CPR Update

New studies have been performed and they have found that chest compressions are more important for the first few minutes than respirations for adults in cardiac arrest. What does this mean? Simple, you no longer have to worry about that uneasy feeling of giving mouth to mouth to a complete stranger. Instead if you provide good chest compressions the benefits of continuous compressions helps to keep the blood flowing as the average adult has up to 6 minutes of oxygen in their blood stream from the time they stop breathing.

The steps to follow are simple:

1. Call for help
2. Check to see if person is responsive (shake them and yell at them to get their attention)
3. If there is no response check for breathing
4. Check for a pulse
5. If no pulse is present then place the heel of your hand between the nipple line in the center of the chest, and place the other hand directly on top interlacing your fingers
6. Perform chest compressions at a depth of about 2 inches with your arms straight and elbows locked
7. Come completely off the chest with your hands, letting the chest fully recoil
8. Repeat at a rate of 100 times per minute (if your not certain as to how fast that is just sing “Another one Bites the Dust” by Queen, I know it sounds morbid but the beat of the song is the perfect rhythm for proper chest compression at 100 per minute)
9. Continue until someone shows up with an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) [if they have an AED they should know how to properly use it]
10. Once the Paramedics arrive and take over care of the person feel good about yourself for a doing a job well done and you deserve it.

For children it is still recommended to give them mouth to mouth as children tend to die due to Respiratory Arrest (meaning they stop breathing) rather than Cardiac Arrest (heart stops). Because of this children require the mouth to mouth in order to have a chance at living. More to come on proper CPR for Children in a later post.

Burns (Follow up)

As there has been some debate on my recommended treatment of burns let me attempt to put all of you at ease. The standard treatment in the field for all burns is as I have stated before:

1. Call 9-1-1
2. Rinse with water till the burning stops
3. Remove any jewelry and/or clothing that has been burned or heated and therefore could contiue to cause burning (of course leave anything melted in place)
4. Once the burning has subsided, dry the burned area carefully as not to leave any water on the burn (this will help to prevent hypothermia)
5. Cover the burn with a dry dressing (gauze pad, burn sheet, pillow case, etc.)
6. Get the person to the hospital

This is not the same treatment that a burn center will give to a burn patient, but outside of a hospital your not going to be thoroughly cleaning a burn nor are you going to be applying any topical creams or ointments to the burn. For the common person these steps will help to improve their odds of having a positive outcome at the hospital.

Breathing Difficulty

Difficulty catching your breath can be one of the scariest things a person can endure. The feeling of suffocating now matter how hard or how fast you try to breath is a truly horrifying situation. There are many reasons for someone to have difficulty breathing from the mundane allergies to life threatening blood clots in your lungs. Luckily most cases of breathing difficulty occur somewhere in the middle. In this entry we will discuss several different causes of breathing difficulty and a few things that you can try at home while awaiting those lovely Emergency workers that speeding towards you as I know you will immediately call 9-1-1, which is what I always suggest you do when faced with an emergency.

Asthma/Emphysema/Bronchitis/COPD/Bronchio-constriction
Asthma attacks are caused when the airways within the lungs become blocked due to constriction and/or blockage, and the air gets trapped inside of the lungs, meaning you can fully exhale. An asthma attack to can occur in anyone, even those who do not suffer from diagnosed asthma. If you do not have asthma you usually will not have access to an inhaler or a nebulizer at home unless a family member suffers from asthma. Therefore I will not tell you to grab your inhaler and take a few puffs, of course if you do have one of these obviously try to use them as that is what they are for. There are a couple of things which you can do at home for this situation. First thing is to grab a drinking straw or a hollow tube such as a BIC pen, and exhale forcefully through this tube. This will increase the resistance which you must blow against and therefore help you to be able to get more air out of your constricted bronchioles. The second thing that you can do at home is drink coffee. Of course if a regular cup of coffee suppressed asthma then doctor’s would tell all of their asthma patients to drink a cup a day. What you need in this situation is a cup of super concentrated coffee, or more precisely the caffeine. Caffeine is a close cousin to the active ingredient in Albuterol (a common Asthma medication). What this does is it can cause some slight bronchio dilation, meaning that it heals to open the air passages a little relieving the difficulty breathing. Of course this is not a permanent solution just a quick stop gap measure to be used when medical help is on the way. The last thing to remember is to try and stay calm. The more anxious you get the more oxygen your body is going to demand and it will make your shortness of breath even worse.

Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs which occurs in the alveoli and the tissues which surrounds them. Over two million people are diagnosed with pneumonia each year and of those 40,000 to 70,000 die from the infection making it the sixth most common cause of death, of course most of these people have other medical conditions which have seriously weakened their immune systems making it far more difficult for them to fight off the infection. Unfortunately there is not much to do to treat pneumonia at home besides what your mother would say. Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. Some times mom really does know best. The reason why you need to stay home and get lots of rest is so that your immune system can have the energy to fight the infection, and by drinking lots of fluids the mucous in your lungs will stay softer and be easier to cough up. Of course as soon as you get a chance to do so, definitely see your doctor so that if you do have the bacterial form of pneumonia they may be able to give you antibiotics to help fight the infection better.

Pulmonary Edema
Pulmonary edema is a true life threating emergency in which fluid builds up inside of the lungs effectively drowning someone in their own blood. This can be caused by several different processes, but all you need to know is that someone in this situation has to get to the emergency medical help immediately. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done at home to help this person, so call 9-1-1 and get them help immediately.

Pulmonary Embolism
Pulmonary Embolism is a blood clot in the vessels around the lungs. This causes a disruption in the transfer of oxygen to the blood as part of the lung become blocked to blood flow. The person will become suddenly short of breath and often have a sharp pain in their chest, severe cases can have the person coughing up pink frothy sputum or developing Pulmonary Edema. This is a true life threatening emergency that only advance medical treatments can help. This person has to get to a hospital very very quickly, so dial 9-1-1 immediately.

There are many other things that cause breathing difficulty than the few things I have covered here. I will cover some of the less frequent causes for shortness of breath in a later post. I chose these as they are the most common disease process of the lungs which cause people to have trouble breathing. Just remember if you ever have an emergency dial 9-1-1, stay calm, try to relax, help is on its way.

Fractures (Broken Bones)

A broken bone is one of the most painful incidents that can occur anywhere. And knowing how to bandage one properly can relieve most of the pain almost as well as strong pain medicine. A fracture can occur anywhere there is a bone and is classified by several factors including which bone has been fractured, how badly the bone is fractured, and whether or not the fractured bone penetrates the skin, and the fracture is then treated based upon these factors.

Simple Fractures
Simple fractures are those in which the bone does not penetrate the skin, commonly referred to as closed fractures. These types of fractures normally occur along a single line but can also have multiple fragmentations of the bone as well occur.

Compound Fractures
Compound fractures occur when the broken bone or the injury causing the broken bone penetrates the skin allowing for infection to enter the body. These are extremely severe in the fact that if left untreated for too long the patient could contract a serious infection which most antibiotics can not resolve such as MRSA. (MRSA:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus - a common bacteria which found on most peoples skin)

What can I do?
Extremity fractures (arms and legs) are simple emergencies that while you can not fix yourself you can help who ever may have one. You must first make certain the the extremity still has a pulse. This is easily done by feeling for the pulse at the wrist under the thumb or it is the leg that is broken then feel along the top of the foot about mid way down. The first thing to do in trying to treat the patient is to apply traction to the limb fractured. This is done by taking hold of the hand or foot of the broken extremity and pulling it firmly but gently straight. If the extremity is twisted in an abnormal way and does not easily move then leave it alone. It is far better for someone to have a twisted leg with a pulse than a straight leg without a pulse.

