Before the Paramedics Arrive
In an emergency, every second counts. First aid can be administered by every layman – through chest compressions, staunching a bleeding or recovery position. You can learn what to do to save a life through courses offered by emergency services personnel.
Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death in Europe. Photo: Fotolia – pixel friend
It’s an astounding number: with more than 350,000 cases each year, sudden cardiac arrest remains among the most common causes of death in Europe, according to the European Resuscitation Council. Numerous other studies from the United States corroborate this. However, many of those affected could hope to survive, if the general public’s ability to administer chest compressions was improved – both in terms of number of people and their quality of their technique. The problem is that many of us would like to help, but don’t know what to do when disaster strikes. Others are fearful of doing something wrong, and instead do nothing.
“A person’s chances of survival of a cardiac arrest drop by ten percent each minute without assistance. After only five minutes, brain damage is probable,” explains Joachim Böttinger, a Docent of the ‘15 Minute Life-Saving Academy’ based near Stuttgart. Just these few facts make it clear what is to follow – immediate help is absolutely critical. “Anybody that can master the simple hand motions can save a life,” Peter Cartes adds. Apart from his work with the Academy, he is a helicopter emergency doctor, anesthetist and intensive care specialist.
Symptoms of Sudden Cardiac Arrest
1) Tiredness or Weakness
2) Shortness of Breath
3) Dizziness or Vertigo
4) Cold Sweats
5) Chest Pains
lllustration: Marina ua /istock
Just how simple these survival-critical hand movements are, is also shown by the Academy’s professionals in regularly-held seminars at DEKRA in a relaxed atmosphere. Highly practical demonstrations are coupled with group practice on digitally-networked resuscitation mannequins. “All of the processes can be learned in just a few minutes – as a result we can quickly enable amateur lifesavers to provide efficient medical help in the case of an emergency,” Böttinger explains. One can do absolutely nothing wrong here, reiterates the ‘rescue service fossil,’ as he calls himself, thereby encouraging his students to take action and courageously intervene.
Help in an Emergency – here’s how:
1) Check whether the patient is conscious and if they are breathing.
2) If this is not the case, call the emergency services or instruct another person to make the emergency call.
3) Uncover the patient’s chest and compress the middle of the patient’s ribcage five centimeters deep, and at a rate of 100 compressions per minute, until the emergency services arrive.
lllustration: Flaticon.com
Rescue Sheet Saves Lives – Completely Analog
Modern safety technologies effectively reduce the risk of injury in traffic accidents. But if, in serious cases, occupants do become trapped in the vehicle, it can make their rescue more difficult. This is where the rescue sheet provides an important service – and it is still in analog form.
Your Data, Please!
Vehicle data is a well-guarded secret. The new European data law is intended to ensure transparency – and could raise police work when recording accidents in Europe to a new level. In the future, regulated access to vehicle data will also be essential for accident analysis and vehicle testing.
Vehicle Inspection: “Software and Data are Important, but not Everything”
Additional assistance systems, networking, new drive technologies: Christoph Nolte, Head of Vehicle Inspection Service Division and Executive Vice President of the DEKRA Group, explains how these things are changing vehicle inspections.
Teleoperated Driving – The Call From Afar
Remote-controlled toy cars are the biggest hit with many kids. So what about remote-controlled real cars? Teleoperated driving is a young technology, and applications in transportation companies and logistics are still limited. Despite this, does teleoperated driving have what it takes to become an independent form of mobility?
