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CHECKS POSITION — Kevin Glasgow looks at the computer dial to make certain he isn't
drawing any red lights as he positions his hands on Resusci Annie to start cardiopulmonary
resuscitation. Instructor Jim Hoffman and another CPR student, Terry Wilhelm, look on.
NOT TOO MUCH — Instructress Dee Beuerman watches as rec administrator Ian Smith
practices his life support skills on Resusci Baby. Staff photo
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Page 14A Times-Advocate, September 12, 1979
a course that makes life savers
ALL CHOKED UP — Jean Palframan demonstrates the un-
iversal choking sign, while Laurie Bisback positions her
hands and prepares for an abdomen thrust that would
hopefully dislodge the foreign material. Staff photo
GEE, MOM I PASSED — Just about anyone can pass a
CPR test according to the local instructors and the point was
well proven when they bestowed a certificate on the editor,
shown here working on Resusci Annie.
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ONTARI
TELEPHONE SERVICE
COMMISSION
Ontario
IN THE MATTER of section 105 of The
Telephone Act (R.S.O. 1970, c. 457),
AND IN THE MATTER of an Application by
the Hay Municipal Telephone System for
approval of changes in telephone rates.
NOTICE OF HEARING
The Commission will consider this
Application at a public hearing to be held
in the Township Hall, Zurich, Ontario, on
September 27, 1979, commencing at
7:30 p.m.
Persons wishing to make representation or
submissions to the Commission with
respect to this Application may do so at
this hearing.
If your do not attend or are not
represented at this hearing, the Commis-
sion may proceed in your abscence and
you will not be entitled to any further
notice of the proceedings.
Dated at Downsview, Ontario, this 6th day
of September, 1979.
Secretary/Registrar
Ontario Telephone
Service Commission
Suite 200
3625 Dufferin Street
Downsview, Ontario
M3K 1Z2
CPR
By BILL BATTEN
"This is going to be a fun
course...relax and enjoy it."
Those were the words of
Dee Beuerman as she ad-
dressed the six people sitting
in the board room at South
Huron Hospital who were
about to commence on a day-
long course to master
Cardiopulmonary Resus-
citation (CPR).
Joining the writer were
student Kevin Glasgow, rec
administrator Ian Smith,
teacher Terry Wilhelm and
two nurses, Laurie Bisback
and Jean Palframan.
Co-instructor Jim Hoff-
man soon joined the group,
and there were two special
"people" in attendance who
would become the real stars
-of the show...Resusci-Annie
and Resusci-Baby,
Dee outlined the aims and
objectives of the course
which is conducted through
the Ontario Heart Foun-
dation. In the next few hours
we would have to complete a
50-question quiz (requiring
an 85 percent mark to pass),
and successfully prove our
skills of how to administer
assistance to an adult and
infant with partial and
complete airway ob-
struction, as well as
providing CPR for both an
infant and adult, both in a
one-man and two-man
rescue situation,
She and Jim outlined many
statistics to indicate that
CPR training can save many
lives. While Canadian
figures are not available,
there are 650,000 heart at-
tack deaths annually in the
U.S. and another 2,900 deaths
attributable to choking.
Many of those deaths are
needless and 60 percent
occur before the victim
reaches hospital.
One of the major reasons
for many of those deaths
being classified as needless
is the fact that if people at
the scene knew CPR they
could save many victims by
providing the necessary life
support techniques until
more advanced medical aid
could be provided.
The victim of cardiac
arrest (through heart attack,
choking, electrocution,
drowning, etc.) usually
suffers irreversible brain
damage within four to six
minutes after breathing and
the heart have stopped. If
artificial ventilation and
circulation can be im-
plemented within that time,
the victim has a chance of
being saved.
CPR, where used in
hospitals, has resulted in the
death rate of cardiac arrest
victims being reduced from
50 percent to 15 percent.
After detailing the
techniques we were to learn
(using hubby Larry as a
victim for the choking
demonstration) Dee went
through the important
factors of the course,
reviewing the pre-course
material with which each of
us had been provided.
Then it was time for the
written test and we were
handed the 50-question
multiple choice test.
It was the first test the
writer has tackled for a
number of years and we
lived again the tension that
arises when you first glance
through the questions and
start worrying about
whether you can complete it
successfully. The palms of
the hand get a little sweaty
and there is the sinking
feeling of hitting a question
for which you are not certain
of the answer.
After checking through
again, we gingerly handed
the sheet to the instructors
for marking, watching
anxiously as they checked
the correct answers and
frowned as they hit an in-
correct one.
However, the worry was
needless, We passed with
flying colours, missing out
on only two of the correct
answers.
After a break for lunch, it
was on to the practical
portion of the course, where
we were teaming up with
classmates to practice the
obstructed airway
techniques.
We drew Ian for that
portion, although Dee
started us off by being the
victim for the writer, who
gingerly (but pleasantly)
Mr. and Mrs. Dave
Spencer, Mrs. Annie
Youngson, St. Marys Mrs.
Gertie Thomson of the 8th
line of Blanshard visited
with Mrs. Mary Thomson
Andrew Street, Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Cottle
and Mr. and Mrs. William
Green were guests at the
llarris-Sedden wedding at
Avondale United Church,
Stratford and also the
reception at 0Sgoode Hall
Stratford, Saturday.
tackled the chest hold.