Once you have the extremity straightened maintain traction by holding the limb and splint the limb with something sturdy. A piece of lumber or thick stick works good. I recommend that if you are going to splint an extremity splint the whole extremity for an arm splint it from the shoulder to the hand and a leg from the waist to the foot, this ensures that the area of the fracture is still and that the joints above and below the fracture remain still as any movement of either joint could cause the fracture to worsen. You can secure the splint to the fractured extremity with just about anything you want something that can be tied tightly and that will not stretch, duct tape works great for this (yet another use for Duct Tape a truly marvelous thing).

If the fracture is a compound fracture, that is the skin has been penetrated, you will want to cover the injury quickly to help keep debris out of it. Depending upon the size of the penetration this can be done with some gauze, a clean towel, or even a plastic bag; just be sure to then secure the bandage with some tape or rolled gauze or even an ace bandage. By this time you should have already dialed 9-1-1 and have emergency help on the way.

Now the only thing left to do is to remain calm and try and keep the patient calm as well. The emergency crews will be there soon and they will take the patient to the best hospital for them to get further medical treatments that will help the bone to grow back properly.

A little tip I can give you also is that if the patient has a broken wrist, hand, foot, or ankle you can splint it by wrapping it with an ordinary pillow (not feather pillow) and then secure the pillow with tape, this will help reduce movement and is far more comfortable than a piece of hard wood against the skin.

Cuts and Scrapes

In life we all have accidents and often times those accidents result in minor cuts and scrapes. But sometimes those cuts and scrapes can be quite severe. It’s these more severe injuries that I will be covering. Your standard minor scrapes and cuts that you

Chest pain

When chest pain strikes it can be an alarming situation. Most people go straight to thinking they are having a heart attack, and sometimes they are right. But chest pain does not always involve the heart. In fact sometimes it can related to your lungs, stomach, stress, or simply your muscles and bones. Chest pain is nearly always amplified by the anxiety that people feel when they first take note of it. The way to help yourself and others around you is after you dial 9-1-1 to try and remain calm, take a few deep breaths and relax. I will endeavor to give you the knowledge you need to help you feel better and seek further help when it is needed.

Cardiac Chest pain:
Let start with what scares people the most first. Cardiac chest pain is a very serious condition and can be fatal very quickly at times. This is not to say that all heart attacks are like those portrayed in Hollywood and that you clutch your chest in pain and then fall over immediately dead. In fact this rarely happens.

Most people when they are having cardiac chest pain describe the pain as dull ache or like someone is sitting on their chest or something is squeezing their chest tightly. Sometimes they will have pain in there upper back as well and even pain in their arms, neck, and jaw. Along with this people usually feel short of breath and even nauseated and may actually vomit. If any of these symptoms are occurring then you should immediately dial 9-1-1.

What can you do to help your chances while waiting on EMS?

• Sit down and take slow deep breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth.
• Take one full strength (325mg) aspirin or four baby (81 mg) aspirin, if your not allergic.

If aspirin makes you nauseated or upsets your ulcers you are not allergic. If aspirin makes you break out and makes it hard for you to breath then you are allergic and skip this step; also make sure to tell EMS and the hospital staff that you are allergic as well.

• Remove or loosen any tight fitting clothing, as this will help to make you more comfortable.
• And remember help is on the way.

Respiratory Chest Pain:
The second most life threating type of chest pain is respiratory (dealing with the lungs) in nature. This can range from hyperventilation to fluid in your lungs. This is also a quite serious condition that can be fatal, although usually if treated quickly enough is survivable. Call 9-1-1. And just remember to try and remain calm and relaxed while waiting for EMS to arrive.

As with cardiac chest pain the person will feel short of breath. This can be for many reasons it all depends on what type of breathing trouble they are having. Normally there will not be pain in the arms, neck, or jaw nor will they be nauseated or vomiting. Although there can be pain in the shoulders and normally the patient will state that their face or hand and fingers feel numb. This is especially so in the hyperventilating person.

