Binmen could give life-saving treatment to heart attack patients in a rural area of England.
Crews would carry defibrillators, machines which give electric shocks, under the plan being considered by Staffordshire Moorlands Council.
Will they give these guys a payrise to cover this job? And also is this sensible? I’ve done bin work, and it’s frequently messy work.
But, according to the Council…
"I would point out that we are not replacing ambulance crews with binmen.
“People should not be worried. The machines are automatic, they do all the work, including testing whether an electric shock is necessary too.”
Something like 4hrs training to learn how to use an automatic defib, then simply follow the instructions.
Do a 4 day FAW course plus a half day add-on module to cover defibs and you are qualified to work in a supermarket, there are loads of supermarkets with defibs in.
Even I could use one. The machine does the lot once you have put the leads on.
As for the mucky hands, there are rubber gloves you can wear.
On the downside, this idea is absolute lunacy, there is no replacement for a qualified ambulance crew or LIVES responder.
Just imagine, my bin hasn’t been emptied, don’t care that the binman has been doing CPR, whens my bin going to be emptied■■?
Dratsabasti:
Something like 4hrs training to learn how to use an automatic defib, then simply follow the instructions.
Do a 4 day FAW course plus a half day add-on module to cover defibs and you are qualified to work in a supermarket, there are loads of supermarkets with defibs in.
Even I could use one. The machine does the lot once you have put the leads on.
As for the mucky hands, there are rubber gloves you can wear.
On the downside, this idea is absolute lunacy, there is no replacement for a qualified ambulance crew or LIVES responder.
Just imagine, my bin hasn’t been emptied, don’t care that the binman has been doing CPR, whens my bin going to be emptied■■?
Bet you would not say that if you were the one having the heart attack!! Once again people dont want to do anything to help others. I would welcome being trained, imagine the job satisfaction you would get if you saved just one life.
Wonder how much the box and course would add up to… imagine if even 1% of the trucks on the roads had them. You spot a bloke having a heart attack by the road, and you’ve saved a life. Nice idea.
And if you live in Coventry, should you put anyting in the wheelie bin that is undesirable (rubble, grass cuttings etc) the bin don’t get emptied. So if I am inappropriately dressed when I need help, will I be refused?
smcaul:
Bet you would not say that if you were the one having the heart attack!! Once again people dont want to do anything to help others. I would welcome being trained, imagine the job satisfaction you would get if you saved just one life.
FYI, I was an Army Nurse and Medic for 20 years, I was also St John Ambulance for 30 years and I have helped to save many a life, and not just heart attacks.
I am very squeamish about all these defib ideas going around, there is more chance of someone dying from other injuries and illnesses than heart attacks.
I don’t doubt that having these defibs in greater numbers, even the Fire Service carry them, and they are the next best thing to an ambulance person at an incident.
My ex-wife once had the opportunity to do CPR in a supermarket, unfortunately, the lady was DEAD, and the only people she was treating were the surrouding people.
People seem to think that a Defib is some kind of miracle machine and will revive anybody, they won’t.
They will only revive someone who’s body can be revived.
There are basically two types of dead body.
The body that will revive regardless of what you do, even CPR will appear to work, in most cases, a simple pre-cordial thump will do the job.
The body that will stay dead, despite what you do, you could have a full blown cardiac arrest team in attendance, and they will stay dead.
A lot of alleged heart attack patients survive better with theraputic nihilism, than with inexperienced interference that can do untold harm.
I believe there is an ambulance controller on here somewhere, I’m sure he will agree with a lot of what I’ve said.
My bins are emptied at 6 AM on a Monday morning so i,m pretty close to having a hear attack then anyway .
Yes its a good idea the only thing i can see a problem with is hygiene, ulling bins about all say and then handling someone who is sick?, maybe not such a good idea.
There is a positive side to the idea of binmen acting as primary care operatives. I mean, should you actually croak it they can always just sling you in the back of the wagon and save everyone the hassle and cost of a funeral for you.
Qhunter:
There is a positive side to the idea of binmen acting as primary care operatives. I mean, should you actually croak it they can always just sling you in the back of the wagon and save everyone the hassle and cost of a funeral for you.
I cant see what the problem is…good luck to the council for implementing the idea…and the ambulance crews were quoted as saying that its a good idea, at least there could be more lives saved…its a shame that more people were not trained to do heart rescussitation or even the basic first aid…which is something in my opinion should have been given to everyone who has ever taken a driving test…but what with the emergency services response times then lets welcome the good news…you never know…one day it could be you…i remember being at several accidents over the years…watching others running around like headless chickens because they didnt know what to do…not even the basic recovery position…we cant all be traffic controllers…so remember that.
have a nice day
Good luck to them, the more people who are trained in this way the better, IMHO…
…It does, however, remind me of when I took my HGV Theory 5 years ago (I was one of the first). A friend of mine who had driven wagons for years (mostly taking abnormal load-sized luxury yachts to Italy, lucky sod, before giving it all up to airbrush trucks and tattoo people) had a look at the practice questions and nearly collapsed with laughter after finding the ones on First Aid…before pointing out that if drivers had to be that multi-skilled then they should have a question which said:
“You are driving through a town when you spot a building with a tile missing from it’s roof. Do you:
a) Fix the roof.
b) Cone off the area and await a qualified roofer.
c) Avoid moving the tile in case you cause further injury to it’s spine.
d) Give the tile a cigarette and a nip of brandy, then comfort it until an ambulance arrives.”
I must be one of the few on here who has been “defibed” (upto 800 jules, whatever that means) and it would not bother me if the Pig Farmer (no offense meant) used it,---------------it could keep me alive------and life is very, very precious.
