Your Life Is At Risk

March 5, 2008

The “Golden Hour” is the first sixty minutes after an occurrence of a major trauma or illness, such as a heart attack.  A victim's chance for survival is greatest if he or she receives medical care from emergency room doctors and nurses within that first hour after a severe occurrence.  In order to improve the long-term patient outcome, emergency medicine service (EMS) professionals provide the initial diagnosis and immediate medical treatment of acute illness or injuries prior to and during patient transport to a hospital emergency trauma department.

May 20, 2005 Robert Davis, a reporter for USA Today, articulated the problems facing EMS and enlightened citizens who, in blind faith, believe they were going to be cared for.  Congress was alerted to the situation by Mr Davis’ comprehensive report.  In 2006 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) formed the “Future of EMS in the Healthcare System” committee who listened to testimony by EMS providers from across the country.  Those EMS providers painted a bleak picture of the future of EMS and the devastating outcome to patient survival should the EMS system crumble.  Although the 2006 IOM report calculates a two year window before the dysfunctional EMS infrastructure would completely dissolve, a newly released website, funded by Centers for Disease Control’s Injury Center, shows our country is at serious risk today.

The lessons learned early in life establish behavioral patterns for the rest of our life and become a part of a person’s core beliefs and values.  SALF has chosen to focus on teaching young people basic life supporting first aid (LSFA) skills in order to inform or change their behavior, attitudes and response to emergencies.  SALF programs have a proven track record of producing bystanders who will act due to increased knowledge, confidence, and a desire to come to the aid of others in emergencies.

As European countries have done since World War I, our government must give immediate focus to the role of the “bystander” as the “first responder” in rendering prompt aid to the injured or ill.  American citizens, more then ever, must prepare to lend aid to the injured or ill should an unexpected emergency occur.  Your friend, your loved one, or your own life may depend on a trained bystander.  Trained hands save lives!