Hyperventilation can be caused for several reasons. The first reason is anxiety. Anxiety affects around 1.5 million Americans each month, some of which have never had any type of anxiety episodes before, this includes stress and panic attacks. From time to time people just get hit with so much emotional power at once that they are unable to process it and they begin to hyperventilate. The good news is that this is self correcting problem, at the absolute worse after hyperventilating for several minutes the person will simply pass out and regain consciousness and their breathing will return to normal. The best thing to do is to try and relax and control your breathing. Concentrate on your breathing, try to be deliberate and slow. Remove the person from crowds that naturally gather around and sit down. It is a difficult thing to do on one’s own but it will pass. For people who suffer from frequent panic attacks they know how to deal with them best for their selves.

There is also a form of hyperventilation that occurs when one’s electrolytes are out of balance. This is a serious event, which can only be resolved with medical attention at a hospital. If the person hyperventilating is a diabetic or goes to dialysis then they need to go to a hospital immediately.

Asthma, Bronchitis, COPD, Emphysema are all very similar and have similar home remedies. The patient feels as if they can’t get enough air out there by causing them to feel short of breath. If the person does not have an inhaler prescribed to them by a doctor then a simple solution that most people have in their homes is coffee. Simply make a pot of double strength coffee (Not Decaffeinated, the caffeine is needed) and have them drink a cup. What this does is there is a chemical in the caffeine that works like the main chemical in prescription inhalers and helps the small tubes (bronchi and bronchioles) in the lungs to expand and let air move more easily. Now this is not a fix all cure and the effect will only last for about 30 minutes at most, and sometimes it simply will not be enough. But this should be ample time for help to arrive.

Pneumonia is a common disease although not as fatal as it once was with the wide array of antibiotics we have these days. Pneumonia normally presents after some sort of other infection such as: UTI, staph, etc. And presents with a fever and cough with yellow or greenish phlegm/mucous. With this the pain usually occurs after a day or two of coughing and is based in the muscles of the chest.

Fluid in the lungs is extremely dangerous situation. Basically when fluid fills up your lungs your unable to get enough oxygen in them. The only thing that you can do is sit the person upright and wait for EMS to arrive. Often the person is pale in color is breathing shallow and looks like a fish out of the water, literally. In EMS it is referred to as Guppy Breathing, and this is bad.



Anxiety/Stress/Panic Attack chest pain:
Along with hyperventilating many people experience chest pain as well that feels very similar to cardiac chest pain. You could have the nausea and vomiting and even pain in your arms,neck, and jaw. One of the big factors though is age. Someone having what appears to be cardiac chest pain and is under the age of 35 is most likely having anxiety related chest pain. Not to say that you have to be 35 or older to have a heart attack, but its unlikely in most cases.

Stomach/Gastrointestinal chest pain:
Now most people think that if their stomach hurts they will feel it in their belly, and this is correct most of the time. But sometimes they can also experience pain in their chest. Usually this pain is more burning in nature and can be accompanied with nausea and vomiting as well. This is due to stomach acid and other fluids flowing upwards into the throat. Now most people have experienced heartburn and will take a anti-acid for this but sometimes the pain becomes much more intense. The course of treatment is the same anti-acid. If you don’t happen to have any anti-acid then you can mix 2 Tbsp of Baking soda with an 8 ounce glass of water, this has the same effect. If you have persistent problems then you should definitely check with your doctor as you may have a severe case of heartburn known as Acid Reflux or GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease). These are not life threatening in and of themselves but can lead to potentially life threatening illnesses if left untreated.

Muscular Chest Pain:
This usually occurs a day or two after strenuous lifting of objects, be it weights or boxes. As with any muscle cramps that occur after they have been exerted more than normal the muscles are tight and painful, this is because they are basically healing themselves and require time and a break from usage. The only treatment is time and your preferred pain reliever.

