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Learn CPR!

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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Mr. X

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Jul 14, 2005
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I was recently called on to give CPR to somebody who suddenly & unexpectedly "died on their feet" as they stood right next to me (not a diving incident). Sadly the person concerned did not make it despite the best efforts of myself & those nearby, which fortunately included several other trained first aiders, for more than 20 minutes (felt like more than 40 minutes) until the emergency services were able to take over.

It was a shocking experience (although not my first of this type) that has made me determined to learn what I can from the experience and share it where I can. So here are some thoughts:

1. If you don't know CPR: just do chest compressions, like in the Vinnie Jones TV ads

2. If you do know CPR: do mouth-to-mouth & chest compressions, 2:30 is the currently recommended ratio of breaths-to-chest compressions in the UK.
 
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3. If others are available, split the task. e.g. one on mouth-to-mouth & rotate others on chest compressions as they tire (it is hard work).

4. More people should learn CPR and keep up-to-date with it (the details change as understanding improves).

5. Training is important/useful, especially with a resuscitation dummy: I had to stop one bystander when they started to try to do chest compressions - they were willing but not trained and, more importantly, not effective. But if others were not available, I would have worked with them to correct their technique.
 
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6. Carry a resuscitation mask for your own protection & equip all of your first aid kits and vehicles with them. They can cost as little as 35p and you can get good, valve-equipped ones for 85p & fancy ones for £2.99 on ebay/Amazon/St. John's ambulance/Red Cross.


7. Mobile phones are handy: the emergency operator provided good, accurate, timely advice and reassurance, as well as getting ambulance & air ambulance support.

8. Gasping (aganol respiration) is not breathing. Start CPR!


9. Electronic automatic Defibrillators, as shown above, cost about £2000 currently and offer the best chance of survival. Training helps but they are generally easy to use and will often talk you through what to do.
 
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10. If you are not administering CPR, make yourself useful: deal with the phone, help sort out directions, find others to help, keep animals away, clear space for helicopter (if appropriate) but then stay out of its way, make sure that the ambulance knows where to go.

11. Know your location. Sounds easy/obvious but how accurately can you described your location ( in terms that the operator & emergency services will quickly & clearly understand) and how to get there. Not always as easy as it might first appear. [Mobile cell sites give only crude location information, many mobiles can now provide highly accurate GPS coordinates.]
 
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Excellent posts Mr X, anyone can suffer a heart attack, even the super fit. One chap was jogging past the shop that my wife was working in at the time and fell like a stone outside the shop. She did CPR on him until the medics arrived but unfortunately he didn't make it. More and more shops and organisations are carrying defibs now, a definite step forward but you never know when your gonna need CPR, at the shops, down the beach, on a boat. It took a while for my wife to get over it, she felt proud that she tried whilst at the same time feeling that she could have done more. She did what she could, knew CPR but the chaps time was up unfortunately. Well done on trying Mr X, you did what you could.
 
The chap concerned was only 51 years old but seemed younger and appeared fit & slim. Although I did not know him well, I have known him for 40 years. Lovely chap. Very sudden & very unexpected. It occurred on a local hill top with no road access. A beauty spot with views all around, near an old Saxon long barrow - as good a place as any to die and better than most I suppose.
 
Sorry to hear about this one X. not a good experience, but well done. Just to add to your excellent list - remember it is Vital to make sure someone has definitely gone for help/ ambulance at the start, i.e. before CPR. otherwise you could be doing CPR for a loooong time. 20 minutes would seem like a very long time so very well done!
 
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20minutes is a long time for doing it alone. We normally change every 10 minutes if helping the LAS.
Defibrillator is what is going to get the heart started in a normal rhythm.

They are in a lot of shops now and even telephone boxes. Mcdonalds I think have them along with train stations to name a few.
And with the ambulance service underfunded and close to collapse you may well be on your own for some time. The sooner a shock is given the better chance of survival. Remember though you can't shock a cold heart so you need to do least 5 cycles of effective CPR to get the heart oxygenated unless it was a witnessed arrest and you had a defib to hand (highly unlikely for the average joe)
 
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First post

The OP is 100% correct! Imo EVERYONE should take at least a basic course in CPR.

That's especially true for people who do "risky" sports. I Thai box on the side and our coach forced us all to take CPR classes.
 
Gotta agree there. You never know when you need to rescue someone. BE it rescuing someone from a rip or doing CPR on someone. I myself have done a first-aid course. But its important to revise the basics regularly.
 
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