I have had CPR and First Aid, certification lapsed last year so I have to renew. Usually my job requires it, but somehow they quit.
The only other Kenpo Black Belt in my school now, Mike Durkin, is an ER nurse, so no worries when he is there. The hospital he works for is right down the frontage road less than a mile, but I am glad you brought this up Dennis, it reminds me that I intend to require CPR for Brown and above.
We had an unfortunate accident here in Austin about 3 years ago. A Black Belt in American Karate got kicked in the chest, heart went into fibrillation and he was DOA at the hospital. Interesting to note is that they did do CPR on him, from the time he went down until at the hospital, but could not resuscitate. Things like this scare me, it was not preventable without a chest protecter and the sparring class was not one where they were trashing each other. According to my ER nurse student, it is a matter of timing - not force to fibrillate the heart. It would not take a kick or an overwhelming punch to do this.
Insurance and pre-paid legal service anyone? The school did close due to the owner being overwhelmed by this incident. He has not reopened but I see his students occassionally trying to continue their training.
CPR is a good thing, there is no negligance if you do your best to keep someone alive. In Texas there is a Good Samaritan law, allowing the most qualified individual to do their best to keep someone alive, without fear of repurcussion if they fail.
Sorry I went on so long, but you really brought something to the forefront that is important, that I have neglected too long!
Thanks,
Michael Billings
UKS-Texas