPR.

 

I say this because on Sunday night, after sex my best friend Monty, came out to the bar fridge ,where I was on this very forum and fell over. He had dropped DEAD right in front of me. He was still, breathless, no pulse and absolutely no responses, Monty's eyes stared lifeless. Just a bag of bones and limp muscle- a rag doll. Unfortunately I have seen a few deaths happen and knew Monty was DEAD.

 

So, I immediately used all my training and did CPR, I was determined to bring back my friend and after 7 minutes of chest compressions and breathing for him- he had a small cough and a faint breath. He breaths were slow but he was breathing, after awhile they gained strength and he blinked. I had just saved my friends life.

 

After being dead for 7 minutes he was back and fighting to live.

 

I was concerned he was gone too long, I worried about brain damage or the cause was irreversible like massive stroke etc.

 

It took 10 minutes more before he had any muscle control- prior to this he was literally a rag doll. Within 30 minutes he had full muscle control and was able to stand- like a drunk.

 

And 1 hour after he dropped dead in front of me, Monty was able to walk and drink water.

 

Because I was able to act as soon as he fell dead, I had kept his heart pumping blood and lungs receiving air. His brain was able to get its vital oxygenated blood during those seven minutes.

 

I feel incredibly lucky my best friend is alive and just like his normal self. No heavy sex after a big meal and he might live much longer. I have warned him off such silliness and told him at beyond 80, thinking about sex is all he should do.

 

The combination of age, strenuous sex on a full stomach- which was pushing on his diaphragm and a restricted airway had lead to him having a heart attack.

 

A yelp of pain and dropped dead. My rarely used training had worked and a life returned. Better than a lottery win- especially for Monty.

 

So everyone should go out and learn a good first aid course. Do not be afraid to get in to help some one even if they appear dead- any help is better than none. Even after 30 minutes- keep going till medics arrive and take over.

 

And you might even save their life.

 

CPR does save lives, learn it and get others to as well. It might be your life that is saved.

 

Be current with your training- ever two years is best.

 

It can be less than $100 and 1-2 days of time.

 

You will be able to do CPR on even a baby- same idea just much more gentle.

 

Now the kick in this- Monty my best friend is a 4 pound long haired Chihuahua, I just adapted my technique for a really small baby and put his whole muzzle in my mouth and breathed for him. The chest compressions were two fingers.

 

Monty is just like himself and no changes at all- but every time he goes to hump his pillow- I tell him NO sex at your age.

 

The Vet was amazed and said sudden death is very common in the elderly dog after exercise- but she had never heard of a owner giving CPR and saving one.

 

Monty is a very lucky boy-

 

And I feel every bit as lucky to still have him.

 

Now stop reading and do some CPR training.

 

Phil

 

 

[Guest ozzie]

Yep you gotta watch that sex stuff, my neighbour had a heart attack shortly after it. Ambulance guy said it was common around those over 55.

 

Good feeling to save a life.

 

Ozzie

 

 

[Guest Jake.f]

A few things I learned about CPR recently (From med students, so I can accept it is a trusted source):

 

1. It is highly unlikely to actually restart a heart that has stopped, in this instance the purpose of CPR is to preserve tissure by keeping blood flowing manually until defribrillation can occur, which can restart the heart and result in a recover with minimal or no brain and tissue damage

 

2. For instances of trauma, CPR is a pretty futile effort but it is still recommended to do it

 

3. If ever in the situation that CPR is needed, and you don't know the person or they are the kind of person you don't feel like doing mouth to mouth with (For example if you found a drunk lying lifeless on the street) chest compressions can still suffice, and are often more successful because the person is not fiddling around trying to remember the breaths to compressions ratio, the pressure on the diaphragm will force some air into the lungs

 

Somehow I think that a CPR course should be a compulsory course taught once ever couple of years in school.

 

 

[winsor68]

Wow!

