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Many times, ordinary people with no training in emergency rescue will attempt to help other people. Their efforts are applauded and respected, as well as appreciated. However, those ordinary people may be placing themselves in a position of extreme danger. One particular rescue attempt is when people try to remove other people from a vehicle collision when there are wires on top of it. The moment that you touch that vehicle, you will be electrocuted.
In other situations, when people are electrocuted, there is no collision or the vehicle is not touching wires. Wires are also underground and may be exposed for some reason. The times when people are electrocuted are when they are a news crew, and the camera operator raises the boom or antenna. The antenna touches a high-powered line and energizes the vehicle. There are times when an energized vehicle does not display signs that it can hurt or fatally injured a person or persons. Even when you are inside the vehicle and decide to get out, you are in extreme danger the moment you step on the ground while still touching the vehicle. The electrical energy can put you or a victim into cardiac arrest. CPR will need to be started in conjunction with an AED.
In other instances, a vehicle may run into a fire hydrant and shear it off. The water is under high pressure and will shoot up into the air and come in contact with high powered lines. The people inside of the vehicle will do the usual thing that people do when they have an accident. They will get out or try to get out of the vehicle. Those bystanders who may have witnessed the collision will attempt to free those people in the vehicle. Well, the water is energized as well as the vehicle or any other vehicle that may be nearby. Anybody who touches the vehicles will be electrocuted.
Even though a person may have some knowledge of electrical hazards, he or she may forget or not understand that the water will go downhill and is energized. Therefore, you can be downhill, twenty feet away, and when that water reaches you, you will be electrocuted. CPR will need to be started after the victim has been removed to a dry and safe area. The same energized water situation occurs when lightning strikes a pool, lake, or even an ocean. If you are in the water, you will be electrocuted.
When a person is electrocuted, the first thing to do is to assure that you are safe. If it is safe to remove the victim to a safe place, do so and begin life-saving maneuvers. If your safety is not guaranteed, do not attempt to remove the victim from the energized area. Let the professionals do that. However, if a person is electrocuted, and still in the energized area, by the time fire and paramedics arrive, the chances of survival are extremely low.
The reason the victim’s chances are extremely low is that after professional rescuers arrive, they will not immediately step into the energized is until the power is shut off. That shutoff time may be extended, and as you are aware, when the heart is not beating, it needs CPR and the use of an AED in less than seven minutes. If that is not possible, no attempt to start CPR is initiated when the removal time has been greater than thirty minutes to an hour.
Other areas of water and electrical danger occurs in the home when an electrical device gets in contact with bathtub or shower water. A person may even be washing dishes, and something that is plugged into an electrical outlet falls in the sink. Electrocution will occur!
In other instances, someone or a child may stick a metal object into an outlet, but the amount of energy may be 120 volts. This energy may not place you in cardiac arrest, but it will cause discomfort. Also, understand that electricity not only causes cardiac arrest, but it will also produce severe internal burns as it will follow a path of least resistance until it exits your bottom on a grounded object.
When there is a potential of electrical shock in any situation, think first before taking action to save a life. If you don’t, you and the victims’ chance of survival is extremely low. And call 911 immediately. If safety permits CPR and the use of an AED, use it without delay.
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Ennis is an Advance Life Support caregiver providing emergency care, training, motivating and educating on a national level for over 35 years with strong concentration and enormous success in business consultation, motivational and safety speaking, minor project management and customer service management. Ennis has been a Supervisor and Associate Supervisor in California, Okinawa Japan, and S. Korea with experience in leading teams and managing large groups of personnel.
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Many times, ordinary people with no training in emergency rescue will attempt to help other people. Their efforts are applauded and respected, as well as appreciated. However, those ordinary people may be placing themselves in a position of extreme danger. One particular rescue attempt is when people try to remove other people from a vehicle collision when there are wires on top of it. The moment that you touch that vehicle, you will be electrocuted.
In other situations, when people are electrocuted, there is no collision or the vehicle is not touching wires. Wires are also underground and may be exposed for some reason. The times when people are electrocuted are when they are a news crew, and the camera operator raises the boom or antenna. The antenna touches a high-powered line and energizes the vehicle. There are times when an energized vehicle does not display signs that it can hurt or fatally injured a person or persons. Even when you are inside the vehicle and decide to get out, you are in extreme danger the moment you step on the ground while still touching the vehicle. The electrical energy can put you or a victim into cardiac arrest. CPR will need to be started in conjunction with an AED.
In other instances, a vehicle may run into a fire hydrant and shear it off. The water is under high pressure and will shoot up into the air and come in contact with high powered lines. The people inside of the vehicle will do the usual thing that people do when they have an accident. They will get out or try to get out of the vehicle. Those bystanders who may have witnessed the collision will attempt to free those people in the vehicle. Well, the water is energized as well as the vehicle or any other vehicle that may be nearby. Anybody who touches the vehicles will be electrocuted.
Even though a person may have some knowledge of electrical hazards, he or she may forget or not understand that the water will go downhill and is energized. Therefore, you can be downhill, twenty feet away, and when that water reaches you, you will be electrocuted. CPR will need to be started after the victim has been removed to a dry and safe area. The same energized water situation occurs when lightning strikes a pool, lake, or even an ocean. If you are in the water, you will be electrocuted.
When a person is electrocuted, the first thing to do is to assure that you are safe. If it is safe to remove the victim to a safe place, do so and begin life-saving maneuvers. If your safety is not guaranteed, do not attempt to remove the victim from the energized area. Let the professionals do that. However, if a person is electrocuted, and still in the energized area, by the time fire and paramedics arrive, the chances of survival are extremely low.
The reason the victim’s chances are extremely low is that after professional rescuers arrive, they will not immediately step into the energized is until the power is shut off. That shutoff time may be extended, and as you are aware, when the heart is not beating, it needs CPR and the use of an AED in less than seven minutes. If that is not possible, no attempt to start CPR is initiated when the removal time has been greater than thirty minutes to an hour.
Other areas of water and electrical danger occurs in the home when an electrical device gets in contact with bathtub or shower water. A person may even be washing dishes, and something that is plugged into an electrical outlet falls in the sink. Electrocution will occur!
In other instances, someone or a child may stick a metal object into an outlet, but the amount of energy may be 120 volts. This energy may not place you in cardiac arrest, but it will cause discomfort. Also, understand that electricity not only causes cardiac arrest, but it will also produce severe internal burns as it will follow a path of least resistance until it exits your bottom on a grounded object.
When there is a potential of electrical shock in any situation, think first before taking action to save a life. If you don’t, you and the victims’ chance of survival is extremely low. And call 911 immediately. If safety permits CPR and the use of an AED, use it without delay.
Vlad Magdalin
