Bob Schafer
EF5
Anyone can get basic (or better) first aid training for free at a local Red Cross office. Give them a call to find out when. You'll even have fun doing it.
I am surprised to read that some of you carry AEDs. You usually have to be under the supervision of an MD or resourse hospital to possess these...at least in Illinois.
I have consulted suggested that a consumer AED would be of limited life saving value to a lightning strike victim (my primary interest in purchasing one). Cardiac arrest in lightning strikes is usually asystole instead of ventricular fibrillation from what I have been told.
I’ve been doing some research on AED’s (Automated External Defibrillator) and considered adding one to the chase vehicle. It is important to remember that these “consumer” AED can only diagnose and shock ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. They are not designed to shock asystole or 'flat line' patterns. I’m not a medical professional in any form, but those I have consulted suggested that a consumer AED would be of limited life saving value to a lightning strike victim (my primary interest in purchasing one). Cardiac arrest in lightning strikes is usually asystole instead of ventricular fibrillation from what I have been told.
Cheers, Willie...'course I'm still chasing. This is a passionate hobby! I loved those series--good ol' Pioneer Productions was very nice to us chasers and gave us more realistic than sensationalistic presentations. Good stuff.
Lightning's a bit trickier to educate or drill on. In fact, the only known way not to get struck is to live in a Farraday cage (think: car or other metallic cage) or not to be near a thunderstorm at all. Often there's no good warning of a strike about to occur (though occasionally people will see St. Elmo's Fire or have their hair stand on end). Prevention is key. Too many people assume that lightning only occurs where it's raining, but we all know that "bolts out of the blue" are exceptionally common. I think the public health stanpoint is great, mate, don't get me wrong, but it's really a matter of educating prevention.