My current class and today's rantings

Had a short night last night (Monday June 30) but had to get to work relatively early because I have my Emergency Responder class tonight. (Prerequisite class for Emergency Medical Technician-Basic) We’re going to take each other’s blood pressure, see photos of crash victims and formulate a plan of care based on established State protocols. If A, then B: if C, then D. Example: if injured party on the ground, then A) check the scene to make sure it’s safe for self and the add’l members of the EMS team while initiating the Emergency Medical Services System (aka call 911 and alert them to the problem including scene setting, potential injuries, and believe me, in training we go thru a whole list of types of accidents and what injuries are most likely to be associated with said accidents, like if I see a car with a windshield cracked and a person in the car, you KNOW it's going to be a trauma incident and going to be a head wound, person bleeding from the head, potentially unconscious, that sort of thing), B) assess the patient for 3 life-threatening issues (no breathing, no heartbeat, heavy bleeding) C) check the patient’s potential for add’l injuries (going into shock, potential for lesser injuries that may turn into ‘life-threatening’ injuries, & control light to moderate injuries, D) maintain control of the scene using bystanders E) NOT leaving the patient until relieved by EMS team members arriving on the scene.

You might be saying to yourself, “Jeez, Lynne, how can you learn so much in 1 week?” Well, I’ve had a considerable amount of First Aid training/CPR and used to be a Health and Safety Instructor for the American Red Cross back in the late ‘90’s, so I know the protocols and can teach basic ones. For this class and the EMT-Basic class in the fall, I’m concentrating on motor vehicle incidents and especially motorcycle incidents. That way, if I get into an accident and am still coherent and awake, I can walk someone through what needs to be done, thereby extending the potential for my life expectancy!

Both my husband and my son have saved a life of which I am VERY proud; Barry thru the Heimlich abdominal thrust at his previous job as Director of Safety/OSHA Compliance for the U.S. Post Office on a coworker who was choking on a sandwich, and our son Laine through the same thing when he was bussing tables at Old Spaghetti Factory. He has also maintained CPR/Rescue Breathing at a motor vehicle crash that had happened a minute or two earlier. Laine and his friend Garrett actually heard the crash because they were a few blocks away and were the First Responders/Emergency Responders on the scene. He went to the car that was more heavily damaged and began CPR/Rescue breathing on a crash victim who had extremely critical injuries and was, I hesitate to say, on his way to heaven (only a doctor or the coroner can determine death), but by trying to maintain life, he allowed the EMS/Fire Department to attend to other victims and transport this passenger who unfortunately was declared DOA by a doctor at the hospital. They then didn’t have to cordon off the area, wait for the Coroner to determine death, and freed up FD resources. I still have the Commendation he received from the La Habra FD Chief scanned into my PC.

I know, I know, sounds like we're one of those 'perfect families', but TRUST ME, we're not-we've had our ups and downs.

and this is Lynski, signing off. For now.