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.

Alright, it appears that we have gotten where I had not intended. I love seeing cbfoulds post here. Thank you for the expertise. Most states have Good Samaritan provisions - IOW, if you act in a way to help, your liability is limited or dismissed. It's difficult to hurt someone who isn't breathing and/or their heart is stopped. Do whatever helps you sleep better at night.

As for the question of how I can work CPR or administer first aid in a WV and shin guards, it's easy. I became a PADI Master Scuba Instructor years ago. I have had the occassion to perform CPR in full gear, WHILE in the water. You do what you need to do. I have had to give emergency care while still in my wetsuit, BCD and tank while in a cinfined boat, too. If a fireman (politically incorrect, I realize) can do it in full turn outs, so can I in my less cumbersome WV and shinguards.

The advice about allowing experts step in is terrific. However, we don't all have the luxury of working ball in places with trainers and quick ambulance service. I know umpires who carry extra equipment and uniforms as a precaution. It seems like a short leap to learn a life saving skill, just in case, as well.

As a close, I lost a good friend to a heart attack a few years ago. He was dressed in his plate gear and the game was just getting ready to go when he had a heart attack. Scott died far too young.

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.

It looks ridiculous wearing ball bags and brushing off the bases without full plate gear, so I just suit up all the way.

Will somebody delete this thread before a representative of my state association sees it and decides it would be a good idea as a condition of registration?

In my case, I have been trained to give emergency care. While my license was active (I've let it lapse), my only legal obligation in an emergency (that I wasn't called to for my job) was to call 9-1-1, and anything above that fell under my certification. Because of this, if I did something wrong, Good Samaritan would not help me at all. For someone who is CPR certified, Good Samaritan will not protect you if you do something above your level of training or if you do it incorrectly.

My point is that helping someone without proper training and using "Good Samaritan" to back up your assistance won't always help.

Again, I don't want to make this a legal thread.

Then don't: 'cause your legal advice: "For someone who is CPR certified, Good Samaritan will not protect you if you do something above your level of training or if you do it incorrectly." - is incorrect in at least 3 jurisdictions [where I am licensed], and I suspect probably more. I admit to knowing nothing about the law where you live.

Ultimately, I think Mike said it best: do what lets you sleep well at night.

Andrew, you may want to check your state law. Missouri law Chapter 537.037 (2) states:

"2. Any other person who has been trained to provide first aid in a standard recognized training program may, without compensation, render emergency care or assistance to the level for which he or she has been trained, at the scene of an emergency or accident, and shall not be liable for civil damages for acts or omissions other than damages occasioned by gross negligence or by willful or wanton acts or omissions by such person in rendering such emergency care."

Here in Illinois, we are not held liable for administering ordinary emergency care.

(745 ILCS 49/67)
Sec. 67. First aid providers; exemption for first aid. Any person who is currently certified in first aid by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or the National Safety Council and who in good faith provides first aid without fee to any person shall not, as a result of his or her acts or omissions, except willful and wanton misconduct on the part of the person in providing the aid, be liable to a person to whom such aid is provided for civil damages.

As you noted, if I were to do something that I knew to be harmful then I would lose protection. CB could clarify what willful and wanton mean exactly - legal semantics give me headaches - but I read that to mean that I deliberately acted to hurt the person. I don't see this as an issue for me. Most of us who sought the training want to help when we can. We teach in PADI, when in doubt, always ask, "I am an emergency first responder, can I help you?"

The statute regarding those who aren't trained but still offer ordinary help has already been cited. They too are protected in Illinois. I hope they are in your state as well.

Go get recertified, you never know when you'll need it and the techniques are constantly changing. Best of luck.

It can also include attempting procedures you've never been trained to do, which is my point. If you're going to help a kid with a possible spinal injury after a collision and that "help" injures him, Good Samaritan isn't going to cover you.

Sure they will. I have been trained in how to stabilize spinal cord injuries, broken bones, sprains, etc. I teach the program to our rescue dive candidates and know it well. Most other emergency first response training includes such instruction. Good Sam laws protect us from liability WHEN a person claims our help injured them.

Help when you can and limit it to your scope of ability. The laws I cited protect us when we do. That is sound advice for those who don't work in areas with immediate emergency care available and even those of us who do.

If true (and what you say is NOT true here, but I'm no lawyer), that really sucks that they would create a law so that the person who is MOST likely to be able to help in a situation like this is legally unable to help. Rather dumb, that.

That law states that unless you go out of your general level of training or act with gross negligence, then the person cannot be held liable.

They don't want someone trained in CPR trying to reset a dislocated shoulder (out of the area of training).

They don't want someone trained in CPR jumping up and down on the chest of someone who passed out (gross negligence).

I am fairly certain that we've stated this all along. Do what you can - help where you can. But even the untrained are protected under our Good Sam laws for trying to help - from CPR to the Heimlich manuever. If you can receive consent to offer help, all the better.

Even if you never use it on the field, emergency response training is still good to know for your family and loved ones. Who knows, maybe one of you will save a life and give all of us umpires a better name!