ruanjjoubert 0 #1 May 9, 2012 I have a level 2 First aid (south african) and think that every skydiver should at least do their countries equivalent of a level 1. It might not be much but you definitely learn how to save someone's life by doing small things. And being on a DZ at one or another time you are going to need that knowledge especially if you are in a area where an ambulance won't get to you quickly. Our DZ is right next to a small town, but with our last incident (broken femur as far as I remember, I wasn't present the day) they waited 45min for an ambulance. So it was because of this that I suggested we have all our people to at least a level 1. The response I got was quite something I wasn't expecting. The suggestion was shot down on the reasoning that "if something should happen to a person and someone from the club helps them, the club is then responsible for that person. If the helper then did something wrong the injured person could turn around and blame the club" So basically they would rather have their people not know how to do anything to save their own asses when someone gets hurt.. Someone have a few thoughts on this? I would like to reintroduce the idea to the committee. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PiLFy 3 #2 May 9, 2012 Do you have some equivalent to the Good Samaritan laws over there? Forty five minutes is a looong time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 186 #3 May 10, 2012 Is it that far for the ambulance to drive(45min) or were they just delayed? In most areas here in the US, you are covered to do anything within your trained abilities. Not having first aid training and a working relationship with the local responders is irresponsible to the jumpers. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildcard451 0 #4 May 10, 2012 Quote Do you have some equivalent to the Good Samaritan laws over there? Forty five minutes is a looong time. Good Samaritan only really covers you up to the level of training you have, and if I remember correctly, is more aimed at the untrained lay-person who e.g. breaks the person's neck getting them out of a car that might catch fire.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ruanjjoubert 0 #5 May 10, 2012 We do have an equivalent to the good Samaritan laws. And I tried explaining this to them but they still felt the responsibility the club held is then too big. Responsibility versus saving a persons life. It wouldn't have taken the ambulance 45min to get there because of distance. But in SA you tend to wait for an ambulance for quite some time. Do you clubs have any policies on First Aid? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 186 #6 May 10, 2012 I have been working on emergency plans and training for DZ employees and local EMS here in Southern California. Perris and now Elsinore have pretty good training and the local helicopter and FD crews have extensive skydiving related injury treatment and gear removal awareness. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PiLFy 3 #7 May 10, 2012 Grimmie is a lot better versed in first-responder things. It's just plain wrong for your fellow jumpers to put their heads in the sand over this. It could be them wreathing in agony on the ground one day. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 186 #8 May 11, 2012 http://vimeo.com/36629075 This might help. This is training we did with the responding firefighters and Mercy Air helicopter crews at Skydive Elsinore. Note: the fire department has paramedics on each fire truck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robinheid 0 #9 May 11, 2012 Quote Grimmie is a lot better versed in first-responder things. It's just plain wrong for your fellow jumpers to put their heads in the sand over this. It could be them wreathing writhing in agony on the ground one day. +1. For most people it's better to be tried by 12 than haunted by 1 -- and in terms of enlightened self-interest, the deposit you don't make in in the karma bank by not helping someone to the best of your abilities may come back to haunt you when it's your turn to make a withdrawal. And if you do try to help when you have little or no formal first-aid training, always remember the "Three Bs:" Breath Blood Bones 1. Make sure they can breathe. 2. Try to stop any obvious bleeding. 3. Then figure out if anything's broken. Oh yeah, and don't forget to CALL THE EFFING AMBULANCE! 44 SCR-6933 / SCS-3463 / D-5533 / BASE 44 / CCS-37 / 82d Airborne (Ret.) "The beginning of wisdom is to first call things by their right names." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
