By Tyler Marr

Paramedics say personal safety key when helping unknown with CPR

May 27, 2017 | 4:00 PM

Paramedics maintain that safety should always be paramount for those who assist someone in need.

“If you get hurt, now someone else is coming to rescue you and the original person,” Lyle Karasiuk, public affairs for Parkland Ambulance said. 

This comes in light of a recent medical situation reported in Winnipeg. A mailman came upon an unresponsive woman, called 911 and told the dispatcher he was sure the women had overdosed.

When patched through to a paramedic, he was encouraged to perform CPR. The man opted out as he was concerned the white power on the women’s shirt was fentanyl.

Despite, the man says the paramedic continued asking him to do CPR.

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Though unable to comment on the incident itself, Karasiuk, who also sits as the National Chair for the Canadian Council for First Aid Education, said a Good Samaritan should always be mindful of their personal safety.

He said it is common for dispatch centres to instruct people to perform CPR when a caller says someone is not breathing. Though the local centre rarely has cases where people refuse to administer CPR, they never pressure anyone to do something they refuse.

“Most of the time people need a bit of encouragement to help and do what they can,” he said. “Our communications team will support them, encourage and coach them, but if they say they cannot or won’t, we never force them to do something especially if it not safe.”

Safety and hesitation have become centre stage in first aid education. Karasiuk said people’s reluctance, discomfort or awkwardness in responding is one point under examination.

While understanding many people are nervous when faced to tackle an emergency situation, Karasiuk asked, if able, they always try to “make it safe.”

“At least, clean their airways, roll them on their back, push down and keep doing it until some other rescuer comes along.”

He sympathized with those in these situations but made note how you could “be the only person who can make a difference for the person lying there not breathing.”

The legal ramifications of refusing to assist are one thing many people ask.

Karasiuk said the Medical Aid Act (Good Samaritan Act) boils down to say as long as you are doing something reasonable, to the best of your ability, for as long as you can safely, you can’t be held responsible for your actions.

“Now that doesn’t mean to say that someone won’t try to sue you. But I have never heard of anyone being successful in that.” 

Ultimately, Karasiuk said: “As long as it is safe for you and we can, from EMT side, encourage you to get involved, please do something. Doing compression only CPR is easy and can possibly save someone’s life.”

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr