The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Do you carry a first aid kit in your car?

444 · April 16, 2002, 07:47 PM

Another safety item. Get a pocket mask with a one way valve for doing CPR. Speaking of CPR, if there is one thing you could do to help someone, make it learning CPR. Bystander CPR is vital to the persons survival. Any one of us could make so much difference in a persons survival that it is incredible. In cardiac arrest, permenent brain damage occurs within four minutes. Also, the longer a person is in cardiac arrest, the less electrical activity their heart has, and the less they will respond to defibrillation and drug therapy. You can buy this person time if you know CPR. It is all but impossible for an ambulance to respond in less than four minutes unless they happen to be in the immediate area and know exactly where they are going. Even with them giving it everything they can, it is often too late by the time they get there if no CPR is done by bystanders. In the case of cardiac arrest, the layman is an essential, and vital link in the health care system. It only takes one day to learn. The life you save may be one of your own family.

Please pardon me if you have heard this rant before. Everytime a subject like this comes up, I beat this drum long and hard. Everything I said above is true, but I also harp on this for my own selfish needs. You see, paramedics want more than anything to succeed at their job. They spend countless hours learning, re-learning, drilling, practicing, studying etc. But this is all in vain if we have nothing to work with when we arrive on scene. The frustration of throwing a sheet over someone when something as simple as CPR MIGHT have made the difference is extremely frustrating and demoralizing.

April 16, 2002, 07:47 PM	#11
444 Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2000 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,968	Another safety item. Get a pocket mask with a one way valve for doing CPR. Speaking of CPR, if there is one thing you could do to help someone, make it learning CPR. Bystander CPR is vital to the persons survival. Any one of us could make so much difference in a persons survival that it is incredible. In cardiac arrest, permenent brain damage occurs within four minutes. Also, the longer a person is in cardiac arrest, the less electrical activity their heart has, and the less they will respond to defibrillation and drug therapy. You can buy this person time if you know CPR. It is all but impossible for an ambulance to respond in less than four minutes unless they happen to be in the immediate area and know exactly where they are going. Even with them giving it everything they can, it is often too late by the time they get there if no CPR is done by bystanders. In the case of cardiac arrest, the layman is an essential, and vital link in the health care system. It only takes one day to learn. The life you save may be one of your own family. Please pardon me if you have heard this rant before. Everytime a subject like this comes up, I beat this drum long and hard. Everything I said above is true, but I also harp on this for my own selfish needs. You see, paramedics want more than anything to succeed at their job. They spend countless hours learning, re-learning, drilling, practicing, studying etc. But this is all in vain if we have nothing to work with when we arrive on scene. The frustration of throwing a sheet over someone when something as simple as CPR MIGHT have made the difference is extremely frustrating and demoralizing.