A heart attack is usually caused by a blood clot that stops the flow of blood to the heart. Blockage of a coronary artery deprives the heart of oxygen-carrying blood. Waiting for treatment can be fatal.
The first step in refreshing your medical kit is to gather all of your medical equipment, first aid kits, oxygen and your AED. I suggest gathering your fellow crew members around as it is a good learning experience.
If you think someone may be having a stroke, act F.A.S.T.: Check their face (F) for droop, raise their arms (A) for droop, check their speech (S) for slurring, and note the time (T). You have about three hours to get them help.
If you got hurt, who around you has the proper training and skills necessary to treat you? If you fell and hurt your back, would your crew mates know how to move you?
Recently the American Heart Association revised the guidelines for CPR. One of the big changes is Hands-Only CPR, which takes away people’s fear of doing mouth-to-mouth.