Pharmaceutical (Drug) induced Chest Pain:
There are certain drugs out there (prescription and street) that can cause chest pains as a side effect. These are usually stimulants in nature. If you’ve started taking a new medication prescribed to you by your doctor and you begin experiencing chest pains call your doctor or pharmacist and ask if this is a side effect if they have not already told you. Just because it is an expected side effect does not mean you shouldn’t go to the hospital. In fact it’s advised that you do go to the hospital just to be safe.

If you have been doing any sort of street stimulant (Cocaine, Amphetamines, Meth, Speed, Crack Cocaine, etc.) and you begin experiencing chest pain it is not part of the trip. You need to go to the hospital immediately, and cease any further drug use immediately. This can also occur if you use gas station counter stimulants (yellow jackets, mini thins, ephedrine, etc.) as well and should be treated in a similar way. People have died from taking these, thus why the FDA has considered banning them in the USA.



In summary, if you have chest pain it may not be a heart attack. But it never hurts to call 9-1-1 or go to the hospital. Remember only you can decide if you feel as if you are having a life threatening situation. And do what you think is right for that situation.

Soothing the Burn

Warning Graphic Images are used in the following post.

This time we will be discussing on of those emergencies that can occur any time of the year in or out of the house. I will discuss each type of burn and what can be done in the home to help prevent and treat each type.

First Degree (superficial) burn:

This is possibly the most common type of burn. Usually indicated by redness to the skin without blistering, pain, slight swelling of the affected area. The most common first degree burns are sunburns and steam burns. As the temperature outside warms up the odds increase that you or someone you know will be affected by sunburn. Prevention of sunburn is simple and all around each of us. Use of Sunblock with a minimum of SPF 30. Cover the body as best as possible with clothing long sleeves and pants are always advised, although I doubt anyone is going to go outside fully covered on a 95 degree day. Treatment for first degree burns can be found in many topical creams and lotions. I recommend something with Aloe and/or Lidocaine gel. Otherwise, standard pain relievers such as Tylenol or Motrin can be used for the discomfort experienced.

Second Degree (Partial thickness) Burns:

Much like a first degree burn, a second degree burn is indicated by redness or whiteness to the skin, intense pain, and swelling of the affected area as well as blisters. Second degree burns can range from severe sunburn to burns from fire or chemicals. Prevention can be difficult due to the wide range of causes. Caution is always advised when dealing with fire or dangerous chemicals. Should you or someone else become burned quickly flush the burned areas with water and lots of it. Jump in a swimming pool or stand under a shower. Once you think you’ve flushed the area enough flush it some more. An adage that fire fighters learn is, “the solution to pollution is dilution.” This also applies to chemical burns. Yes I realize that certain chemicals react with water to cause a more intense burning, but even so enough water will wash off any chemicals that may be causing the burn. Remove any jewelry from the body as the metal can become hot and cause further burns as well. At this point someone should have already dialed 9-1-1 since the victim is going to need to be seen at the hospital and possibly seen at a Burn center as well depending upon the amount of burns they receive. After flushing the burned area you must quickly dry and cover the burns with dry gauze. DO NOT use any type of burn cream or ointment on the burn as they can actually cause harm with burns this severe.

Third Degree (Full Thickness) Burns:

This is an extremely severe burn injury and requires immediate medical care. These types of burns usually occur with explosions or fires, which are fueled by chemicals such as gasoline or alcohol. These burns are indicated by charred black and even waxy white flesh. Blisters and redness occurs around the edge of the burns typically and sometimes can be completely pain free within the burn and painful only around the edges. The treatment for this type of burn is the same as a Second degree burn. Remove all jewelry, flush with lots and lots and lots of water, dry and cover with dry gauze. The victim will need to go directly to an Emergency Room and from there they will transfer them to a local Burn center. In fact it is often recommended that they go directly to the Emergency Room of a hospital with an active Burn Center.

