First Aid In Technical Theatre

[Jivemaster]

My full time employer is an accredited trainer for FAW and run courses often, (we have 1000 employees all of whom have FAW trained and updated as needed so training is usually continuous! ) A course can be run for blue roomers but I doubt you will get 6 people to agree on a date and actually show up! It's possible that individuals can sit in on existing courses as and when they run. LOcation -just south of the olympic park

[bigclive]

The defibrillator training was more to make people familiar with a typical units application and operation.

 

Where electrocution is concerned a defib unit is essential to have on site and normal CPR techniques used in conjunction with the defib unit will offer a much higher chance of survival for an electrocution victim.

[pumphouse]

 

Where electrocution is concerned a defib unit is essential to have on site and normal CPR techniques used in conjunction with the defib unit will offer a much higher chance of survival for an electrocution victim.

 

Errrr - I think you mean electric shock, not electrocution, as by definition no amount of application of a defibrilator or anything else you might try would bring an electrocution victim back to life...

 

e·lec·tro·cute (-lktr-kyt)

tr.v. e·lec·tro·cut·ed, e·lec·tro·cut·ing, e·lec·tro·cutes

1. To kill with electricity: a worker who was electrocuted by a high-tension wire.

2. To execute (a condemned prisoner) by means of electricity.

 

\Pedant mode off

[Andrew C]

pedant

 

Depends on definition of "kill". Heart stopped -> Dead. CPR & Defib -> Alive again.

 

/pedant

[paulears]

I don't think that's even pedantic. If somebody has an electric shock, and is alive - then treatment is for the effects, whereas if somebody has been electrocuted they're dead, so first aid is bringing them back. You don't even consider getting the paddles out if their heart is beating?

[pumphouse]

Does indeed rather depend on the definition of death, and researching that one throws up a number of different viewpoints which could ignite a whole discussion of its own!

[Seano]

Other members may or may not confirm that riggers should have an aerial rescue trained person on-site when using fall-arrest so there should already be an element of First Aid involved in that.

 

Its not only riggers who need to have a rescue plan in place, though that doesn't necessarily have to involve any 'aerial' roped rescue type shenanigans. The 'KISS' principle applies. Focussing lampies or truss spot operators, for example, might be rescued by simply lowering the truss they're working on.

 

As far as I know, 'aerial rescue' training wouldn't normally include any first-aid training as such. Certainly none of the (few) short courses I've taken part in did - there's already plenty to cram into the time available.

 

The closest they got to it was some discussion of 'suspension trauma' and how to treat a 'casualty' immediately after a rescue. There always seemed to be some confusion around that (as you can tell just by the sheer variety of different names so-called 'suspension trauma' goes by.) Hopefully that's all got rather clearer now since the HSE issued direct, unambiguous advice that "no change should be made to the standard first aid guidance for the post recovery of a semi conscious or unconscious person in a horizontal position, even if the subject of prior harness suspension." (Link)

 

Really the emphasis in an 'aerial' rescue is to get the 'casualty' down to somewhere they can get proper medical attention asap. (And if an 'aerial rescue' is required someone should already be calling an ambulance as the rescue is getting underway.) All of a rescuer's attention should probably be focussed on that and until it's done very little in the way of first-aid is even possible.

[Andrew Edwards]

Just to link up previous comments about golden hours and AEDs. If you need a defib, you're talking a few minutes at most before it is too late. AEDs have sprung up in those areas where an ambulance team are definitely not going to get there in minutes. There is a little formula for working out the chances of survival against time from when VF starts. I can't remember exactly what it is but it gets to zero well before 8 minutes!!!

In reality, unless you keel over outside an ambulance station, it's very unlikely to be a good outcome.

However, AEDs have saved lives and indeed should be absolutely everywhere for them to be truly effective.

 

It is also important to note that FAAW is not just about treating accidents and also covers recognising signs and symptoms of problems caused by underlying health issues such as diabetes, asthma and epilepsy. I have dealt with more [serious] incidents involving pre-existing conditions rather than someone who is having a heart attack or has just severed a limb (not including anything that just needed a plaster). I had my one and only suspected heart attack experience merely days after my first FAAW course.

 

I am sure that you could find a nearby FE college which runs first aid courses. If you are thinking of getting the qual to assist your job prospects then I'm not sure of the benefit. In my experience employers, tend to send you off anyway if it suits their policy, regardless of what you already have. If you would like to find out for your own peace of mind then getting the St. Johns first aid manual out from the library would be enough.