Once a lifesaver, always a lifesaver

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/03/2020 (1179 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba is renowned  for having the greatest per capita percentage of volunteers in Canada. We are ready to help when asked, but sometimes we need to stop and help without waiting for an invitation. 

Such is the case when confronted with an emergency situation.Emergencies can happen anywhere, and stopping at the scene of an accident is always scary. Not everyone is comfortable stepping in to help, but there are many among us who have trained to do exactly that.

There are thousands of current and former first aiders and lifeguards across our city.  Some have parlayed their lifesaver training into careers as first responders, healthcare professional or child- and seniors-care workers. Even those lifesavers who have chosen an unrelated career path, such as being a community correspondent for The Metro, still retain knowledge of first aid basics. 

Here are a few simple steps that even the untrained bystander can follow to assist in a crisis:

• Scan the area for ongoing dangers —do not add yourself to the number of victims;• Call 911 — never assume it’s already been done;
• Even if no injuries are apparent, stay and talk calmly to each victim until Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrive — people are alone and afraid and can go into shock;
• Be observant, give EMS any relevant information, and give your name before departing a scene.

Every vehicle should have a first aid kit. You may never need it but lifesavers,just like Scouts, are always prepared. I carry a tool box with the basics: plastic gloves, a mouth-to-mouth barrier, large Band-Aids, slings, gauze pads, scissors, tweezers, safety pins, first aid tape and things I’ve collected over the years.

It’s impossible to avoid the topic of liability when suggesting that we initiate assisting a stranger. The Good Samaritan Protection Act of Manitoba was enacted in 2006 to ensure that, “a person who voluntarily provides emergency assistance to an individual injured in an accident or emergency is not liable in damages for injury to or the death of that individual caused by any act or omission in providing the emergency assistance, unless the person is grossly negligent”. 

To sum it up, unless you intentionally do damage, you can offer help without fear of liability. 

As Gandhi said: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”  

Wanda Prychitko is a community correspondent for St. James-Assiniboia. Contact wprychitko@yahoo.ca

Wanda Prychitko
St. James-Assiniboia community correspondent

Wanda Prychitko is a community correspondent for St. James-Assiniboia.

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