As serious as burns are, if you keep a calm, cool head you can help with the victim’s recovery by helping stop the burn quickly and assisting the Emergency Responder’s by providing them with as much information as you can when they arrive.

CPR: Give the gift of Life in the New Year

I’m often asked by the public, “What is the best thing I can do to help my loved ones in the time of an emergency?” The answer is a simple one, learn CPR. This is probably the least used skill that I have ever learned but also the most useful. I go to someone in Cardiac Arrest approximately once per month. Although as a Paramedic I attend to over 200 emergency a month that one cardiac arrest each month is probably my favorite thing to do. Some paramedics will say that they love the traumas where people are trapped in their cars that have been T-Boned by a semi truck carrying explosive Jet fuel that could blow at any time. Or the guy who has been stabbed or shot multiple times. Not me. I like the cardiac arrests, I feel like I can do more to try and revive someone from death than I can for anyone else. From the first time I learned CPR in middle school I found that I had a knack for it and it made me feel empowered. It was the first time I had ever learned anything that could actually save a life. And since then I have tried to learn anything else that I could to empower myself to help others.

The next question I’m invariably asked is, “How do I learn CPR?” Well this couldn’t be simpler today. The easiest way to find a CPR class is through The American Heart Association Website, which has a CPR class locater. Simply insert your Zip code or choose your state from the drop down menu. And the next page it will ask you what course you would like. Now if your not a health care professional or an instructor at a day care or school then the Friends & Family CPR is for you. This course will provide you with all the knowledge that you need to perform CPR until emergency crews arrive. You can also check with your local hospital, fire department, Department of Public Safety, or Red Cross as these will often run free or low costs CPR classes for the public.

So what if you don’t have easy access to any of these classes? Well there are several online resources that say they will train you and certify you over the internet in an afternoon. Now I haven’t tried any of these websites out so I can’t speak for their validity, nor ca I figure out how they know you are performing the necessary steps correctly without an instructor there, and they can be a bit pricey as well. But I will walk you through the steps to proper CPR and attempt to tell you how to perform each. Of course I have to tell you that I cannot be held liable for any harm which comes about by anyone using this information. I intend it only as a brief introduction into CPR, and I highly recommend everyone out there participate in a certified CPR class conducted by certified Trainers.

The process for performing CPR is simple to learn but takes constant practice to master and maintain. It is broken down into two processes: Chest Compressions & Ventilations. A cycle of CPR for an adult is 30 compressions to 2 Ventilations. A compression is exactly as it sounds compressing the chest in order to help the heart to circulate blood. And ventilations is the process where you breath for the patient. Now a lot of people say that they are not going to put their lips on someone else mouth and I can understand that. I wouldn’t do it either which is why I recommend a CPR Pocket Mask. They are small enough to carry with you every where you go and they provide you with a protective barrier from what ever the person you are helping may have.

First determine that someone needs CPR. Make sure that the person is not just sleeping or unconscious due to some other reason. Try waking them up. Shake their shoulders scream at them. CPR classes often use the phrase, “HEY! HEY! Are you Okay?!” If someone is with you have them call 9-1-1, or you call 9-1-1. Are they breathing? Can’t tell? Place your ear over their mouth while you watch their chest. Do this for one full minute. Do hear any air moving? Feel any air on your cheek or ear? Do you see their chest rise and fall? Do you see them move an arm or leg? Do they have a pulse? Not sure? If they are moving then they have a pulse, that is a guaranty that you can take to the bank. If they are talking then they are breathing and have a pulse. If your not certain then you can check a pulse. Using your index and middle finger of your hand lay your fingers across the side of the neck which you are on. Wait for one full minute while doing this. You are feeling for any bump that occurs. Sometimes they are fast, sometimes they are slow. Some are soft, and some are very robust. Sometimes you just can feel the pulse even if it is there. If the answer to any of these questions is yes then the majority of the time they don’t need CPR. If the answer to these questions is no then I would advise that you begin CPR.