 

 

[cherk]

Wow!

maybe like...... Bow- WOW

 

 

[naremman]

Great advocacy for the First Responder concept by Litespeed and Jake.f. The stats on those within the general population who attain and maintain First Aid qualifications is not too encouraging.

 

The importance of the DRSABC sequence can not be understated. The incorporation of the "S": Summon Help, is really useful. Too often critical time is consumed before the call to summon an ambulance is placed. Mobile phones have been a boon to getting appropriate medical care to a scene promptly.

 

Remember that a little early quite often produces a better outcome rather than waiting for the arrival of the cavalry later on.

 

I suppose I am the ultimate hypocrite, waiting until I was 50 before I did my first formal First Aid course, and then joined St John Ambulance and attained Advanced Ambulance Care qualifications as a Volunteer Ambulance Officer. It is never too late, and it is surprising the reticence encountered when I attempt to promote to mature couples the benefits of doing an easily accessible First Aid Course. "Its a good idea, but........"

 

 

[winsor68]

[Guest SAJabiruflyer]

Knowing how to perform CPR is very worthwile. I had to perform it for around 20 minutes until Paramedics arrived. Even though I knew it was pointless, I kept going, until told to stop. Had I NOT been able to do ANYTHING then I would hazard a guess it would haunt me even more thant it already does. So, I urge everyone to have the training needed. If you work for someone else, why not ask your employer to pay for your course even. I did that with one of my employee's. Who knows - you may save a life one day.

 

 

[Litespeed]

maybe like...... Bow- WOW

Thats what Monty said after dinner tonight.

 

Smaller meals twice a day instead of pigging out and absolutely NO SEX.

 

I understand the small chance I had in bringing back my mate but he lives and is fine.

 

Since Monty had perfect timing in his initial demise ie right in front of me, in the man shed, I had all the tools at hand. If he failed to respond, I guess I could have hooked up some leads and given him a jolt. But as his sudden death was not from direct heart trauma, I was able to get his heart started again and rhythm returned. He is two feet away right now and happy sleeping.

 

I am really still on a high from having Monty alive and with me. In the back of my mind is the image of him dead- a rag doll, Life is so transient and we take it for granted.

 

True to his nature, Monty has not had a existential crisis over life after death- he is just happy to take each day as it comes. Monty has always known that life and death are two sides of the same coin. In earlier years, his speed and agility gave him the name assassin- the rat killer. We lived on acres with horses and a rat problem, Monty would just silently hunt and hit the rat with speed and snaps its neck. We are talking aggressive big rats almost his size- he would sometimes leave them still standing, eyes open, tongue out to left(always to left?) and stone cold dead with not a mark on em. He had hit them like the canine equivalent of a Falcon or Osprey. A snapped neck on contact at speed.

 

I am always amazed at his personality and nature- he will only kill what he sees as a threat to the family. Our friendly magpies and offspring are never worried when he sniffs their bums. But heaven help any rodent- in his terrestrial domain he is a true fighter ace. And he takes each breath without concern and happy to be alive.

 

There is a DOG

 

 

[naremman]

Knowing how to perform CPR is very worthwile. I had to perform it for around 20 minutes until Paramedics arrived. Even though I knew it was pointless, I kept going, until told to stop. Had I NOT been able to do ANYTHING then I would hazard a guess it would haunt me even more thant it already does. So, I urge everyone to have the training needed. If you work for someone else, why not ask your employer to pay for your course even. I did that with one of my employee's. Who knows - you may save a life one day.

Brett. I would hope that you received some affirmation and recognition for your actions. Whatever chance of survival your Pt had, your actions did not preclude that possibility. Within the ambulance environment we will review the considerations and pose the question: "Did I do my best?" In your case I think there is an obvious response. Sitting on your hands and waiting for the paramedics to arrive 20 minutes later would have had a pretty predictable outcome.

