A mail carrier named Corey Gallagher was delivering mails to an apartment building when he found a woman unconscious and lying in the lobby. According to Gallagher he thought the woman was just intoxicated and passed out. He found white powder on the dress of the woman and thought she had an overdose of fentanyl. He was very uncomfortable touching the woman. He called the emergency numbers and an operator of 911 gave him instructions on how to provide CPR on the woman.
According to the spokesperson of the City, the 911 operator was just following standard emergency procedures by instructing the mail carrier to provide CPR on the unconscious woman.
Delivery of CPR
The mail carrier wants to know why the 911 operator insisted on providing the woman with CPR even after he told them that he was concerned that the woman might had an overdose of fentanyl. He does not even know the woman and he was getting anxiety because he was very uncomfortable to touch the woman and don’t want to touch her and he was getting nervous about the situation.
According to the chief administrative officer of the city, she stated in an email to the news, the Fire Paramedic Services of the city has reviewed the recording of the call and determined the operator handled the situation properly. Furthermore she stated that during the call, the 911 operator did ask questions about the safety of the location of the caller and has access to personal protective equipment. The city does not know whether the victim survived. Medical emergencies can be distressing for people involved with possible after effects while responding to a medical emergencies.
A spokesperson for Canada Post stated in an email, that workers should contact first responders who can provide first aid and CPR if they witness a person needing help in the job. The postal services have policies on how to respond to suspect items inside mails which also includes suspicious powders. The experience of the mail carrier was unique because he encountered both circumstances at once.
According to the safety officer of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, he understands the care the 911 operators provide and the instructions they provided and why they should perform this. At that time of the emergency they were not there and the mail carrier has made the best decision by putting his safety first. The best answer is to be properly trained in CPR, first aid and should carry a first aid kit. Being trained will protect a person and a casualty.
For more information about this story, click here.
LEARN MORE
Learn how to help by enrolling in a CPR course and for more information, check out these sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid