Scales of Justice

Do I need to ask for permission to give CPR or First Aid?

Shane Woodall

When you take a CPR or First Aid class, you typically are taught about the rules of consent.  This is a formal term which means “asking for permission.” The basic premise is that people have a right to decide what happens to their bodies (the fancy term for this is “personal autonomy.”) Therefore, it’s considered unethical (and potentially illegal) to provide care to someone without permission.

How do I ask for consent to provide care?

  • If someone is above the age of 18 and is awake, simply ask them if you can help. Tell them who you are, what level of training you have, explain what you plan to do and ask if you can help.
  • If the victim is under the age of 18, ask a parent or guardian for permission on the child’s behalf.

What if someone is unconscious – do I need to ask for consent?

  • No. When a patient above the age of 18 is unresponsive, you can help the patient even without explicit consent. This is called implied consent – meaning, we assume that, had the patient been awake, he would’ve wanted our help.

What if the child has no guardian present – who do I ask for consent?

  • If there is no parent or guardian present, and you are faced with a minor who is suffering a life-threatening emergency, you are permitted to help that minor without obtaining consent – this is called implied consent – meaning, we assume that, had the parents been present, they would’ve granted us permission to help their child.

To learn more about consent and how to help in an emergency enroll in a First Aid CPR AED course.

How to help a choking victim

Shane Woodall

You and a friend are eating lunch together. All of sudden you see your friend grab her throat – a panicked look spreads across her face as she starts to turn purple. You quickly realize your friend is choking.

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What is choking?

Choking is caused when food or some other object blocks a person’s airway and prevents them from breathing. Choking can occur very suddenly in patients of any age. If not rapidly treated, choking quickly leads to death.

Signs of choking

  • Universal choking sign (grabbing or pointing at the throat)
  • Inability to speak
  • Inability to cough
  • Face changing color
  • A panicked look

How can I help someone who is Choking?

  • Send someone to call 9-1-1
  • Take steps to get the object out:
  1. Stand behind the person and bend them down at the waist so they are staring at the ground.
  2. Using the heel of your hand, hit them hard on the back between the shoulder blades 5 times.
  3. Then, have them stand straight up and position yourself behind them.1098-2
  4. Wrap your arms around the person’s abdomen. Make a fist with one hand and place it in the center of the abdomen just above the belly button and beneath the breast bone. Grab your fist with your other hand and give forceful inward & upward thrusts into the abdomen 5 times
  • Repeat as needed until the object comes out, and the person can speak, breathe or cough or until they become unresponsive.
  • If they become unresponsive, call 911 and begin CPR.

Note: If a patient is able to cough forcefully and move air, don’t touch them! Encourage them to cough and call 9-1-1 if needed.

For more details on Choking relief and other First Aid emergencies, Enroll in a First Aid CPR AED training class.

Why do I need to learn CPR… can’t I just call an ambulance?

Shane Woodall

The most famous phone number in the United States – – 911

Ever since you were a kid, you knew that if you ever needed emergency help, calling 911 was the right move to reach the fire department, police or ambulances.

If you see someone suddenly collapse onto the ground and become unresponsive, should you call 911? … Of Course

But how long will it take for the ambulance to arrive?

Although EMTs and Paramedics try to reach victims quickly using lights and sirens, it can often take a long time for the ambulance to arrive. In New York City, the average ambulance response time to a life threatening emergency is over 8 minutes.  

8 minutes! That’s a long time when your friend or family member is not breathing or choking.

When someone goes into cardiac arrest – a condition where the heart suddenly stops beating – they become unresponsive and stop breathing normally. Each passing minute without care results in a 7-10% plunge in survival, according to the American Heart Association.

That’s 10% per minute.

If it takes 8 minutes for an ambulance to show up and no one has helped the patient in the meantime, that victim will probably not survive.

Early CPR from bystanders can triple a person’s chance at survival and keep that person alive until the ambulance arrives and takes over.

Empower yourself with real knowledge on how to respond to an emergency by taking a CPR AED class.

Why You Should Make Your Own First Aid Kit

Shane Woodall

Accidents happen. People get sick. It’s a part of life.

Although we can take steps to reduce injury and illness, the fact remains that an emergency will happen from time-to-time and being prepared for it can help produce the best possible outcome for a victim.

Having a well-stocked First Aid kit is an important part of protecting yourself and your family.

Many workplaces and homes have these kits. They typically buy them pre-stocked with a wide variety of items that “someone else” has decided is valuable in an emergency.  A quick search on Amazon for “first aid kit” yielded 58,709 results!

There are 2 problems with this approach:

  • You’re trusting some faceless company to properly stock your First Aid Kit without considering your individual needs or level of training. These companies are often focused more on their bottom line than ensuring you have what you need. For example, many pre-made kits come with random ointments, but don’t include tourniquets – considered by trauma physicians to be an essential lifesaving tool to stop bleeding.
  • If you allow someone else to assemble your kit, you won’t know what you have available or where things are kept.

A much better approach is to buy a first aid kit completely empty and buy items to fill it up based on your level of training and comfort. Take a First Aid course. During your class, make note of those items you would need to treat the different injuries and illnesses you learn about. Ask your instructor for recommendations.  And above all… make sure you and everyone else at work/home knows where the First Aid kit is – and what’s inside it.

Tips for Home Preparedness

All relevant information should be posted by the telephone, including:

The emergency response number (for example, do you need to dial an outside extension to reach 911?)

Your address

Poison control number 1-800-222-1222

Written directions to the nearest Automated External Defibrillator (AED)

Ensure your house or apartment number is large, well-lit and clearly visible.

First Aid Kit Suggestions:

  • Pocket Mask for CPR (collapsable w/ one way valve): To give breaths during CPR
  • Large nitrile (non-latex) gloves (2 pair): To protect rescuers from bodily fluids
  • Shears (1): To remove clothing or cut bandages
  • Bandaids (1 box of regular; 1 box of X-large): For minor scrapes
  • 4×4 gauze pads (5-10): Used to stop minor bleeding
  • 5X9 gauze pads (1-2): Used to stop major bleeding
  • Combat Application Tourniquet – C.A.T. (1): To stop life-threatening bleeding in an arm or leg
  • 3″ roller gauze (1): To wrap and secure gauze pads in place
  • 2″ roller gauze (1): To wrap and secure gauze pads in place
  • 1″ tape (1):  To secure roller gauze in place
  • Anti-septic cream (1 box of individual packets): For use on minor scrapes to prevent infection
  • Cotton-tip applicators (1 small bag): To apply anti-septic cream
  • Waterjel Burn Pads (1-2):  For pain relief of minor burns after 10 minutes of cold water rinsing
  • Sterile water 250ml (1 bottle): To clean minor wounds, or wash an amputated part
  • Tweezers (1): To remove ticks and splinters
  • Small packaged alcohol wipes: To clean tweezers or dirty skin
  • Gallon-size ziplock bags (1-2):  To hold ice used for cold compress, or to protect an amputated part
  • Instant Cold Pack (1-2): To relieve pain and swelling
  • Insta-Glucose (1): Oral sugar to give to diabetics experiencing low blood sugar
  • Baby Aspirin (81mg tablets): To assist heart attack victims
  • Benadryl: To treat allergic reactions

The outline above is not a substitute for formal  instruction. Please contact our team for more information on taking a First Aid CPR AED certification class.