Many people believe that this phrase was invented in the 17th century, where people at the time, out of their fear of being buried alive created the “Safety Coffins”. The myth says that a bell was attached to the deceased person’s finger, so that they could ring it in case they woke up and be saved by the relative who would stay at the burial site for 24hours. There is no concrete evidence that the “Safety Coffins” were ever used or if anyone was ever saved by them.
Now, how does the above relate to First Aid?
It’s very simple!
NEVER stop providing CPR in an unresponsive, non-breathing victim!
CPR is basically the last chance a person has to survive. By performing CPR, we are giving the victim that very last chance, even though the likelihood of recovery is fading by the minute.
There are many recorded cases of CPR saving a victim’s life and the majority of those were at the hospital where prolonged CPR had resulted in the recovery of the victim. An incredible case of CPR saving a life, was the case of a 35-year-old woman who recovered after a total duration of 340 recorded minutes of CPR.
Cases like these are rare, but what we comprehend is that the guidelines emphasize on the continuous resuscitation of a non-breathing victim, which is vital.
During all our training courses that involve CPR training we emphasize that CPR only comes to a standstill if the victim starts breathing normally or if help arrives and takes over and only if the rescuer is unable to continue CPR.
Join one of our First Aid courses to find out more about the importance of CPR in saving a life along with more important first aid knowledge that could help you deal with any emergency.