How to save a life
Brush up on the basics on your next coffee break
Last Friday, my daughter and I celebrated the start of summer by beginning the weekend a bit early and heading for a swim. It was a boiling hot day and the pool was packed. Within twenty minutes of our arrival, something startling happened. I heard a long whistle blow and everyone in the pool froze. Right away, a manager came sprinting across the pool deck. When I looked where he was headed, I saw a soaking wet lifeguard standing at the edge. Her hat was floating in the water and some piece of equipment, maybe a radio, was at the bottom of the pool. She had clearly jumped in to pull someone out, just days into the pool season. I didn’t see a victim (presumably they were fine) or the rescue, thus beginning and ending my briefest of stints as a journalist.
Still, the moment reminded me of how unexpectedly we can find ourselves in an emergency. Can you spot a swimmer in trouble? If someone collapsed or was bleeding heavily, would you know what to do?
Today, I’m including a series of videos that I first shared in January, following the shocking collapse of Damar Hamlin on the football field. I specifically chose these videos because they are only 2-5 minutes long, so you can get through the entire set on your coffee break. There are plenty of high-quality, longer tutorials on YouTube if you want a deeper dive. Either way, I hope you’ll find some time to review these important lessons.
(Also note that CPR and choking procedures are different for infants, so if you have babies in your life, please look up specific instructions for them!)
These videos are best as a refresher. If first aid skills are new to you, I recommend taking an in-person course. Most community centers offer classes for free or at a low cost. Don’t skimp on these valuable skills—they could make all the difference.
Thank you. This is an excellent vignette, AND an excellent summary of what the public should all learn to save a life. You may never be called upon to to do any of this, but if you are, it's too late to learn the basics. Today, we're emphasizing hands-only CPR and AED use, Stop the Bleed training, and how to deal with choking as key elements on lifesaving processes. You've highlighted all here, and the examples (your pool experience and Damar Hamlin) are excellent reminders for everyone.
Once upon a time, a long time ago, I was an EMT and subsequently a paramedic. I've learned all these, and keep up with them. And the next generation is also doing this work (a freshly minted paramedic in Texas), and he's as passionate as I am about spreading the word.
For the record, my compact first aid kit includes 2 tourniquets and combat gauze to pack a wound, among other things. In today's environment of rampant mass shooting events, it seems no one is likely to escape without seeing, being involved, or knowing someone who's been involved in one of those. If, by chance, I'm around one, yes, I've got the tools to Stop the Bleed on the seen.
Great advice. I still remember the very first child I pulled out of a pool as a lifeguard in high school. I can still see the look of panic on his face as he realized he was in trouble. He couldn't have been more than 6 yo. It happened so quickly and he never said a word. He sank, I was in, yanked him out, asked if he was okay. He sat in the bleachers for a long time, but was back the next week.
I didn't need any of the skills I'd been taught, other than paying attention. And admittedly I learned more in that 10-second incident than I ever would have expected.