Fisrt Aid training for Umpires?
 

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

I won't make this a legal thread, but Good Samaritan shouldn't be used as a reason to treat someone for anything other than life-threatening ones.

The rec league I worked in, all umpires/referees were employees of the league and we were required to be current on all of our CPR/first aid training as well as the site supervisors for each night of games (who were usually off duty refs). Our duties called for us to assist in first aid when players got injured, help sign in players, and even hand out trophies after championship games.

For other leagues where I wasn't required to maintain first aid currency, I just exercise good common sense. If it's life threatening, obviously help out, if it's major, try our best to shield the player from further injury, and get play stopped as quickly as we can to let the player receive help, etc. For hot summer days, I'm quite lenient on players calling time to get a drink of water, no need for heat stroke to happen on the field. If bad blood is simmering between the teams, I try my best to get them to cool it before a fight breaks out...

I wasn't trying to make this a legal thread either. I simply reminded the board that here in Illinois, if you are emergency response trained, you really have no reason not to help when it is needed. I have never had the reason to assist while umpiring, but as a certified first responder, I would have no worries about it. I have had to help while coaching and the same laws protect me. I carry a full med kit and epi pens while coaching and it stays in my trunk now. I hope I never have to use any of it but am prepared nonetheless.

The OP asked a valid question. The Red Cross teaches an excellent CPR program. It has changed dramatically over the past twenty years, when I first learned it. Your local fire department or Y may offer a course in emergency first response and CPR. If you are a parent of young kids they are nice to know and may be much more. Life threatening issues can arise quickly - from a bee sting to a bean ball. Knowing that I can help if needed is comforting. I wish you all a season free of such drama.

Basic first aid - let the trainer and coaches handle the issue
Medical Emergency - let the trainer and coaches handle it.

We are umpires, not medical personnel.

Exception:
If you are a medical technician, doctor or nurse and your State mandates that you must step in, then do so.

I understand that many of you are going to jump on this but please tell me how you are going to perform CPR in your plate gear? Bending over a victim with a West Vest and kneeling on shin guards?

I disagree. If everyone on the field had this attitude, then when poor Johnny trips over himself sliding, you'd have every single adult at the field just staring at him refusing to help. That's absurd. You may not want, as umpire, to jump in on a routine case - but the coaches who DO jump in would be (and should be) treated as Good Samaritans if that is applicable in your area.

You guys have both umpires dressed in plate gear out your way? Weird.

How else does a coach appeal a strike call to the umpire behind the mound?

-Josh

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.

Start by taking your mask off.