Chest compressions are the basis for CPR and if done properly can truly save someone’s life. They are performed by placing one hand on top of the other and weaving your fingers together. This gives you the most strength to your compressions. Place your hands then over the middle of the patient’s chest between the nipples. For particularly well endowed women imagine where their nipples would be without the breasts. This is the simplest and quickest way to determine the location for Chest compressions. The more technical way to find the location is to to go one hand width above the Xyphoid Process (bottom of the sternum). I find that its much quicker and easier to simply aim for nipple line along the breast bone, and more people seem to understand what I’m saying as well. Once you locate the proper location begin pressing into the chest. A few things to remember in order to maximize the compressions and to keep you from getting worn out too fast: keep your arms straight locking your elbows, bend at the hips and not with your back, remember to breathe while your performing chest compressions its hard work and the emergency crews don’t need two patients. Even if you don’t perform any ventilations for the patient the chest compressions can save a life by themselves.

Ventilation is the process by which you basically breath for the patient. It is performed by blowing air into the lungs of the patient most often through Mouth-to-mouth. Now I don’t recommend mouth-to-mouth without the use of a mask of some sort due to various reasons, but that is a decision for you to make when and if the situation arises. Ventilations are fairly simple to perform. First you most make sure that the patient’s airway is open. This is performed by placing the palm of one hand on their forehead and the using the fingers and thumbs of the other hand to grasp their chin (first two fingers under the chin and thumb on top of the chin). Simultaneously lift the chin and press down gently of the forehead. This is known as the Head tilt-chin lift. And sometimes this alone will cause someone to start breathing again but if not then while holding the persons forehead and chin you will need to pinch their nose shut and deliver two slow deep breathes. These should take about 2 seconds each to deliver and you should see they patient’s chest visibly rise with each. If you are unable to blow a breath into the person’s lungs first try to reposition the head but performing the Head tilt-chin lift maneuver again. If this doesn’t work look into their mouth and make sure there is nothing in the way that is choking them. And if nothing seems to work then proceed with only Chest compressions.

Hundreds of lives are saved every year thanks to people who have taken time to learn CPR. And one day one of those people could be a loved one of yours. That is why I recommend everyone take a Saturday and learn CPR. Get the whole family into it. It could be the single most important thing you ever learn.

Greetings

Welcome to the Home Emergency Blog. Here I hope to form a single location on the Web where anyone can quickly lookup and locate information how to handle all sorts of emergencies in the home. My reasoning behind creating this blog is all thanks to me lovely wife who seems to ask me daily about so new situation, which may arise while I’m not home so that she will know how to handle things if they occur. I am a North Carolina Paramedic and have been so since 2004, and during the time since I first began this career I’ve noticed that different people react differently to all types of situations, mostly with a measure of panic. This ok. Its perfectly acceptable and expected that when you are faced with an unfamiliar situation that your adrenaline will start to flow and unless you can control that surge of energy that is rushing through your body you will become excited and likely to feel out of control. The purpose of this blog is to arm you with a basic knowledge of all types of emergencies that may occur in the home.

Every thing from CPR, Heart Attack, Stroke, Burns, Broken Arms and Legs, Grease Fire, Smoke in the House, Gas Fumes, Burglar breaking into your home, to Natural disasters I will try to cover as completely as possible. These will all be covered on the basic level of understanding so as to help you be prepared to know what to expect should such occurrences arise. This will by no means be a complete how-to guide for fixing everything that comes up. And as always if you’re not comfortable or you’re uncertain, dial 911.

If you at any point even think of dialing 911, even for a split second then by all means dial 911. The professionals that come to your home are there to help you. And if you decide that you don’t need them you can always call 911 back and cancel them, or wait till they arrive and let them know that you no longer need them.

I hope that this blog will be as exciting for you as it is for me. And I hope that together we can help everyone become a little more knowledgeable in how to treat emergency situations.