If you need your life saved...

Today I learned how to save a life!  Well, through CPR and First Aid that is, so of course there are limits. 

Getting certified is something that I should have done a long time ago, but I have put it off for as long as I could.  Why?  I don't want to be sued.  Simple enough!  The good news is, if I step in and help, I am protected in many ways under "The Good Samaritan" Law.  I can now give CPR, an Epipen, do the Heimlich Maneuver, stop bleeding, use an oxygen tank and operate an AED machine without fear of being sued in an incident where maybe someone did not want the help.  Great!  But what happens when I come across a situation, freeze up and walk away?  Am I liable?  Would someone be able to come after me?  Because most likely that is what is going to happen.
On the other hand, I work in the hospitality industry, where anything could happen, and everything has happened.  When I was 16, I watched an older lady snap her leg in half after slipping.  I have seen people seizure, pass out and have a heart attack.  Most of those situations, I have ran and hid.  Scared because I had no idea what to do.  The last incident scared me the most, only because now I'm older and should know better.  It happened about 4 months ago, and in the middle of a large 500 person function, a man passed out.  Servers grabbed me to come help and all I could do was yell on the radio for someone to come help.  I didn't call code 2, I didn't call 55 (our emergency number), I didn't even call security, our first response team.  I'm older now.  I should know better, plus my staff looks to me during those times to see how they should react, and I failed.
Not only is it important to know for my line of work, but I also need it to be certified to graduate.  In most cases, you have to pay to take the class, in my case, my work paid for it.  Not only did my work pay to get me certified, but they also paid me to get certified!  Definitely a huge bonus!  Getting paid for my time is never a bad thing!
So, now I can give CPR, an Epipen, do the Heimlich Maneuver, stop bleeding, use an oxygen tank and operate an AED machine.  Pretty impressive, huh?

The dummies we worked on

Oxygen tank with first aid and bio-hazard kits in them