How to help someone unresponsive and not breathing

 

When someone within your vicinity suddenly drops down for no apparent reason, that already counts as a medical emergency that could have dozens of causes. But since most people aren't doctors, it's no one's job to know what's wrong. According to public health expert Capt. Martin Sanders, it is one's civic duty to take care of each other and aid other people in similar emergencies. The job is to ensure that the unresponsive person is kept alive until the emergency response team arrives.

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The first thing you need to do is to see if you can get a response from the unresponsive person. To do so, shake their shoulders or speak to them using a loud voice. If they don't respond, immediately check if they are breathing or not. Look, listen, and feel for breaths near their nose. Feel the air from their nose when they exhale or see their chest rise and fall as they breathe. If 10 seconds have passed without them breathing, ask someone to call 911. If you are alone with the victim, call 911 and place the phone on speaker mode.

If there is a crowd surrounding you and the victim, tell them to back off and give you space. If you are in a government building or a commercial complex, ask people to call security and get an AED or an automated external defibrillator from any nearby clinic or nearby pharmacy.

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After delegating some work, proceed to do chest compressions on the unresponsive person. Place both hands at the center of the victim's chest and push down firmly at a regular rate until help arrives. According to Martin Sanders, doing more than what was mentioned, like performing an emergency endotracheal intubation without prior experience, will put the victim's life in further danger as the blood may fill their lungs, making the situation worse. If the victim regains consciousness, ask them to remain lying down or sit them up and wait for the paramedics to arrive.

Throughout his career, Capt. Martin Sanders, Ph.D., had been deeply involved in biosafety and biosecurity issues both in the US and abroad. He specializes in biological safety, field medical operations, biosecurity, occupational safety and health, infectious disease epidemiology, environmental health services, and occupational health and wellness programs. For more insightful reads on public safety, visit this website.

Disclaimer: This site was prepared by Martin Sanders in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed are the author's own and do not reflect the views of the USPHS, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, or the United States Government.

Some points to ponder on common office waste

 

Most companies today are genuinely interested in the idea of infusing environmentally sound practices in their day to day operations, as occupational health and safety expert Martin Sanders believes. However, people still make the mistake of thinking that they are doing things supporting an environmental agenda when they are not. This blog shares some points to ponder on common office waste, which you can't actually recycle. 

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What coffee cup do you use? 

Your innocent-looking coffee cup may seem like it's made of paper, but inside, this is a thin layer of plastic. Since this is made up of two different materials, it cannot be recycled unless separated. This is not easy to do by hand, and separation requires a special machine. The same thing goes for most disposable soda tumblers and straws provided in convenience stores and fast-food restaurants.

Fancy some pizza?

It's very common for people at work to get food that's quick to eat and easy to clean after. This simply makes it so much easier for you to get back to work, doesn't it? This is why pizza is a popular choice among workmates. However, if you think that you're environmentally supportive of your recyclable pizza carton, think again. Pizza cartons that are contaminated with oils cannot be recycled because these require, again, separation. The same goes for tissue paper or a used kitchen towel, which you just used to wipe off your greasy fingers. 

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Are those plastic bottles clean?

Plastic bottles can be quite handy in the office, especially as these are easy to carry around with you the whole day. However, if you are the bottle-carrying type, you must know that the recycler cannot do much about your empty bottle if it's dirty. For instance, plastic juice bottles or soda bottles tend to hold residual traces of whatever liquid it used to contain. If you really want to help the environment, you should give this a good rinse before throwing it in the bin.

Capt. Martin Sanders, Ph.D, CSP, has extensive experience in biological defense activities and infectious disease outbreak investigation. Visit this page for similar reads.

Disclaimer: This site was prepared by Martin Sanders in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed are the author's own and do not reflect the views of the USPHS, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, or the United States Government.

How to safely evacuate buildings

There’s a reason why the government and private companies mandate regular fire drills. This is because knowing how to safely and effectively evacuate buildings is necessary for saving lives. According to Martin Sanders, Ph.D., CSP, fire marshals estimate that hundreds of people could die during an emergency if people take too long when evacuating a building.

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Regardless if you’re an employee that spent years working in a building or a guest, it’s important to know where the fire exits are located. Buildings often have multiple fire exits so be sure to take note of each. During an emergency like an earthquake, some exits could be blocked by debris.

If you are always wearing specific footwear at work that makes it difficult to move swiftly like platform shoes or heels, always have a pair of comfortable footwear with you so you can switch when an emergency takes place. And if you have a lot of belongings with you that could slow you or others down, leave them at a safe location like an office drawer.

In the event of an emergency and everyone is requested to evacuate, do not panic. Find the exit nearest you and make your way down in a brisk manner. Do not push or shove people along the way to get ahead.

Once you reach the outside of the building, get some distance between you and the building. Capt. Martin Sanders states that you need to give room for others exiting the building and should always treat the whole of the building as a non-safe zone.

Captain Martin Sanders, Ph.D., CSP, had been deeply involved in biosafety and biosecurity issues both domestic and international. In addition, he has been a member of many research teams and has contributed to several published studies on epidemiology. Visit this page for similar reads.

Disclaimer: This site was prepared by Martin Sanders in his spersonal capacity. The opinions expressed are the author's own and do not reflect the views of the USPHS, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government.

What to do during a powerful earthquake

An earthquake is one of the most unpredictable natural phenomena that occurs almost every day in various degrees of intensity and in different locations around the world. While weaker earthquakes can easily be shrugged off, powerful earthquakes can decimate towns and cities in mere seconds. According to public safety expert Capt. Martin Sanders, Ph.D., CSP, it is important to know what to do during a powerful earthquake. How you react in the first few seconds of the earthquake can determine your survival. Here are actions you must do to ensure your safety during a powerful earthquake.

If you are indoors, quickly go under a table or any other sturdy piece of furniture to shield you from falling debris. Stick to the side closest to the legs of the table instead of the middle. This is because a heavy object could fall on the table and split the table in half. If there aren’t any covers available, drop down and cover your face and head with your arms. Also, remember to quickly move away from windows or any glass fixtures.

Wait until the shaking stops before heading outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people try to exit buildings while the earthquake is still ongoing. Once the shaking stops, use emergency stairs instead of elevators. If you feel that a hallway is unsafe to pass due to loose debris, find an alternate route to the exit.

If you are outside when the earthquake occurs, quickly move away from buildings with windows that may shatter and fall on you. Likewise, distance yourself from nearby power lines or other structures like scaffolding which may buckle. According to Martin Sanders, everyone should know how to properly react during a powerful earthquake. Remember not to panic and keep a level head.

Capt. Martin Sanders, Ph.D., has years of experience in the field of occupational safety and health. He recently obtained a certification as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) awarded by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. For more reads on public safety, visit this page.
Disclaimer: This site was prepared by Martin L. Sanders in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed are the author's own and do not reflect the views of the USPHS, the Department