Platform Speech (Draft 1)
On a bright sunny day, an eighteen year-old girl named Danielle was playing softball with her team. Her team had just finished their first game and were about to start their second when Danielle suddenly felt weak and collapsed. Gina, the mother of one of Danielle’s friends was a nurse. She hurried out onto the field and flipped Danielle over. She saw, to her dismay, that Danielle’s eyes were rolled back and that her skin was turning blue. Gina started CPR while telling her friends to immediately call 911. The medical staff raced towards the office to get the Automatic External Defibrillator but got there only to find that the batteries were dead. Now, Danielle’s life rested on Gina continuing CPR and the Lord working a miracle. The minutes ticked by.1 minute, 2,3,4,5, and still the EMS had not arrived. After 7 minutes the EMS finally was seen approaching the field. Danielle was hurriedly placed in the back of the ambulance and taken to a hospital. On the way to the hospital, the doctor that was sitting with Danielle administered 3 shocks with their Defibrillator and got Danielle’s heart back to somewhat of a rhythm. By eight o’clock that night, Danielle was sitting up and talking to her parents. She is alive today because of God working through CPR and the use of a Defibrillator. A simple technique….a saved life.
Danielle was one survivor out of the 310,000 people in the USA who suffer from Sudden Cardiac Arrest every year. Many people get SCA and a massive heart attack mixed up. When SCA occurs, the electrical system which causes the heart to pump blood throughout the body is scrambled and irregular signals are sent through the heart causing the heart to quiver. With a heart attack, on the other hand, a blockage occurs in a vein making it so that the blood cannot circulate. Many of the people who suffer from SCA would likely survive if bystanders were to follow the simple guidelines set out by the American heart Association (AHA). These guidelines are as follows:
1. Call 911
2. Immediately administer CPR
3. Utilize a defibrillator
When these guidelines are followed the survival rate increases from 5% to 49%. You could easily be a victim of SCA. SCA occurs on many healthy people. But there are things you can do. If you think back to my story you will remember that the two things used to save Danielle’s life were; a defibrillator, and CPR. .These are the techniques that I want to discuss with you …two simple techniques which can save a life.
The use of AED’s which have been readily available since 2001; increase a victim’s chance of survival dramatically. AED’s are instruments that have been made to shock a person’s heart when their heart stops beating. There are 2 factors which impact how many lives will be saved by AED’s. The first is availability. AEDs are most often found in airports and schools, but their availability is woefully inadequate. The American Heart Association estimates that as many as 50,000 additional American lives could be saved if these instruments were more readily available. I was interested in determining where I might find AEDs in my community of Wake Forest, NC. I called the four largest retail stores and none of them had an AED. I also called Franklin Academy, the Public Library, the United States Post Office, and even the Senior Center and a local nursing home. Out of all of these only the United States Post Office had a defibrillator because it is a federal law that they must carry one. Two of the stores that I called admitted that they didn’t know what a defibrillator. When asked if she knew what an Automated External Defibrillator was, one woman responded, “Do you mean that thing that they use to jump people?” It was encouraging that she was familiar with the basic concept. The second factor impacting the effectiveness of AEDs is the ability and willingness of bystanders to use them. In Decenber, 2007, Clemson University conducted a study which found that people who had received no prior training in the use of AEDs were able to adequately operate the instrument although any brief training improved their performance. Fortunately, such training is offered in most communities and even on the internet. It is as simple as this: there are pads that are placed on the victim’s chest and side. Once these are attached the on button is pushed and from then on you don’t have to do anything because the machine decides how hard to shock the victim, how many times, and at what time. An example of one person‘s life that was saved thru the use of a defibrillator is as follows.
Jack, a healthy 12 year old boy, was swimming laps at his school preparing for his swim meet the next night. His brother Henry was resting on the side of the pool when he saw his brother suddenly sink. Henry dragged his brother out of the pool and called for help. Fortunately, the school had a defibrillator, a bystander knew how to use it, and Jack’s life was saved. The defibrillator is a great machine because of the fact that it saves many lives but they cost from $1,500 to $2,000 and sometimes even more. As I learned from my research, their cost limits their availability. But that does not mean that hope is lost.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation also known as CPR can save a life in these situations. Thousands of people could be saved if this simple technique was used. Many people have probably heard of CPR but they have not used it on a person even if someone has been in a situation where CPR was needed. Lack of training, fear of legal liability if they fail to do it effectively, and reluctance to administer mouth-to -mouth are the key reasons bystanders do not administer CPR. All are understandable concerns but should they cause you to stand by and watch a victim of Sudden Cardiac Arrest die? By NO means! First of all, there are Good Samaritan Laws which protect you from liability. Additionally, there is a new way to do CPR that is actually simpler, easier, and does not use the mouth-to-mouth. This technique is called hands-only CPR. You are probably thinking that this would be great but is it as effective as CPR? Studies that the New England Journal of Medicine has published have shown that without the mouth to mouth it is actually even MORE effective than with it. Basically, all that you have to do is to press two inches into the middle of a person’s chest a hundred times a minute. There are training classes online which give more in-depth explanations. One statistic that the American Heart Association has put on their website shows that about 80% of SCA occurs in private residential settings. It is extremely important for CPR to be given immediately because 4 to 6 minutes after SCA occurs the brain starts to die. CPR stops the brain from dying by helping to maintain vital blood flow to the heart and brain which also increases the amount of time that a shock from a defibrillator can be effective. In an article from Parade magazine the AHA was quoted as having proved that with CPR, the victim’s chance for survival is doubled. Consider Kaitlin’s story:
Kaitlin was a healthy, vibrant fifteen-year-old girl who was one day playing basketball in gym when she suddenly dropped to the floor. A friend ran to get help and soon a nurse was seen running towards the gym. She dropped down on one knee and started giving CPR. The blood began to again circulate through her heart and to reach the brain. A shock from an AED was later given to Kaitlin but if the nurse had not given Kaitlin CPR immediately she would probably not me alive today and certainly would not be without brain damage.
These stories have all shown how people’s lives were saved through two simple techniques: CPR and the use of AED’s. But in reality, not many victims who get SCA do live. Why? There is no good reason; but the fact is bystanders lack the knowledge of how to help. So are you going to leave this room planning to get trained, even if it is only the minimal training available on the internet? Will you make the difference? A simple technique CAN save a life…but will it?
