Fisrt Aid training for Umpires?

[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.