Comments for Newport Enterprises Blog

Comment on WA High School Student Saved By School AED by AED

AED — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:07:50 +0000

I’m so glad this boy was saved. Stories like this terrify me, because there is rarely a happy ending like this. It’s exactly why I think AEDs should be required at every school.

Comment on Should My Business Get an AED? by cnewport

cnewport — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:43:23 +0000

Kirk, thanks for your support, your endorsement, and your commitment…. in your business and in your career at Novato FD.

Comment on Should My Business Get an AED? by Kirk Lewis

Kirk Lewis — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 06:59:45 +0000

I couldn’t agree more. Visit http://www.sacvalleycpr.com to see my company’s (owned and operated by Firefighter/Paramedics) letter of advocacy for AED implementation and usage.

Comment on My God. There’s An Ambulance Behind Me. What Do I Do? by cnewport

cnewport — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 21:50:22 +0000

It depends on the laws where you are. most areas, however, have language that (as in Virginia, where I live and work) require motorists to “pull to the nearest curb safely” until the emergency vehicles have passed.

That having been said, I want to call attention to the word “safely”. I have also seen people slam on their breaks and jerk their wheel so hard that they actually create a hazard, and in some cases cause accidents just trying to do the right thing. Having not seen the actual situation you were in, I would say the application of a turn signal, followed by gently pulling to the right shoulder until the lights and sirens have gone by, would be the right thing to do, followed by a safe and cautious merge back into the road, lest you get hit by somebody following the fire trucks bumper like a blocker.

I would also add that, in Virginia, it is required that, if you see any emergency vehicle (police/fire/ems) pulled over on the scene of an accident/traffic stop, that you slow down “to a safe speed”, or move over to allow a clear lane between you and the emergency vehicle. Locally, that is worth 5 points on your license, and punishable by up to a $1000 fine.

Thanks for your message, and for your diligence.

Comment on My God. There’s An Ambulance Behind Me. What Do I Do? by angie

angie — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 20:46:55 +0000

Hi, this is actually a question….
I was driving north on a 2 lane road and a ambulance and firetruck with sirens on was driving going south on a 2 lane road. I pulled over to the curb and the driver behind me started beeping in anger and caught up to me to tell me that I should not have stopped. He said the rule says you are not required to stop in this situation..is this true?

Comment on AEDs Mandated In Some States. Federal Mandate Soon? by Denise Maier

Denise Maier — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:54:07 +0000

I can only hope that our legislators in Ohio will follow Oregon’s lead. Ohio, along with many other states, is lagging behind when it comes to mandatory placement of AEDs in public places. Given the statistics, I find it hard to believe that AEDs are encouraged, but not required in fitness centers, all athletic events, stadiums, shopping malls, and basically anywhere there is a gathering of the public. Although this article states that no formal training is required, I must encourage anyone who is expected to use an Automated External Defibrillator receive proper training. I have been an American Heart Association Training Center Administrator and Instructor for over seven years. The majority of students in my class have never seen a defibrillator and would be hesitant to use one in an emergency. Let’s face it . . . knowing that a machine will deliver a shock significant enough to jolt a heart to stop and restart itself can be a bit intimidating for a would-be rescuer with no experience. When it comes to witnessing a Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the general public, we are dealing with extraordinary circumstances that may happen once in a lay-persons lifetime. Without proper training, people will not act quickly enough. And remember, every AED manual states that the AED is to be used by people who have completed proper training. So although a Good Samaritan Law will protect those that respond, the rescuer must know basic AED skills such as: (1) How to turn the machine on (2) Make sure the chest area under the pads is clean and dry (3) How to disconnect the electrodes and reconnect new pads (or child pads) if necessary (4) Make sure no one is touching the patient (5) What to expect when the shock is administered and what to do if the machine says “No Shock Necessary”.
I have been installing Automated External Defibrillators for over seven years in churches, schools, hi-rise buildings, police stations, etc. So many questions were asked during training, I began answering them on the website http://www.defibrillator.net I hope my answers will help to avoid any hesitation from a responder during an emergency. I firmly believe that all states will require more AED placement, but training must follow the purchase of an AED to insure the proper response in an emergency.