This is a quote that I am taking from Scubaboard in light of your comments on the in-water ventilations...and you're right, they are not easy!!!
Quote:My point of view is simply this : \" Keep things very simple. \"
This philosophy is born of my experience as a Firefighter / E.M.T.
There are some basic truths about rescuers & rescuees & I believe more emphasis should be placed on the reality of emergency response situations.
I open my rescue lecture with a few facts & a reality check :
*Things must be kept simple to be effective
*Speed is essential...thinking is paramount
*Life saving is A B & C...all the rest is window dressing
*Adrenelin can \"crystalize\" or \"incapacitate\" a rescuer
*\"Adaptability\" is a highly desireable rescuer trait
*Successful rescue is a \"team effort\"
*Despite all that you do , the casualty may die
Here's a thought : \" In most instances, in-water rescue breathing is inappropriate , ineffective , & counter-productive to the chances for successful resucitation. \"
When a casualty stops breathing, the heart will continue to beat for a minute or so, followed by cardiac arrest. Without circulation, rescue breathing is useless. It is also a very, very difficult skill to perform correctly in the water , in calm conditions, in a non-emergency situation. Since cpr is impossible to do effectively in-water, it makes no sense to waste precious time ( biological death begins in that :4 - :6 window ) trying to ventilate a non-circulating casualty in open water in the stress of a life & death emergency. How can you be sure their heart has stopped? This is often a difficult vital to discern even in the dry ( so much so, that all the major players in 1st aid / cpr training now teach the rescuer to look for \"signs of circulation\" in addition to the traditional carotid pulse check ). Better to get them to a hard, flat surface out of the water as fast as is humanly possible.
Even with fast transport to dry conditions, the outlook for a v.s.a. ( vital signs absent ) diving casualty is grim. Without cardiac defibrillation / advanced life support immediately available, the casualty is unlikely to survive. CPR is not meant to restart the heart ( it is possible, but highly unlikely ), it is a means of moving oxygenated blood to the vital organs ( it is also effective in removing lactic acid from the heart muscle & assists in converting the heart to a fibrillating rythym...one of two convertible rythyms necessary for cardiac defibrillation ).
This is not meant to discourage or despond the would-be rescue team. What it is meant to do is force rescuers to face the hard reality of such situations. It is also meant to prevent rescuers from taking unacceptable personal risks in their zeal to help the casualty. The #1 rule in rescue remains \" do not become another victim.\"
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