Zachary Lassiter
I'll have to say after I watched the video I was very refreshed
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Basic First Aid as a class addition?
- Thread starter Shawn Gossman
- Start date
I'll have to say after I watched the video I was very refreshed
Amanda Farnham
EF1
Yes, I can see how relevant it is.MatthewCarman
It would be nice to know how to do first aid and CPR properly. You never know when you may need to use it.
Zach, 2 minutes is not enough time to learn anything. Why not make a 10 minute or 30 minute video? I feel a 2 minute video is a waste of time.
Zach, 2 minutes is not enough time to learn anything. Why not make a 10 minute or 30 minute video? I feel a 2 minute video is a waste of time.
Bart_Comstock
EF5
I fail to see how basic first aid and CPR would be useless after a tornado has impacted a area. There are all sorts of scenarios I can think of where CPR or basic first aid would be helpful. Not all tornado related injuries will be serious enough that basic first aid will be very helpful.
A proper first aid course will cover how to deal with puncture wounds, cuts and scraps, bruising, shock, head and neck injuries, fractures, and nose bleeds. All of these are likely to be found in a moderate to serious disaster site. Even electrical shock is covered which is still a possibility if someone is in a damaged structure that still has power. With a proper first aid course you will also learn how to use barriers and antiseptics which will protect both you and the person you are assisting.
Even breathless CPR and traditional CPR would be potentially life saving if a person looses consciousness and their falls into cardiac arrest. I can think of many cases where someone couldn't handle the stress and shock of a disaster and died as the result of a heart attack.
I am a PADI certified rescue diver and a certified first responder with training in both primary and secondary care and the use of an AED.
From what I understand if you only did what was with in your power and that you have been trained in with out any criminal negligence you are protected by the good samaritan laws. It is people who get certified then do thinks they were not trained in or do not execute the proper way to apply the treatment they are giving that results in harm to life or property that can be sued for damages or tried criminally.
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Paul Racine
I would have to say that First Aid would be something that actually would be important to learn not only for disaster situations but for real life as well. CPR on the other hand is a great tool to know but I do not see how it would really be useful in a MCI type incident in which a tornado would be. Having been in EMS/Fire scene as a Paramedic and EMT for 20+ years I do have a thought/insight on this.
During a MCI Mass Casualty Incident patients are classified on the METTAG system which uses a simple method of classifying patients by their injuries and color coding them.
Black signifies Deceased patients or those alive with obvious fatal and non resuscitatable injuries. This is where I place cardiac arrest victims due to the fact of taking so many resources to help 1 person vs trying to save many.
Red signifies Severe patients that need immediate treatment/transport such as these badly bleeding, respiratory problems, burns etc
Yellow signifies secondary/delayed patients which means patients broken bones, non major or arterial bleeding, minor burns, etc
Green basically is walking wounded which doesn't mean that they aren't injured but do not need immediate help for their non-life threatening injuries.
Someone that was having a heart attack after a major disaster such as a tornado would probably be having one based on 2 probable factors:
1) they had pre-existing heart conditions that made them more succeptable to a heart attack/arrest and therefor not a great survivability rate
2) traumatic arrest which means that a major injury caused the cardiac arrest and they are more or less unsalvageable.
I personally would not and have not "wasted" any of my time with cardiac arrest victims during a MCI or major event. I know that in reality most people do not survive, I have had saves in my career but not that many or they were young, lucky, etc. Many more people have been saved/helped by first aid skills than by CPR.
You can take a basic first aid class in about 20 hours, EMT classes are about 150 hours in length and much more in depth. Both of these would provide great real life type skills that not only can be used in a disaster but in every day life as well. I personally would rather have people helping me with first aid type skills at an incident than CPR. Maybe I am the exception to the rule or a realist but I know the outcome of Cardiac Arrest 1st hand many times over. I am not saying that it is not a great skill to know by any means but in reality first aid is much better to know.
This is just my 2 cents on this after many years in the business of saving peoples lives.
Sorry if my train of thought is all over the place here but my mind works like that usually.
During a MCI Mass Casualty Incident patients are classified on the METTAG system which uses a simple method of classifying patients by their injuries and color coding them.
Black signifies Deceased patients or those alive with obvious fatal and non resuscitatable injuries. This is where I place cardiac arrest victims due to the fact of taking so many resources to help 1 person vs trying to save many.
Red signifies Severe patients that need immediate treatment/transport such as these badly bleeding, respiratory problems, burns etc
Yellow signifies secondary/delayed patients which means patients broken bones, non major or arterial bleeding, minor burns, etc
Green basically is walking wounded which doesn't mean that they aren't injured but do not need immediate help for their non-life threatening injuries.
Someone that was having a heart attack after a major disaster such as a tornado would probably be having one based on 2 probable factors:
1) they had pre-existing heart conditions that made them more succeptable to a heart attack/arrest and therefor not a great survivability rate
2) traumatic arrest which means that a major injury caused the cardiac arrest and they are more or less unsalvageable.
I personally would not and have not "wasted" any of my time with cardiac arrest victims during a MCI or major event. I know that in reality most people do not survive, I have had saves in my career but not that many or they were young, lucky, etc. Many more people have been saved/helped by first aid skills than by CPR.
You can take a basic first aid class in about 20 hours, EMT classes are about 150 hours in length and much more in depth. Both of these would provide great real life type skills that not only can be used in a disaster but in every day life as well. I personally would rather have people helping me with first aid type skills at an incident than CPR. Maybe I am the exception to the rule or a realist but I know the outcome of Cardiac Arrest 1st hand many times over. I am not saying that it is not a great skill to know by any means but in reality first aid is much better to know.
This is just my 2 cents on this after many years in the business of saving peoples lives.
Sorry if my train of thought is all over the place here but my mind works like that usually.
Karen St John
EF3
Ideally, your chase team won't be tag carrying members of an MCI. But they may run afoul physically themselves. If for no other reason than the people you keep around you, First Aid and CPR are useful.
If there is a Mass Casualty Incident, I would rather just do whatever I am told to do by the authorized emergency personnel, and stick with that. If the responders want coffee, I'll brew it, and let them do their job. If they want me out of the way, I'm on my way.
If there is a Mass Casualty Incident, I would rather just do whatever I am told to do by the authorized emergency personnel, and stick with that. If the responders want coffee, I'll brew it, and let them do their job. If they want me out of the way, I'm on my way.
Shawn Gossman
Supporter
Well glad to see my topic is popular 
I just started this topic because many professions (not that im calling spotting a profession) are utilizing it and even schools are teaching its students. I think its a good thing for everyone to know.
I work in the coal mines and we get trained in advanced CPR, AED and first aid but then again, if you get hurt down there, you most likely either need quick care and rescue or a body bag.
I just started this topic because many professions (not that im calling spotting a profession) are utilizing it and even schools are teaching its students. I think its a good thing for everyone to know.
I work in the coal mines and we get trained in advanced CPR, AED and first aid but then again, if you get hurt down there, you most likely either need quick care and rescue or a body bag.
Paul Racine
I was not implying that they would be card carrying members I was just trying to point out the usefulness of First Aid over CPR.
Karen St John
EF3
I'm just saying that as a non professional, I shouldn't be in the business of triaging MCI's, that's all.
I'm sure I would cause more harm than good, so I would rather do what I am directed to do, or have first hand knowledge: such as people I am with...if I see them struck by lightning, at least I can proceed knowledgeably from there...