 

In acquiring First Aid skills we all hope never to use those skills. Life never seems to work out all that easily. The time and effort required to acquire my ambulance skills has turned out to be a blessing many times over, even outside the ambulance environment.

 

I look at my 80 years young Dad, and am grateful that my ambulance skills gave him a chance of survival two years ago when he had a heart attack. Cardiac arrythmia was covered in the theoretical sense when I did my ambulance training, and I certainly was not looking to my old man to provide me with my first practical lesson. That was the reallity I faced, and the medication I was able to administer, and subsequent actions at least kept him on deck.

 

Ironically, Dad was visiting his sister in Perth last week when she experienced a stroke. He was at least familiar with some of the issues, and managed to get a good number of them right. The attending paramedic made them comment to Dad: "You have have saved that lady's life". Made Dad feel pretty special.

 

First Aid skills should be seen as an investment in life. $200 max for a course valid for three years, and a resonable first aid kit for around $60 is pretty cheap insurance.

 

My wife is a teacher and she introduces First Aid concepts to her Year 3 charges at 8 years old. They are sponges for knowlege, and they put together a basic first aid kit together for $10 each.

 

Sadly aviation has all too many instances when people have survived the initial crash, and then perished throught quite easily preventable circumstnces. We may well assess ourselves as competent pilots. but just how well equiped are we to deal with pear shaped outcomes with a component of trauma?

 

 

[Guest Jake.f]

Another reason why training for CPR is absolutely necessary is that unless you have a go at it on a practice dummy you don't realise just how deep compressions have to actually be. Fair enough people could see it on TV and say 'Oh yeh, that looks easy' but unless you realise just how deep compressions need to be you probably wouldn't help much.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

I am really still on a high from having Monty alive and with me.

Nah, you just want to kiss more dogs that's all.

 

Glad it worked out positively & your doggy is fine Litespeed! BTW have to ask, do you really own a Dream Machine (as in the Airdrome Aeroplanes version)?

 

Gnu (just one of the turkeys)

 

 

[Guest SAJabiruflyer]

Brett. I would hope that you received some affirmation and recognition for your actions. Whatever chance of survival your Pt had, your actions did not preclude that possibility. Within the ambulance environment we will review the considerations and pose the question: "Did I do my best?" In your case I think there is an obvious response. Sitting on your hands and waiting for the paramedics to arrive 20 minutes later would have had a pretty predictable outcome.

Well it was my Dad. He had advanced Lung Cancer. And his lungs were full of blood, it was everywhere, all over him and me. Didnt taste too good. There was no chance any air I was blowing would get to his lungs, all I could hear was gurgling when I blew. I knew it was pointless but I wasnt going to give up on my old man until the paramedics.. well they KNEW it was hopeless. I have nightmares to this day and I still cant watch CPR on TV shows.

 

I'm sharing this because if even ONE person reads it and thinks "oh sh*t, I dont want that to happen" and gives up smoking, it would be worth it. If one person reads this and goes and does a First Aid Course... it would be worth it.

 

Dont smoke. And know First Aid!

 

Happy flying :big_grin:

 

 

[Litespeed]

Another reason why training for CPR is absolutely necessary is that unless you have a go at it on a practice dummy you don't realise just how deep compressions have to actually be. Fair enough people could see it on TV and say 'Oh yeh, that looks easy' but unless you realise just how deep compressions need to be you probably wouldn't help much.

If you are not almost breaking ribs then you need to push harder!

 

The rib cage actually flexes a bit- get it too flex.

 

 

[Litespeed]

Nah, you just want to kiss more dogs that's all. Glad it worked out positively & your doggy is fine Litespeed! BTW have to ask, do you really own a Dream Machine (as in the Airdrome Aeroplanes version)?

 

Gnu (just one of the turkeys)

Hey a furry kiss is better than none at all.

 

No - the dream machine is just designs in my noggin at the moment- would love a Fokker D8 with machine guns though!