Typically, our first thought of a rescue operation is the fire. At a major fire event, an ordinary person can do nothing but sound the alarm and possibly warn others, then wait for the arrival of fire trucks with skilled firefighters using the right equipment to put out the fire. Here, the public is entirely dependent on the rescue team and their operation. However, there are situations when the actions of the public are crucial for saving lives when the professional rescuers are not first on scene. Here is why seconds may count.
It can happen anytime anywhere
A cardiac arrest is a dire emergency that can occur anywhere at any time. If it happens during the daytime in a dense city center, there will likely be people rushing to help. And, there may be someone nearby with medical or CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) training who can start resuscitation or there may even be a defibrillator available. Meanwhile, there will be those who sound the alarm and call for an ambulance.
In this situation, the victim’s chances of getting proper medical care in time and surviving are quite good. But, it could be the other way around.
Chances are not always the best
Suppose a cardiac arrest happens at night in a home in a sparsely populated area, and there is only one person present to help the victim. This is an extremely critical situation. First, this person must call for emergency help and then try to keep the victim alive until the ambulance arrives with trained staff and proper equipment.
Here, the victim’s life is in the hands of a non-professional who is experiencing a very stressful situation, and maybe won’t act optimally.
When every second counts
In these critical situations, two things radically improve the chances of survival:
1. Proper knowledge and action at the incident scene until trained rescue staff arrive.
2. Short time to get the victim to the hospital.
Proper knowledge
I think that everyone should have CPR training and thus know what to do in case of cardiac arrest. Unfortunately, both awareness of and experience in CPR vary considerably. Taking a CPR course could really save lives. And, if you don’t have the possibility of a live training course, there are excellent online courses and instruction videos to make sure you know what to do.
Shortest time to hospital
Ambulance staff is trained for medical emergencies and carry the proper life-saving equipment. However, the travel time to the incident scene is more critical than the transportation of the patient to the hospital.
A skilled rescue driver knows how to drive optimally, taking into consideration traffic situations, road conditions and weather. The driver also knows that slippery and icy road conditions will force them to drive slower, which in turn delays the arrival to the scene.
Therefore, automatic tire chains could be a key factor for arriving on time – and saving lives by taking over responsibility from stressed, exhausted non-professionals who just happen to be there when these incidents occur.
Watch the video and discover what rescue drivers say about automatic snow chains. You can download it below.
