Security Officer Saves Infant's Life

[1stWatch]

Cincinnati, OH:
Sgt. Johnny Shea, a security guard at Newport on the Levee, administered first aid to an infant who was choking on a potato chip.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/wlwt/20060508/lo_wlwt/3452996

[mh892]

Good job, Shea. You deserve the award. You are a credit to the protective profession.

[HotelSecurity]

I'm of two minds on this one. Yes, it is good to read good news about us for a change. But isn't doing something like this part of our job? A reward is waranted if someone risks their life to save another but for this?

[Taser]

I'm of two minds on this one. Yes, it is good to read good news about us for a change. But isn't doing something like this part of our job? A reward is waranted if someone risks their life to save another but for this?

[BEGIN BLATANT SARCASM]

You're right. There should be no reward for saving the life of an infant.

[END BLATANT SARCASM]

[Lawson]

I'm of two minds on this one. Yes, it is good to read good news about us for a change. But isn't doing something like this part of our job? A reward is waranted if someone risks their life to save another but for this?

If it were a cop or a firefighter, they'd have a parade.

[HotelSecurity]

If the guard jumped into freezing water to save the child or ducked under gun-fire I'd be in the parade. Obviously he did a good thing. To the child & family it is very important. But is it newsworthy? I've preformed CPR a few times on hotel guests. Am I a hero? No. It's part of my job.

[LavianoTS386]

An award is a very important thing, it services the guy who did the good deed, the people who want to thank him for doing it and sends a message to other security officers that proforming positively won't be over looked.

[Lawson]

An award is a very important thing, it services the guy who did the good deed, the people who want to thank him for doing it and sends a message to other security officers that proforming positively won't be over looked.

Unfortunately its going to bring out a lot of the "super-cop" emotions too where now we can be assured some security officers are going to end up going out of their way to make asses of themselves to try to be a hero too.

[N. A. Corbier]

If the guard jumped into freezing water to save the child or ducked under gun-fire I'd be in the parade. Obviously he did a good thing. To the child & family it is very important. But is it newsworthy? I've preformed CPR a few times on hotel guests. Am I a hero? No. It's part of my job.

Actually, in most cases, it is not part of the job of an American Security Guard to perform any rescue work, or even attend to first aid. Most major companies make it a provision of employment that you are not a professional rescuer, and if you attempt to make a professional rescue, you agree that you will be terminated with cause for violation of company policy.

If the client wants professional rescuers or first aid givers, they can hire guards certified in first aid or EMT-B for .25 or 5.00 per hour additional.

My state requires that if I advertise for ANY professional first-aid or rescue services, that all my "professional rescuers" be certified as Wisconsin EMS First Responders. It is a felony to advertise for professional first-aid or first responder services without being licensed to do so. This is an EMS rule, not a security or police rule. This includes CPR, First-Aid, BLS, and AED operation.

If an individual employee feels a "personal decision" to perform first-aid or CPR, it is his choice as a citizen, but I can't advertise that we perform those services.

You folks know that I'm not joking, too.

[HotelSecurity]

Actually, in most cases, it is not part of the job of an American Security Guard to perform any rescue work, or even attend to first aid. Most major companies make it a provision of employment that you are not a professional rescuer, and if you attempt to make a professional rescue, you agree that you will be terminated with cause for violation of company policy.

Canadian law REQUIRES you to provide first aid if someone is in need of it & you have been trained to give it.

Neil

[N. A. Corbier]

Canadian law REQUIRES you to provide first aid if someone is in need of it & you have been trained to give it.

Neil

Heh. Here, its a personal decision because you are not a professional rescuer. The only duty to aid you have is to summon EMS. That duty to aid is removed if you believe in good faith that someone else has done so.

Say it with me, Neil. Liability. If you are a professional rescuer, the higher on the food chain you are in the medical profession, the less duty you have to perform!

If a doctor is at an accident scene, they don't have to lift a finger, just call 911. Why? Because if they touch someone, they're practicing, and subject to malpractice claims.

[HotelSecurity]

Heh. Here, its a personal decision because you are not a professional rescuer. The only duty to aid you have is to summon EMS. That duty to aid is removed if you believe in good faith that someone else has done so.

Say it with me, Neil. Liability. If you are a professional rescuer, the higher on the food chain you are in the medical profession, the less duty you have to perform!

If a doctor is at an accident scene, they don't have to lift a finger, just call 911. Why? Because if they touch someone, they're practicing, and subject to malpractice claims.

Again: If you have been trained to provide aid & someone needs it, you are required to provide it. In Canada a doctor could be criminally charged if he did not help at the scene of an accident. As for liability. Again another Canadian & US difference. Lawsuits in Canada a much rarer than in the US & the rewards are very much lower.

[N. A. Corbier]

Ah, but here's a good question.

If you are trained in first aid/CPR/AED on your own time, or before you sought employment as a security agent... Can your employer order you not to perform first aid, only summon assistance?

In other words, is this a requirement of all citizens of your provience, or just security agents?

[HotelSecurity]

It's Canada wide. Part of the criminal code. I can't find the article right now but it was drilled into me when I took my Emergency Medical Technician's course. We had instructors that were Paramedics. Paramedics were not recongized in Quebec. (They had gone to the states to take the courses). When they came upon an incident where for example & IV was needed they went ahead & did it saying that this article protected them.

As for providing First Aid while on duty I look at the definitions. A FIRST AIDER is someone trained in First Aid who happens to be nearby when first aid is needed. A FIRST RESPONDER is someone who is required to respond to a first aid situation. A Security Guard paid a premimum to provide first aid would be a First Responder.

[mh892]

I will need to dig thru some notes and do some state by state research, but, it seems to me I remember a professor once telling us that there is a "Good Samaritan" law/rule that covers a person attempting to rescue/render aid to one in distress/danger. As I remember, the "Good Samaritan" law/rule covers the rescuer as long as he/she acts in a mannor expected of a reasonable person and not beyond training/ability.

As I understand it over zealous heros are not covered in this law/rule.

As a GCSO with Resuscitative Medicine Training Certificate I am "expected" (required?) to render aid.

It is confusing. I don't see how in the world an employer could/would refuse to back an employee who attempts to render aid to a fellow human being who is in need of rescue/aid and that employee is the first or only person on scene. In my heart and mind a fellow human's life/well being rates at the top of matters of concern.