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The Daily Dispatch
’11 Emergency Handbook
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Teaching children about 911 CPR has been proven to save lives In January, 3-year-old Jaden Bolli, of Maple Shade, N.J. dialed 911 when his grandmother collapsed at home. The toddler had learned how to call emergency services just days before from his mother. The boy told the dispatcher that it was his grandmother’s blood sugar. However, she really had suffered a stroke. Paramedics arrived in time and were able to help the woman. Bolli saved his grandma’s life. A parent never knows when an emergency will strike. His or her only hope may be the fast-thinking action of a young child who has called for help. Many parents wonder when the right time is for teaching youngsters about 911 or calling for emergency services. It doesn’t have to be based on age but rather maturity level. A mature 3-year-old may be able to grasp the concept and learn how to use the phone. However, parents may have to wait a little longer for a less mature child. Some adults are apprehensive about teaching the 911 lesson because they fear a child may dial the number by accident or even on purpose when there is no emergency. Many a police officer has responded to a call only to find that a child has made the call. Some areas will give individuals a warning. Others may issue a fine if 911 is dialed too many times without an emergency. This can be a deterrent to teaching about
calling the police. However, with proper instruction, many children can grasp the difference between using 911 in the right way vs. the wrong way. 1) Explain the purpose of 911. It is a method of contacting the police, fire department or ambulance when there is an emergency only. An emergency is when Mom, Dad or someone else in the house is hurt and can’t get up; there is a fire; or the police are needed, like if there is a burglar or a bad fight. 2) Indicate that the adults in the house will dial the phone whenever possible if there is an emergency. The child is learning only in case Mom or Dad can’t get to the phone. 3) Discuss the buttons on the phone. Show the child how to push them in the right order. 4) Now may be the time to also teach the child his or her full name and address. This is something many kindergartners are urged to know. 5) Roll-play with the child. Go over instances that are emergencies and non-emergencies so he or she will understand the differences between both and when 911 may be needed. Again, stress the importance that 911 should not be dialed just for fun. Mommy is not sick if she simply has a headache! With time, children can grasp the concept of 911 and be a lifesaver at a time when an adult cannot reach the phone.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is a life-saving method that has prevented the deaths of scores of individuals throughout the centuries. CPR is often used to keep a person alive until more in-depth medical attention can be provided. It’s an essential skill to know and can be a lifesaver for people of all ages. The American Heart Association reports that effective bystander CPR, provided immediately after sudden cardiac arrest, can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival. Despite these statistics, less than one-third of out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest victims receive bystander CPR. It could be because many people still do not know how to perform it. CPR has been around since 1740, when the Paris Academy of Sciences officially recommended mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for drowning victims. In 1891, Dr. Friedrich Maass performed the first documented chest compression in humans. Roughly 10 years later, successful chest compressions were used in human resuscitation. In the 1950s, it was determined that exhaled air was enough to provide oxygenation of another person. Peter Safar and James Elan, thusly, invented mouth-to-mouth resus-
citation. In 1960, the American Red Cross officially adopted cardiopulmonary resuscitation and began to teach the public the techniques. The ability to do CPR is not based on age but rather body strength. Studies have shown that children as young as 9 years old can learn and retain CPR skills. It’s important to keep in mind that while CPR can keep a person alive, Automated External Defibrillators (AED) devices are needed to restore a natural heart rhythm to an individual who has suffered from cardiac arrest. Unless resuscitation is provided within minutes of collapse, an individual can rarely be saved. CPR training courses are provided for individuals at many places, often free of charge. Some hospitals even offer CPR training to new parents. Check with a hospital, medical provider or police station on where CPR can be learned.
Performing CPR For those who want to know the basics of CPR, follow these guidelines, courtesy of The Mayo Clinic. Think ABC — airway, breathing and circulation — to remember the steps explained below. Move quickly through
airway and breathing to begin chest compressions.
Clear the airway 1) Put the person on his or her back on a firm surface. 2) Kneel next to the person’s neck and shoulders. 3) Open the person’s airway using the head-tilt, chin-lift maneuver. Put your palm on the person’s forehead and gently tilt the head back. Then with the other hand, gently lift the chin forward to open the airway. 4) Check for normal breathing, taking no more than five or 10 seconds. Look for chest motion, listen for normal breath sounds and feel for the person’s breath on your cheek and ear. Gasping is not considered to be normal breathing. If the person isn’t breathing normally and you are trained in CPR, begin mouth-to-mouth breathing. If you believe the person is unconscious from a heart attack and you haven’t been trained in emergency procedures, skip mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing and proceed directly to chest compressions.
Breathe for the person Rescue breathing can be mouth-to-mouth breathing or Please see CPR, page 3
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