If Stan goes down, Kathleen has promised to forgo the insurance money and try to revive him instead. That solemn agreement was reached tonight on our way to a defibrillation training session.
As you might suspect, it is not hard to find courses in CPR, Heimlich Maneuvers and AED in this high-risk cardiac community. The folks at 911 even have the local golf hole locations programmed into their mapping software.("Man down on No. 17, Fred. On the cart path by the bunker. Send help.")
Most courses are free and taught by volunteers. Kathleen thought we should take advantage so tonight we presented ourselves in the Coyote Room of the Saddlebrooke clubhouse to be instructed by a couple of tough old warriors who have seen it all while serving in emergency rooms of various hospitals. They were very good. Really knew their stuff.
Do you know the difference between cardiac arrest and a heart attack? Now we do.
The centerpiece of the exercise, of course, was Resuci-Annie. But the other machine was made by Minnesota's Medtronic Company, an idiot-proof device to shock cardiac arrest victims back into normal heart rhythms.
It is called an Automatic Electronic Defibrillator. Saddlebrooke has a half-dozen of them posted around the swimming pool, tennis courts, restaurants, maintenance sheds and a mobile one in the Saddlebrooke Neighborhood Watch Patrol Wagon. This equipment is standing by, waiting for somebody to keel over.
The shocking is done in combination with traditional CPR; we practiced the combinations and the scenarios, answering the questions of what to do until paramedics arrive. It makes statements like "Stand Clear of the Body" or "No Shock Needed" or "Check Breathing."As you might suspect, some of the trainees had already benefited from CPR. Bob wouldn't be here, his wife beamed, were it not for CPR. We're glad we went tonight and maybe we can save a life some day. Maybe even a spouse.
(Photos: Kathleen, top photo, actually was very serious for most of the training, she just got the giggles when we set up the picture. At right, Kathleen demonstrates the sticky patches that are applied so that the Medtronic device can start telling you what to do next, based on information it detects from the victim's body. The emergency kit includes a sharp razor for dry-shaving very hairy chests.)