For a partial airway ob-
struction, the rescuer does
nothing except provide
confidence for the victim. He
should be allowed to attempt
to disgorge the foreign
material by himself if he can
still muster a cough and
some speech, albeit with
some difficulty. The
universal sign given by a
choking victim, is the
grasping of the hands to the
neck.
If the victim is unable to
cough or speak, the rescuer
moves to the rear and ad-
ministers four back blows,
followed by four abdominal
thrusts. The latter is ac-
complished by forcing a fist
into the abdomen between
the breastbone and navel,
This sequence is repeated
until the choking material is
dislodged completely or
enough for the victim to
attempt to get it out the rest
of the way by himself. If it is
not successful and total
blockage is present, the
victim will fall into un-
consciousness.
He is then lowered to the
floor, where the back blows
are repeated, and then four
chest thrusts are im-
plemented. This is repeated
as necessary. If cardiac
arrest ensues, the CPR
technique is employed.
If you have any difficulty
understanding how the
abdominal thrusts may
dislodge a foreign material
you can take the writer's
word for it that even with a
small amount of pressure,
there is a strong force that is
pushed up through the chest.
I can only imagine what
would happen under full
pressure and there have
been cases where people
undertaking the course have
lost their meals due to an
over-zealous rescue
demonstration,
It should be noted here that
all the techniques when
employed on classroom
victims are basically mute
only in order to prevent any
injury. The techniques are
never used on a person
because they could cause
cardiac arrest or bodily
damage.
Injury is not uncommon
for an actual victim either,
of course, but the alternative
is death and a few broken
ribs is naturally considered
less serious than that.
Completing successfully
our obstructed airway
technique, Ian and I moved
on to the Resusci-Baby,
where we had to learn the
obstructed airway technique
as well as CPR,
The difference of course is
in the physical makeup of an
infant or small child. The
thrusts have to be lessened
considerably and the
breathing is also reduced "so
you don't blow the lungs
down into the diaper" ac-
cording to Jim and Dee.
Having mastered that
technique, it was on to the
major test of the
day...turning out a tape on
Resusci-Annie,
Annie is a life-sized
mannequin, fitted out with a
computer which records the
strength and duration of
artificial ventilation
(breathing) and artificial
circulation. One improper
hand position results in a red
light that is an automatic
failure.
To pass the course, a
rescuer must complete a
four-cycle ventilation and
circulation strip.
The first responsibility to
the victim, is to test for
unresponsiveness. This is
done by shaking the
shoulders, shouting and
otherwise attempting to
determine if the victim is
conscious or not.
If the victim is un-
conscious the airway is
opened by tilting back the
head. This is often enough to
revive an unconscious
person, The rescuer then
looks for a sign of a heart
beat or breathing in the chest
area and holds his cheek and
ear near the nose and mouth
area for physical evidence
of breathing,
Ifnone is evident,four quick
breaths are forced into the
victim (ramp breathing) and
then the rescuer attempts to
find out if there is a pulse by
checking the carotid pulse at
the neck.
Rescuers take seven to 10
seconds to check this, as it is
a must that there be no
pulse evident before you
start working on the chest.
If no pulse is evident, CPR
is initiated. This involves
placing the hands on the
lower half of the sternum
and giving 15 vertical
compressions that simulate
circulation. The com-
pression is one and a half to
two inches for an adult,
Fifteen compressions are
given and then two ven-
tilations and then back to
another 15 chest com-
pressions. This sequence
must oe done four times with
only a 15 percent error
margin. The error may
include a ventilation that is
not quite heavy enough or too
heavy, a chest compression
that may be of a slight in-
correct pressure, as well as
some error in timing bet-
ween ventilation and cir-
culation.
It looks easy watching Dee
and Jim perform the
technique, but it was soon
evident to the six students
that it was something which
would require considerable
practice.
Everyone took turns
putting out tapes and Laurie
managed to win the side bet
that went to the first in the
class to present a passable
tape.
Oddly enough, the writer
ended up passing, although
we left a good chunk of skin
on Annie's chest before we
managed to get the
technique down to an ac-
ceptable level.
While I had been given
advance notice of the
physical strain the course
would have on my knees, lips
and hands, I can report that
other than a giant blister,
work could be tackled the
next morning.
I have no hesitancy in
encouraging any area
resident to enrol in a course
by calling either Jim or Dee.
There was a deep sense of
satisfaction in walking out of
the hospital with a cer-
tificate, and while I hope
never to have to use the
course, there is a strong
feeling of confidence that I
could now help out in an
emergency situation,
What bothers me most is
the fact I happen to be a high
risk person for cardiac
arrest. There is some
heredity factor involved for
heart attack, I am a little
over-weight, smoke too
much, am, presently under
considerable stress, don't
get enough exercise, am
careless about my bachelor
diet, am a male and between
the ages of 35 and 55.
That all adds up to a high
risk and I happen to knoW
that I am not that abnormal
in comparison to many of my
readers.
The point is...I can now
help you. Won't you take the
time to pass a short course
that will enable you to help
me if the situation arises?
Or,.don't you think it may
be worthy enough to know
how to help your husband,
wife or children...the next
door neighbor...or anyone
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