You can save a life just by calling Whatcom 911. What you need to know
Friends, relatives and bystanders can help save a life — even before rescuers arrive — when someone is critically injured or suffers a heart attack or stroke.
Bystanders don’t even have to be trained because a 911 dispatcher can coach someone in how to do CPR, recognize stroke or stop severe bleeding, said Erica Littlewood of South Whatcom Fire Authority.
“Starting chest compressions as soon as somebody’s heart has stopped is the best way to help them survive,” Littlewood told The Bellingham Herald.
It happens more frequently than people realize, said Littlewood, who teaches CPR, advanced first aid and other lifesaving skills.
▪ In December 2019, a man who collapsed at the Mt. Baker Ski Area was revived when the man behind him in the lift line was a heart surgeon who started CPR, according to the PeaceHealth website.
▪ In September 2019, 911 dispatcher Amanda DeBruin twice coached untrained bystanders on CPR that saved lives, according to posts at the Whatcom County Emergency Medical Services page on Facebook. One was a woman who had collapsed on a dock in Blaine Harbor and the second was on Galbraith Mountain where a group of friends was mountain biking.
▪ In January 2018, a police officer and sheriff’s deputy helped save the life of a stabbing victim, using a tourniquet and stuffing gauze into the wound, Sheriff Bill Elfo told The Herald at the time. Both sheriff’s deputies and Bellingham Police officers carry AEDs (automated external defibrillators) in the patrol cars.
Whatcom County has seen a dozen or more CPR saves in the past 18 months, said Mike Hilley, the county EMS manager.
“All of them had citizen CPR and all of them walked out of the hospital in great health,” Hilley told The Herald.
When to call 911
Emergency medical professionals say that people should call 911 in a life-threatening situation, such as heart attack, stroke, serious bleeding, head injury or broken bones.
“If you’re short of breath, experiencing chest pain, or feel like you’re going to pass out, don’t hesitate to call,” Hilley said. “We’d like to come and sort it out for you.”
Hilley said that people should call 911 “when you’re in doubt,” but in many cases, a call to the doctor should be a first step — especially for those experiencing symptoms of a cold or flu.
“The general advice for people is, the most important thing is to know where you are and be specific about your concerns or emergency” when on the phone to 911, Hilley said.
“It’s one thing to say, ‘My husband is dizzy’ versus ‘He’s never dizzy and now he’s got these signs,’ ” Hilley said.
Call 911 if you:
▪ Have chest pain.
▪ Can’t catch your breath.
▪ Feel faint, dizzy or have signs of a stroke.
▪ Are sick or injured and can’t get yourself to the hospital.
When you call 911:
▪ Know your address or location.
▪ Describe what’s happening calmly and clearly.
▪ Be ready for more questions from the dispatcher. In most cases, they’ve already sent a police officer, ambulance or fire engine.
What to do until 911 arrives
All fire/EMS dispatchers in Whatcom County are emergency medical technicians — just like firefighters — and they can explain to callers how to do CPR and other first aid.
“They know about cardiac arrest, they know about stroke and major bleeding,” Hilley said. “If a person looks dead, we want you to start CPR. If that person doesn’t need CPR, they’ll probably wake up.”
For a suspected stroke, ask a few questions that will help firefighters and hospital staff decide how treatment should proceed.
“When were they last seen normal?” Hilley said. “That’s the most important thing. That will help determine if they’re eligible for advanced stroke therapy.”
Here are some things that bystanders can do until help arrives, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the emergency preparedness site Do1Thing.
▪ Stay calm.
▪ Reassure the victim that help is on the way.
▪ Do what the dispatcher says.
▪ Cover them with a blanket or coat if they are cold.
▪ Have someone look for the ambulance or fire engine, and show them where the victim is.
▪ Don’t move a car-crash victim — unless it’s to start CPR, help them breathe or control life-threatening bleeding.
▪ Do CPR, check for stroke or control serious bleeding.
Signs of stroke
There are two kinds of stroke — one where blood flow is blocked, and one where a vein or artery has ruptured and is bleeding into the brain.
Time is critical in both cases. Call 911 right away.
These are the signs of a possible stroke, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sudden onset of:
▪ Numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg — especially on one side of the body.
▪ Confusion, trouble speaking or difficulty understanding speech.
▪ Trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
▪ Dizziness or trouble walking.
▪ Severe headache.
Test for stroke
Remember the acronym FAST:
▪ Facial droop or unequal smile. Can they smile normally?
▪ Arms held 90 degrees in front of them with palms up. Does one arm drift or sag?
▪ Speech — can they repeat a simple phrase like, “Firefighters are my friends”?
▪ Time — when was the person last seen normal?
If you see any of these signs, call 911.
Hands-only CPR
If you see someone collapse or someone who appears unconscious, look at their chest to see if they are breathing. Check the side of their neck for a pulse.
Call 911 if they aren’t breathing and start hands-only CPR. A dispatcher will help, and directions are at the American Red Cross website.
“It’s super important to get started early,” said Dr. Robert Moraca, a heart surgeon at St. Joseph hospital.
It was Moraca who helped save the life of Mount Vernon resident Rick McKay.
CPR sends blood throughout the body, keeping the brain and other organs alive, he said.
“I just happened to see the guy as I was walking up to the lift,” Moraca told The Herald. ”I was there almost instantly and I was able to start CPR quickly.”
Moraca said that as he did CPR, McKay’s son called for help and the ski area’s Pro Patrol arrived with an AED from a nearby aid station.
“They were true professionals,” Moraca said. “(McKay) came back groaning after the second or third shock.”
CPR training
Hilley said Whatcom County officials are working to get 75% of Whatcom County residents trained in CPR.
Currently, CPR in Whatcom County has a 38% save rate, which is above the national average of 28% to 30%, he said.
Part of that effort includes a smartphone app called Pulse Point, which can alert users when CPR is needed nearby, show them where to go, and even tell them if an AED is available.
To use Pulse Point, download it from the app store and follow Whatcom Fire/EMS under “agencies.”
Pulse Point can even be used to see dispatches for fire/medical emergencies in real time, Hilley said.
For those who want to learn CPR, classes are available through many Whatcom County fire departments and the American Red Cross.
Serious bleeding
Heavy blood loss can kill quickly, according to the American College of Surgeons program called Stop The Bleed.
“If you see fast-streaming blood, you’ve got an emergency,” Hilley said.
If someone is bleeding profusely, here’s what to do, said Becky Stermer, trauma program manager at St. Joseph hospital, who teaches Stop the Bleed classes.
First, call 911:
▪ Cover the wound with a clean cloth and apply pressure, pushing directly on the wound with both hands.
▪ Pack or stuff the wound with gauze or a clean cloth and then apply pressure with both hands.
▪ Comfort the person who is injured.
“You always want to assess the safety for yourself and the person who is injured,” Stermer told The Herald.
That might mean dragging a car crash victim out of the road before starting treatment, she said.
“(But then) you want to apply pressure and maintain that pressure until help arrives,” Stermer said. “Your first priority, if you have life-threatening bleeding, is to stop that bleeding.”
Stermer discourages using an improvised tourniquet such as a belt unless the rescuer is trained to use such a device.
“Really apply constant pressure and get help there as fast as possible, and don’t let up,” Stermer said. “That’s one of the biggest mistakes. Don’t let up. And it’s important for people to know, that if you’re holding enough pressure, it’s going to cause pain. But you’re saving their life.”
