Fisrt Aid training for Umpires?

[rbmartin]

At High School level or lower, is there any first aid training an umpire should acquire for possible on-field situations or is it better (for liability reasons) to leave this to parents, coaches and/or trainers?

[RPatrino]

In my opinion, unless you are a medical doctor, I would not try to aid an injured player. Liability being such a huge issue, I would be sure I was doing the job I was trained and hired for, umpiring, and leave the medical treatment to those who have been trained to do it.

[yawetag]

Ex-EMT here: Unless it's a life-threatening injury, I'm not touching a player. To me, life threatening is cardiac arrest, choking, open fracture, and possible spinal injury.

[kylejt]

Toss out the umpire side of it for a moment. Knowing CPR is a valuable skill that we'd all be better off for knowing.

My wife's uncle was one of three guys who invented CPR 50 years ago. I was at an event honoring these fellows, where they gathered 50 people whose lives were saved by others performing CPR on them. They ranged from older folks to young kids. It was quite moving, and a real eye opener.

I had my heart rhythm altered by taking a foul ball to my less-than-worthless soft chest protector in a LL minors game years ago. Under different circumstances, that could have stopped my heart, leaving me with just a few minutes for someone to save my life. I'd like to think that one of the hundred or so folks at the park would have stepped up, and save me.

Me, I've been Red Cross trained, and have some outside skills through my work. I'm going to make sure professionals are on their way, and do my best to stabilize things until they get there, if needed. I know, by experience, that it takes 5 minutes for them to get to our field. So, I'll do what I can, until someone with superior skills steps in.

When someone is hurt, the last thing on my mind is my personal liability. If I can help, I will. YMMV.

[briancurtin]

I've been CPR and first-aid certified and re-certified a few times over the last 5 years and was told to save that training for off the field unless, like yawetag said, it's life threatening.

Could I help splint a kid to get him off the field when he breaks his leg? Yeah, but the ambulance is on the way. Let the team trainers do their thing -- at the lower levels, let the moms do their thing. If CPR is needed, then CPR is needed -- I'd jump in there.

[MikeStrybel]

Almost every game I work has a trainer present. They are almost always qualified to take care of anything we see on the field or in the stands. I have only seen an ambulance called once for an injury that they could not treat properly - a bee sting that put the young man into shock. The EMTs were on the scene in a few minutes to take care of him.

While I recognize some may feel compelled not to help, here in Illinois there is no real reason no to, if you can. Exemption from civil liability for emergency care is provided in the Good Samaritan Act. Check the provisions of your state or municipality.

[cbfoulds]

Originally Posted by rbmartin

At High School level or lower, is there any first aid training an umpire should acquire for possible on-field situations or is it better (for liability reasons) to leave this to parents, coaches and/or trainers?

You really are asking two, related but separate; questions:

What First Aid or CPR training should an umpire have? - AND -

What liability issues are there if Umpire uses such training?

I am in the school of thought that everyone would be better off with at least basic First Aid & CPR training, umpires included. I am aware, as a lawyer, that in most cases, "liability" is not the deciding issue when it comes to deciding if someone/ Umpire SHOULD use that training in a particular situation. In many, perhaps most, cases - states with "Good Sam" laws take liability out of the equation entirely FOR VOLUNTEERS/ unpaid "Samaritans". Does that protect a paid umpire who "volunteers" his First Aid/ CPR services to someone injured/ collapsing on the field at a game he is officiating? I don't know - especially outside Virginia. "Liability", as I have said, is not really the issue.

To me, it seems that the main issue is whether the Umpire is the person who is SUPPOSED to be performing those functions: at all HS games I officiate, and at most youth games, the answer is NO - the umpire is NOT the prefered/ designated First Aid/ CPR provider. There is a Trainer/ coach/ Mommy, or even a Rescue Squad present or on call for that purpose. Why would I choose to interfere with those people doing their jobs - just because I am "the Umpire"? OTH, if I found myself in a situation obviously calling for immediate action ["You have come upon a person with a death-like appearance" was the training prompt back when I was a certified CPR Instructor] and there was NOBODY ELSE moving to provide aid, then I am SUPPOSED to provide aid, not as "the Umpire", but as a person trained to/ CAPABLE of/ providing it.

[jchamp]

Originally Posted by cbfoulds

You really are asking two, related but separate; questions:

What First Aid or CPR training should an umpire have? - AND -

What liability issues are there if Umpire uses such training?

I am currently a CPR instructor and umpire. As much as I want to help, my first duty as the umpire in a game is to make sure the emergency medical response is initiated. This response will likely consist of one or two well-rested, hydrated and maybe even professional responders, with small kit of equipment. The best assistance I can offer to them is to keep gawkers away from them and make sure the ambulance is on the way.

If there is only one person who can provide emergency treatment, then after I have done the other duties (assigned coaches to phone in the emergency and keep gawkers at bay) I will announce my training to that person and offer my assistance. Chest compressions can tire even a well-rested athletic person, and they need to be maintained until paramedics arrive.

I've got no patience for a parent OR officials board member who would jump on a trained CPR provider, if the assistance was done properly.