First Aid, Again

[Braveheart]

Today, while leaving cowboy shooting, I noticed one of shooters slumped in his truck. He was unresponsive. We pulled him out and administered CPR and called 911.

There were 3 of us to take turns. You get tired.

Paramedics arrived and took over.

Unfortunately he died enroute to the hospital from a bad heart attack Perhaps if we had found him sooner . .

Some of you Manitoba farmers may have known him. His name was Jerry Kalinski of Beausejour. He was a crop duster, a really good shooter, and a great guy. His shooter alias was "Pete Moss".

This post is to remind us that you just never know. We tried to save Jerry. People there had the skills, there just wasn't time. But, everyone should be prepared.

[charliep]

Stories like this scare me. Was there an AED (automated external defibrillator) available in this situation? If you employees on a farm that are 50 plus, should farmers consider having one on site?

[Braveheart]

There was no AED. There will be talk of getting one for the range now.

[Braveheart]

A farm is so spread out, I'm not sure where an AED would be located.

That said, an aspirin placed under the tongue can save lives in cases like this. Aspirins should be part of normal carry.

[malleefarmer]

a story in Australia a few years back a lad presume in his early teens and dad on a farm had heart attack the boy rang mum and then just punched him, sat on him up and down probably jumped up and down on his rib cage rolled him over forwards and back all sorts of things tried laying him on his stomach and did same process on his back ultimately saved him though.

[charliep]

There are a whole pile full of us baby boomers out there who think we are still 18 but haven't dealt with the realities of aging/not maintaining our bodies. Getting ready for curling season with a lot of my fellow 60 year olds plus/minus. An AED is something every curling rink should have.

[Braveheart]

Our curling rink has one now. Four years ago, a 45 year old man had a heart attack during the bonspiel. No AED yet. A nurse who was in the building ran to the scene and gave the victim an aspirin she had in her purse. It saved his life.

[charliep]

I'll add one other comment. Someone should check the AED. The instructor at the first aid course I took asked to see the buildings AED. The paddles were beyond and the battery was about 40 % charge. Things only work if they are properly maintained.

Not suggesting anything including an AED would work. Just trying to maximize the patients probability of survival. Could be any one of us.