‘Safety Saturday’ emphasizes prevention during first-aid training

By Sean Barron

Good Samaritan laws protect nearly anyone who willingly provides care from being sued.

BOARDMAN — A variety of help is available to anyone who suffers a sudden illness or injury, but perhaps the most powerful one is common sense.

“A lot of injuries are preventable if we would just think about what we’re doing,” Laura Morlan stressed to several students during a first-aid training course she conducted Saturday at the American Red Cross Mahoning Chapter building, 8392 Tod Ave.

Morlan, a certified first-aid instructor and former emergency medical technician, was one of two trainers to conduct a pair of sessions as part of “Safety Saturday.” Both provided hands-on training to deal with emergencies and handle burn, soft-tissue, muscle, bone, joint, gunshot and other injuries. Also covered were ways to treat poisonings, sudden illnesses and heat- and cold-related emergencies.

A pivotal part of first aid is prevention, which includes, for example, placing children’s safety seats in the backseats of cars, wearing helmets while on a bicycle or motorcycle and having a plan in the event of a fire.

If a vehicle traveling 60 mph strikes an immovable object, the air bag and other loose items continue to travel at that speed after impact until something stops them — which often can be a child, Morlan cautioned.

In case of fire, family members should designate an escape route and common meeting place, as well as who calls 911. This will ensure they won’t spend time frantically searching for one another, she continued.

Those who exercise at night need to wear reflective tape on their shoes and the back of their pants, carry a flashlight and walk facing traffic, Morlan advised.

Despite the distress broken arms or legs can cause, such injuries are never life-threatening. On the other hand, in some fractures, such as the pelvis, a piece can shift, then penetrate the lungs or heart, Morlan explained.

If that happens, you’ve got six to seven minutes to live,” she warned.

For gunshot wounds, it’s important to place padding over the exit wound and to cover the entry wound with a dressing, in part to prevent too much pressure to inner cavities, Morlan said, stressing that another dressing should be added to one in which blood soaks through. The original should never be removed, she said.

General care for injuries to muscles, joints and bones, Morlan continued, is known as RICE (resting the affected area, immobilizing the injury, cold to the impaired area for 20-minute periods and elevation, unless it causes further pain).

Regardless of the severity of the injury, though, caregivers should always remain calm by using an even, reassuring tone. Doing so often will relax the victim, Morlan noted.

“If you’re hysterical, the situation [will remain] hysterical,” she said.

Also discussed were lip, nose, chest and tooth injuries. St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown has the only local emergency room equipped to reinsert a tooth, Morlan noted.

Morlan also covered ways to treat poisonings, such as those caused by insect and spider bites. Precursors to a possible life-threatening allergic reaction are the person’s complaining of a tight chest and restricted throat, she pointed out.

In these cases, it’s critical to call 911 and poison control at (800) 222-1222, she stressed.

People who try to help those in emergencies are protected by Good Samaritan laws, which are in all 50 states, noted Noele Feagins, a registered dental hygienist who talked to the class about handling illnesses.

The laws provide legal protection to nonprofessional people who willingly administer emergency care to someone who’s ill or hurt, while accepting nothing in return and using common sense and a reasonable level of skill, Feagins explained.

She also talked about helping someone who suffers a stroke or is the victim of heat- or cold-related maladies such as frostbite, hypothermia, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which is the most serious.

Heat stroke sees vital organs beginning to shut down, and signs are moist or dry red skin, changes to consciousness, a rapid, weak pulse and rapid, shallow breathing, Morlan noted.

“You’re literally cooking from the inside out,” she added.

Common signs of stroke are weakness or numbness to the face or arm, slurred speech or difficulty speaking.

Emergency personnel must be called immediately, Feagins said.

First-aid training sessions continue through Dec. 17 and are $35 each. To register or for more information, call (330) 726-6063 or go to www.redcross.org and enter your ZIP code.

HOW TO HELP

Helping an injured or ill person requires following the three C’s: checking the scene, calling 911 and caring for the person, all of which were covered during Saturday’s training sessions given by the American Red Cross Mahoning Chapter at its Tod Avenue site. Steps include:

Obtaining the person’s consent before administering care. This means telling the person who you are, how much training you have, what you think might be wrong and what you intend to do.

Ensuring the scene is free of hazards such as spilled chemicals, downed electrical lines, traffic or fire, as well as looking for clues to the cause of the emergency and how the person could be injured.

Seeking bystanders for information and assistance, especially if the victim is unconscious or too upset to respond to pertinent questions.

Avoiding moving the injured person, unless there’s an immediate danger such as fire or flood, or it’s necessary for proper care. Also, instruct bystanders not to move the victim.

Calling or having someone nearby call 911 to give the location and a description of the person’s condition. Stay on the line until the dispatcher hangs up to ensure all vital information is exchanged.

Providing care until emergency medical personnel arrive. Guidelines include monitoring the victim’s breathing and consciousness, helping the person rest as comfortably as possible, keeping the victim from becoming too hot or cold, reassuring the person and providing specific care as needed.

Source: American Red Cross