DEARBORN, Mich. – Firefighters were called to WDIV’s Go 4 It event in Dearborn on Tuesday to check the building.
Local 4 is hosting a Go 4 It event Tuesday in Dearborn aimed at teaching our viewers the basics of first aid. It’s important to know these basic skills in case of an emergency.
The event is at U of M Dearborn’s Fairlane Center South, in partnership with the American Red Cross and U of M Dearborn.
What happened during class
During our 10 a.m. first aid basics class, two people became lightheaded and fainted. Dearborn firefighters came to evaluate and clear the building to make sure that there’s no evidence of carbon monoxide or other breathable problems.
Nobody else was ill at the time.
Local 4’s Dr. Frank McGeorge said it’s likely that since it was warm inside the building during the class, the two people might have had an ordinary fainting episode.
But out of an abundance of caution, Dearborn firefighters were called to the building.
One of the two people who fainted was cleared by 11 a.m., but the other was still receiving some care from EMS. That person was a little lightheaded, but appeared to be doing OK.
“This does highlight the fact that first aid skills are necessary at any given time because you never know when somebody’s just going to potentially pass out,” McGeorge said.
Go 4 It event will continue
Firefighters gave the all clear around 11:30 a.m., so classes can continue.
We are planning to continue our first aid day events, after the Dearborn Fire Department found the building safe.
But since the building had to be cleared, we will have to bump the classes back by around an hour, so they might not start on time.
What to do if someone passes out unexpectedly
When McGeorge got to the classroom where the two people had passed out, one of them was flat on the ground and one was not. He said when people pass out, they should be slowly placed flat on the ground, and then their legs should be lifted up to help blood return to their body.
“It gets the blood that’s pooling out of their legs,” McGeorge said. “That’s like step one for someone with an ordinary passing out episode. The other is do not rush to get them up. You can just let them lay there. If it’s warm in the building or warm in the area, just fan them and cool them off. That’s OK. Don’t try to force them to drink water because immediately afterward, when they’re still a little bit out of it, a little bit lightheaded, a little tired, you don’t want them gagging or choking on the water. So don’t force them to drink water. Just let them recover naturally.”
If someone is having a seizure or shaking, you should still make sure that they’re getting blood flow to their brain, but put them on their side so they can throw up out of their mouth instead of aspirating it into their lungs.
What to do if you think you’re going to pass out
If you feel like you’re going to faint, you should ease yourself down to the ground so you don’t hurt yourself by falling.
“You want to get steady, and you want to ease yourself to the ground and lay as flat as you can,” McGeorge said.
If you can, prop your legs up so the blood pooling in your legs can return to your body and recirculate to your brain.