Not long ago a family visiting Legoland California here in Carlsbad got a scare when their toddler suddenly began to choke.
"The 18- month-old little girl had an obstructed airway," said Linda Allington, the City of Carlsbad Fire Department's emergency medical services manager and a registered nurse. "Legoland security guards saved her when they did a Heimlich maneuver, which is a standard part of CPR training today."
If this event can happen in an amusement park, it can happen anywhere, even at your work place.
Nothing substitutes for good training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation when confronted with such a medical emergency.
Allington says that the American Heart Association has instituted new CPR guidelines for laypersons that eliminate the need for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Rhythmic chest compressions alone can save lives, studies have concluded, and that's the direction the new training will go.
Allington, our city's best source on emergency medical services, advises all businesses to designate two safety officers who can deliver first aid when the unexpected strikes.
"Having trained staff administer immediate first aid helps when emergency responders arrive on scene," she says. The American Heart Association or American Red Cross websites can assist you in locating a first-aid training class.
Basic first aid involves controlling bleeding, as well as administering CPR or a Heimlich maneuver to free an obstructed airway.
The majority of Fire Department calls are for medical emergencies, and it always helps the patient if someone has administered basic first aid before our trained paramedics arrive.
It's also a good idea to get an automatic external defibrillator, which has been proven to save lives. These devices appear intimidating, but they're easier to use than you may think. The instruments are engineered to audibly coach the person using them, even letting that person know whether or not to shock a patient's heart. This also is a case where not using the device during an emergency may be worse than using it.
The Fire Department also advises you to have a strategy in place in case you have to call us.
"Give our dispatcher good, clear directions, and when firefighter/paramedics arrive at your building lead them quickly to the exact location of the victim," advises Carlsbad Battalion Chief Bill Anderson. "Have material safety data sheets available, if a hazardous material is involved, because that will help our paramedics and save time."
The Fire Department also wants to alert you to that every-day hazard, swimming pools. Summer is upon us, so more people will take advantage of the cool water. Many of our Carlsbad hotels provide pools for their guests.
Not every hotel provides a lifeguard, but we advise hotel operators to educate staff and guests by making them more vigilant around swimming pools. This applies to home pools as well.
The Fire Department hosts a Water Watcher program that encourages pool safety. Every time there's a child in a pool, designate one adult to act as a "water watcher" who never takes his or her eyes off the kids in the pool. Children should be discouraged from pushing playmates into the pool or diving into shallow water, and they should know the quickest, safest way out.
You can stop by any Carlsbad Fire Station to pick up a complimentary Water Watchers lanyard and obtain more information on water safety.
And if you have any safety questions pertaining to your business, don't hesitate to call your City of Carlsbad Fire Department at 760-931-2141.
"The 18- month-old little girl had an obstructed airway," said Linda Allington, the City of Carlsbad Fire Department's emergency medical services manager and a registered nurse. "Legoland security guards saved her when they did a Heimlich maneuver, which is a standard part of CPR training today."
If this event can happen in an amusement park, it can happen anywhere, even at your work place.
Nothing substitutes for good training in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation when confronted with such a medical emergency.
Allington says that the American Heart Association has instituted new CPR guidelines for laypersons that eliminate the need for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Rhythmic chest compressions alone can save lives, studies have concluded, and that's the direction the new training will go.
Allington, our city's best source on emergency medical services, advises all businesses to designate two safety officers who can deliver first aid when the unexpected strikes.
"Having trained staff administer immediate first aid helps when emergency responders arrive on scene," she says. The American Heart Association or American Red Cross websites can assist you in locating a first-aid training class.
Basic first aid involves controlling bleeding, as well as administering CPR or a Heimlich maneuver to free an obstructed airway.
The majority of Fire Department calls are for medical emergencies, and it always helps the patient if someone has administered basic first aid before our trained paramedics arrive.
It's also a good idea to get an automatic external defibrillator, which has been proven to save lives. These devices appear intimidating, but they're easier to use than you may think. The instruments are engineered to audibly coach the person using them, even letting that person know whether or not to shock a patient's heart. This also is a case where not using the device during an emergency may be worse than using it.
The Fire Department also advises you to have a strategy in place in case you have to call us.
"Give our dispatcher good, clear directions, and when firefighter/paramedics arrive at your building lead them quickly to the exact location of the victim," advises Carlsbad Battalion Chief Bill Anderson. "Have material safety data sheets available, if a hazardous material is involved, because that will help our paramedics and save time."
The Fire Department also wants to alert you to that every-day hazard, swimming pools. Summer is upon us, so more people will take advantage of the cool water. Many of our Carlsbad hotels provide pools for their guests.
Not every hotel provides a lifeguard, but we advise hotel operators to educate staff and guests by making them more vigilant around swimming pools. This applies to home pools as well.
The Fire Department hosts a Water Watcher program that encourages pool safety. Every time there's a child in a pool, designate one adult to act as a "water watcher" who never takes his or her eyes off the kids in the pool. Children should be discouraged from pushing playmates into the pool or diving into shallow water, and they should know the quickest, safest way out.
You can stop by any Carlsbad Fire Station to pick up a complimentary Water Watchers lanyard and obtain more information on water safety.
And if you have any safety questions pertaining to your business, don't hesitate to call your City of Carlsbad Fire Department at 760-931-2141.