"When the professionals arrive let them go to work and stay out of their way but if waiting around and not acting means somebody dies, then do what you can and to hell with the attitudes others have."

Very well put.

Regards, Vince

"Just out of curiosity, have you taken a First Aid Course, and if so, how recently?"

I took first aid in the Boy Scouts well over 25 years ago. I still remember CPR but I definately could use a refresher. My employer is going to be offering a course in the near future.

"In Canada, I don't see any organized attempts to discourage people from taking First Aid courses by EMS personnel trying to protect their "turf". Maybe things are different in the States, but I'm inclined to disbelieve it. "

That's not what I am talking about. I'm sure there probably are EMT's who "protect their turf" but that is only a tiny symptom of a much larger problem.
Rather, I am referring to the general tendency of our elected/appointed leaders to discourage private citizens from looking after their own welfare. They say, "let the professionals handle it" while ignoring the very real possibility that when the time comes "the professionals", for whatever reason, won't be around. The net result of this is leading us down the road towards an unprepared, unequipped, untrained, and thoroughly cowed populace.

Regards, Vince

From today's News of the Weird by Chuck Shepard:

http://www.sltrib.com/nationworld/ci_2649372

"This is not a drill: During an emergency in December, Westminster (Md.) High School's policy on evacuating wheelchair-using students came to light, to the horror of two disabled students' parents. While smoke filled the building and the panicked students exited, teachers brought the two students to the second-floor stairwell and, rather than risk liability for mishandling them, teachers were instructed to get out themselves and leave the students there to await trained firefighters. (A month later, a special committee clarified the policy, urging that the students be left only in smoke-free stairwells.)"

Hey Vince,

The important words in the scenario are “effective” and “disaster”. In a MCI, many liberties are granted by protocol to allow for rapid triaging and care. In many cases the low priority patients (walking wounded) are perfect candidates for treatment by citizens with first aid training. The severely injured (the dead or dying), unfortunately, due to the degree of care that must be siphoned from rescue resources are provided “comfort care”. It is generally, the group in the middle, significant injuries, that are borderline life threatening, that are candidates for more formal EMS care and transport.

Pete