Archives for September 2018

Avoiding Electrocution From Power Lines

Electrical hazards cause more than 300 deaths and 4,000 injuries each year among the U.S. workforce. Electrocution is sixth among causes of workplace deaths in America. There are 30,000 non-fatal shocks each year that occur in the home.

As I watched the coverage of hurricane Florence recently, I saw a reporter bring everyone’s attention to a downed power line. The reporter walked within a few feet of the electric line. Rain had been heavy and the ground was saturated. The reported stated that the wire was charged and had been sparking,

As a fire/medic I have seen several people electrocuted. Most of these people lost their lives because they walked too close to downed power lines. The electrical current can be conducted through the ground even if the ground is not saturated with water. In addition, the current has been known to spark or jump from the wire to individuals when they are too close. For this to happen the conditions must be just right. Unfortunately we cannot tell when these conditions are present.

There have been several incidents of firefighters responding to grass fires of unknown cause. As they start extinguishing the fire they are electrocuted. Two of these cases involved a power line down over a quarter of a mile away. The power line was in contact with a wire fence charging it. When firefighters came in contact with the fence they were killed. What makes situations like this frustrating is the indication of danger was so far away it was not noticed. We must stay vigilant at all times.

Precautions to take when you see a downed power line and prevent being electrocuted:

If you see a downed power line move away. The ground can be charged up to 20 yards away.
Consider all downed lines charged.
If you see someone in contact with a power line do not touch them. Call 911.
Never attempt to move a downed power line.
Stay away from water near downed lines.
Do not drive over downed power lines.
If a power line comes in contact with with your car, do not attempt to exit your vehicle.
If your car is on fire and you must exit it, avoid making contact with car and ground at the same time.

By following these simple rules you can stay safe and avoid injury or death.

The wise are cautious and avoid danger; fools plunge ahead with reckless confidence.

Proverbs 14:16

One Bullet Can You Change Your Life Forever!

By Tim Holman Leave a Comment

You took a CCW class about five years ago and you carry your gun with everywhere you go. Up until now you have never had to use.

It is late and you pull into a gas station to fill up. As you check your surroundings you notice you are the only customer. As you exit your car and begin fueling your car you see a young man coming out of the darkness about fifty feet away. He is acting very nervous and has not yet made eye contact with you. Your awareness has just peaked as he slowly approaches you.

He is within ten feet now and still has not said a word or looked at you. Suddenly he darts towards you as he pulls a large knife out of his jacket. You have very little time to react. But since your awareness was peaked you are ready for a confrontation. As he lunges at you, you pull your gun and shoot him twice in the chest. He falls to the ground motionless.

The police arrive and you give them a statement. The security tape is pulled from the store and shows that the shooting was self-defense. No charges are filed.

You used deadly force to protect yourself. You took a young mans life before he was able to take yours. Now what?

One is the number of bullets needed to change your life forever. The shooting was justified but you were responsible for killing another human being.

42% of Americans will suffer a completed violent crime in their lifetime. This crime ended in your favor. You are alive because you were alert and ready if you were threatened. But how do you deal with the fact that you killed someone.

Your life will change as you learn to cope with the fact that in the process of protecting yourself a life had to be taken. This is not an easy thing to live with. You may think you can put on your tough face and go on like nothing happened. But you are human and this is a heavy burden to carry the rest of your life.

At some point you may develop PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). This condition cannot be corrected by ignoring what you are feeling inside. Don’t hide your feelings get help. Talk to someone that you can trust. Someone who will listen and be empathetic to how you feel.

“But whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Proverbs 1:33.

Don’t Let Anger Define The Moment

By Tim Holman Leave a Comment

This is an account of how road rage can impact innocent people. In this case the injuries were not life threatening. But it did cause pain and suffering for an innocent bystander. The following is account of that situation.

We were just leaving the hospital when we were dispatched to an motor vehicle crash. The dispatcher stated that two cars were involved and it was unknown how many injuries.

On our arrival we found one auto had been struck in the rear. It had significant rear end damage. There was one person claiming injury. She had neck and head pain. The seat that she was riding in broke back from the impact. It appears her head struck the side door post (we refer to this as the “B” post).

The patient was experiencing short term memory loss, head pain, nausea and felt weak all over. This could indicate a possible concussion. A c-collar was applied and she was transported on the patient stretcher.

The second individual involved was the driver who struck the woman’s vehicle. He was not injured. He stated that another car behind him was experiencing road rage. The car was riding very close to him and attempted to pass him, nearly running him off the road.

He stated he was not sure what this individual was going to do so he was watching him in his rear view mirror. As he checked the mirror the woman in front of him was stopped and attempting to turn into a driveway. When he looked back at the road he did not have time to stop.

A witness supported his story saying they saw the road rage individual driving recklessly. They had a description of his car but no license number. Unfortunately the man involved in the accident still received a ticket from police officers.

According to the NHTSA 66% of traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving. Road rage is defined as the act of causing harm to a person or vehicle while on the road. The act can occur with a vehicle or any other weapon. It also includes any acts of violence performed by a passenger in the vehicle.

Here are a few tips to avoiding aggressive drivers.

Control your anger and stay calm.
Don’t take traffic problems personally.
Avoid making eye contact with an aggressive driver.
Don’t make obscene gestures.
Don’t tailgate.
Use your horn sparingly, even a polite honk can be misinterpreted.
Don’t block the passing lane.
Don’t block the right turn lane.
Report aggressive drivers to police.
Remember the aggressive driver is looking for a fight.

These simple trips can help you avoid situations that may lead to a confrontation or motor vehicle crash. Stay calm it’s not worth getting upset over. Call the police and let them handle it.

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.

Proverbs 19:11