Struck by lightening

[Running Feather]

Here is the news story interviewing my Dad.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=12725414

Kudos to your dad for fast thinking/acting.

The boys and their families are in my prayers.

[cosmicmiami]

Hope the boys pull through. Good for your Dad for knowing what to do AND doing it.

There is that old tale of standing next to a large object thinking that it would be struck first. People frequently equate a lightning bolt with an energized wire. Once it touches an object it discharges on that object and only that object. Not true.

Definitive refuge is within a sturdy shelter away from any doors or windows. Of course we all think it is pretty cool to sit in the garage sipping beer and watching a good lightning storm. Who's never done that? You are protected. But not in a place of refuge. Absent a sturdy shelter, seek a low spot away from trees. A culvert or drainage pipe is a good place to be as long as it isn't subject to flooding.

As a FF/Paramedic in South Florida, I am familiar with lightning strikes. One of the things I think is important for anybody who is a healthcare provider, first aid, cpr, etc. is when faced with multiple victims, the one's in cardiac arrest are the first priority. Unlike in typical triage situations where a pulseless person is last to receive care. Persons who survive the strike are unlikely to deterioriate. They still need care but not immediate. Those in cardiac arrest have a chance of returning to spontaneous circulation if they receive early CPR.

[Shug]

Scary stuff ..... good on your Dad!!!!!
Shug

[te-wa]

go dad! this is further pushing me to consider taking that wilderness first aid course this November.

[lizzie]

Dejoha - Thanks be to your dad!! He saved those boys lives, along with the others who came to their aide. Any update on the boys? I read one, Alex, is in an induced coma, but expected to recover, and the other, Dane, is still in critical condition. My prayers sure go out for those boys and for their families.

[dejoha]

Thanks all. Like Te-Wa, I'm looking into what I can do to be better prepared. What I learned from my Dad from this experience is that we all have a choice to be bystanders or responders. It's more than just knowing, it's also about acting. I am extremely proud of what my Dad did and I hope I will be prepared for someone else some day.

Now, go out there and get CPR trained!