emt

Petapalooza

Anna Blankenheim Volunteer , , ,

For those of you who don’t know, I’m involved with the Sacramento Metro Fire Community Emergency Response Team. It’s an amazing program that trains folks in disaster preparedness, but also does a ton of non-disaster related community service. It’s this program that inspired me to become an EMT and that I do a large amount of community service through.

Yesterday I volunteered at the 2013 Petapalooza. It was a really neat event – they had local K9 demonstrations (absolutely amazing dogs!), Splash Dogs competitions, animal adoptions, a petting zoo, live music, and tons of vendors. People could bring their pets out to the park – which originally sounded like a recipe for disaster to me. I was actually really surprised – we treated four people throughout the day for dog bites (some of them from their own pets), while there were hundreds of dogs there. All in all, it was a really fun event – it was neat to see all of the different types of dogs, large and small. There were dogs I had never even seen before!

The K9 demonstration was probably my favorite thing to see – they had several of the different law enforcement agencies there with different breeds of police dogs. They showed how they could clean five foot walls easily (the announcer said that some of the dogs could jump up to twelve feet!) and climb chain link fences (allegedy very difficult since the dog can see through it and would rather attempt to run through than go over). By far the coolest part of the demonstration was the bite suit – they had a couple guys bundled up and showed how quick these dogs can be, as well as how they hang on once they sink their teeth in! They can even “redirect” – basically if the officer has multiple bad guys, the dog will bite, then if given the command will release and go bite someone else.

It was a great day with a great team!

A New Low

Anna Blankenheim Tragedies ,

Most of you know that I am an EMT. You won’t find me riding around in an ambulance or even working in the ER – instead I volunteer at events on behalf of our local fire department. I love to help people and have always been interested in medicine.

I am blown away at a news story out of Bakersfield today. And 87 year-old-woman living in an independent living facility (Glenwood Gardens) collapsed in the dining room on February 26th. A woman called 911 and asked for paramedics to be sent to help – and then proceeds to tell the dispatcher that she is a nurse, but will not do CPR. The dispatcher spends seven minutes and sixteen seconds doing everything in her power to try to convince the nurse to help the ailing woman (or to find someone who will). Apparently, the home has a policy that says “in the event of a health emergency at this independent living community, our practice is to immediately call emergency medical personnel for assistance and to wait with the individual needing attention until such personnel arrives.”

Here’s the thing. I understand that the general public is terrified of getting sued. And that they worry about not doing CPR right, about breaking bones, about disease, about blood and guts and vomit. What I am most appalled at is the fact that this woman is a NURSE. She had a duty to act. She should be stripped of her license to practice. My God, there are stories of kids doing CPR that end up saving lives. Would this have helped this woman? I would guess probably not – in fact, more times than not CPR isn’t successful. The point is that you give them a fighting chance. To stand by and literally watch a woman die in front of you is incomprehensible. Despicable. Deplorable. I can’t understand how anyone can just stand there and not even try.

I beg you, if you don’t already know CPR, please learn. Over the years they’ve actually made CPR easier and hands only (for those of you afraid of cooties). Check out the American Heart Association or American Red Cross for classes in your area. Does it always work? Absolutely not. If it’s your kid, mother, husband, or grandma, do you want to give them a chance? ABSOLUTELY!

Here is the partial 911 call that was released to the public – see if you’re as enraged as I am (I am picturing my 80-something year old Oma who is currently living in an assisted living home).

Dispatcher: This woman’s not breathing enough. She’s gonna die if we don’t get this started. Do you understand?

Caller: I understand. I am a nurse. But I cannot have our other citizens, who don’t know CPR, do it. We’re in a dining room.

Dispatcher: I will instruct them. Is there anyone there?

Caller: I cannot do that.

Dispatcher: OK, is there anyone there who is willing to help this patient?

Caller: I am, but…

Dispatcher: OK great, then I’ll walk you through it all. EMS takes the liability for this, Colleen. I’m  happy to … OK? This is EMS protocol. OK?

Caller: (To someone off  the phone) I don’t know where he is. She’s yelling at me to have one of our  other residents perform CPR. And I’m not gonna do that, and make that call.

Dispatcher: Are we just gonna let this lady die?

Caller: Well that’s why we’re calling 911.

Dispatcher: We can’t wait. She can’t wait right now. She is stopping breathing. She can’t wait for them to get there.

Caller: She’s taken three breaths.

Dispatcher: It’s not enough. We need to get CPR started.

Caller: (Chatter in  background) He’s saying we don’t. You can talk to my boss, and I don’t know what  to say.

Dispatcher: OK. (To  someone off phone.) They’re refusing CPR, they’re gonna let her die. By the  facility, yeah.

Caller: When will the fire department be here? When will the ambulance …

Dispatcher: OK, well then if you get anybody, any stranger that happens to walk by that’s willing to help. I understand if your boss is telling you can’t do it. But if there’s any human being… Is there anyone that’s willing to help this lady and not let her  die?

Caller: Um, not at this time.

Dispatcher: (To someone off phone) They won’t. They won’t touch her at all. I can’t get anyone to touch  her at all.

Caller: We have residents that are …

Dispatcher: Any guests? Any guests that are there that are willing to help?

Caller: No, I don’t have any.

Dispatcher: Is there a gardener, any staff? Anybody who doesn’t work for you anywhere? Can we flag someone down in the street and get them to help this lady… Can we flag a stranger down? I bet a stranger will help her. I’m pretty good at talking them into it. If you can flag a stranger down I will help. I will tell them how to help her.