Can you .....

[whip]

If you don't do emergency care routinely chances are your heart will be pounding so hard you'd feel a pulse on your kayak. If the heart hasn't stopped you'd likely see some respiratory effort on the part of the victim within 1-2 minutes just keep putting air in between their breaths till they wake up. Near drownings have to go the the ER. Their metabolism is so wacked they can dies hours later if proper adjustments aren't made.

[gapers]

People have whats called the mammalian dive reflex, it occurs in cold-water submersions (water below 68degrees). The larynx spasms blocking the cold water and body sends the blood and O2 to the core (heart and brain). The colder the water, the more oxygen is diverted. just gots my EMT cert, its good for somethin

[Andy H.]

The Mammalian Diving Reflex is the natural defense mechanism that's responsible in stories you hear of folks being revived after 20+ minutes under water, with the longest submerged-survival times among children. Anyone know what the record is?

-A

[gapers]

Don't know about the record, but its definitely a nice thing to have. Even after 30 minutes or longer in cardiac arrest, people in cold water can be resuscitated. Doesn't mean they WILL be, but it can happen. The body's metabolic requirements are only about half of normal in water below 68degrees. You should always attempt resuscitation on any pulseless, nonbreathing person who has been submerged in cold water. There not considered dead until their WARM and dead.

[waterboy]

Still a great topic. But just to clear up a few things. A body can be cold and considered deceased. Not sure where the info of not dead until warm and dead came from. It is true people have been revived following a cold water submersion, but that has only happened when the body was transported to a facility that could rewarm the body SLOWLY. I think the bottom line is everyone should be familiar with how to perform CPR/rescue breathing.....it may just work.

[gapers]

I think i'm aware that a body can be cold and deceased. It means if you pull a body out thats cold and lifeless, you don't give up until he's warm and lifeless. Its just slang EMT's use, rook.

[waterboy]

Whoa there Gapers, wasn't aware this was a pissing contest. I thought this was for the benefit of others. I am not into pointing fingers........ but one of your previous posts said you were a new EMT, that would make you the ROOK. I have been around for a while, and done a few things. I am a nurse, I have worked in a trauma center, worked on an ambulance as an intermediate EMT, raft guided for many years, and ski patrolled. Perhaps you didn't understand my sarcastic tone in the previous note, for that I am sorry. The bottom line ROOK is that rasdoggy was good enough to pose a very good question, one by all accounts is YES, everyone should be CPR certified. Oh yes by the way I have been a wilderness first responder too, both summer and winter.

[gapers]

You wanna have a pissing contest, eh? Well, i reign supreme at that as well. No one out drives or outlast me. On three, go.