We Have a Member Down!

Paige and I were working out and one of the 'fitness managers' came over and asked (quite calmly) if we would not mind going into the women's locker room to see if there was a lady passed out. Umm, ok, I guess I could do that. Good grief! He was in no hurry and in no panic. They did not call a code or anything. I walk into the locker room and sure enough, there is a lady passed out, lying on the floor with 3 ladies huddled over her. I ask if she has a pulse (yes), if she is breathing (yes), if we need to call 911 (YES!). Can you believe between the 3 women, not one of them had the sense to break away and tell someone to call 911?

Then, after 2-3 minutes, she starts seizing. One lady is trying to hold her head in one place (wrong!) and another one is just shaking her arm. From behind me, Paige tells them to roll her over on her side. They kind of half-heartily roll her over, then she flops back to laying flat. At this point, I remembered that this man that works out next to me on the Stairmonster is a paramedic, so I go out to find him.

Thank goodness he was right there on the stretching mat. He comes into the locker room and immediately takes over the whole situation (quite subtly). Within 5 minutes the firemen finally arrive, in no big hurry, and stroll in with their 'over sized plastic briefcases'. After another 10 minutes they leave. OK. A few minutes later the lady walks out, gets into her car, and drives off. No calling anyone to come get her, nothing. Let's just let this lady that passed out for more than 5 minutes AND started seizing, just drive away in her car. Great idea!

I think back to our policies and training when I worked at Q-The Sports Club. A different story would have occurred. Everyone CPR qualified would have stopped what they were doing and gone to the member's aid. (Not leave it up to members!) Also, there would have been an accident report written up and she would have had to have someone come pick her up from the club. Quite a different scenario than the ridiculous excuse of 'care' these employees have for their members. I sure hope that they have their liability insurance current...