"Bright-star, Bright-star!"

[Slarty]

Is that HA code? My DH says they also did an announcement "Babe Ruth, Babe Ruth! Seaview". What is that?

[IRL_Joanie]

Is that HA code? My DH says they also did an announcement "Babe Ruth, Babe Ruth! Seaview". What is that?

Bright Star is Code Blue. True medical emergency such as cardiac arrest or serious emergency.

 

Babe Ruth... You got me. Sea View is the location of that call code.

 

Joanie

Edited April 11, 2016 by IRL_Joanie

[blizzardboy]

Babe Ruth is code for "Drunk with a bat".

[Topsham]

Something came to my mind, but I ain't writing that out!

[Cruisergal1208]

Babe Ruth sounds like a code for poop in the pool. YIKES!!

[gpb11]

Babe Ruth sounds like a code for poop in the pool. YIKES!!

 

Ha, I thought the same thing. Caddyshack FTW!

Edited April 11, 2016 by gpb11

[Randyk47]

Bright Star is Code Blue. True medical emergency such as cardiac arrest or serious emergency.

 

Babe Ruth... You got me. Sea View is the location of that call code.

 

Joanie

 

My first experience with a Bright Star was in 1995 on the then new, now out of the fleet, Ryndam. My ex and I had the unfortunate experience to call for an elevator and when the door opened there was a gentleman lying on the floor. Ex had been the chief nurse of an emergency room and I had taught Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support so we jumped right into trying to help him. Luckily there was another passenger waiting with us and we sent them off to get more help. Couldn't have been a minute and the Bright Star announcement. The doctor and a couple of nurses showed up quickly and took over from us. Unfortunately the gentleman did not make it. A sobering experience for my first HAL cruise.

[Despegue]

Randyk47,

 

Thanks for that interesting, but ultimately sad story.

 

One things that is important for US passengers:

 

In Europe, it is the Law that you are required to assist anybody in need of immediate ( medical) help. If you had at any time had a CPR/first aid training, even at high school, DO IT. At the same time, call for assistance.

 

Not helping in EU countries can and might actually result in criminal charges against you for failing to assist your duties to a person in need.

 

Remember the basic rule of cpr: you can not make a condition worse, any help will increase the survival of the victim.

the quicker somebody is attended to the higher the chances of not only survival, but of complete recovery.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have heard "Bright Star" a lot on cruises. Not all had happy endings.

Had 3 Bright Stars on our recent cruise.

[dot73]

My first experience with a Bright Star was in 1995 on the then new, now out of the fleet, Ryndam. My ex and I had the unfortunate experience to call for an elevator and when the door opened there was a gentleman lying on the floor. Ex had been the chief nurse of an emergency room and I had taught Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support so we jumped right into trying to help him. Luckily there was another passenger waiting with us and we sent them off to get more help. Couldn't have been a minute and the Bright Star announcement. The doctor and a couple of nurses showed up quickly and took over from us. Unfortunately the gentleman did not make it. A sobering experience for my first HAL cruise.

 

The important thing is that by immediately taking action, you have the poor man the best chance of survival. It's a shame he didn't make it but you should be proud of yourself for doing the best you could for him.

[OlsSalt]

Randyk47,

 

Thanks for that interesting, but ultimately sad story.

 

One things that is important for US passengers:

 

In Europe, it is the Law that you are required to assist anybody in need of immediate ( medical) help. If you had at any time had a CPR/first aid training, even at high school, DO IT. At the same time, call for assistance.

 

Not helping in EU countries can and might actually result in criminal charges against you for failing to assist your duties to a person in need.

 

Remember the basic rule of cpr: you can not make a condition worse, any help will increase the survival of the victim.

the quicker somebody is attended to the higher the chances of not only survival, but of complete recovery.

 

In the US the last CPR I took established the following order of activities:

 

1. Call for help -or call 911 - first, and then

2. A - clear airway - fingers in and around the throat and mouth, tilting head to the side to avoid aspiration

3. B - rescue mouth breathing after closing off the nostrils, if no breathing has been confirmed

4. C - chest compression for circulation after checking for pulse at the neck carotid artery

Edited April 11, 2016 by OlsSalt

[Btimmer]

On our recent Antarctica cruise, there was no "Bright Star"; there was just a call for "Medical Emergency at Cabin 7XXX" just as we were about to cast off at Montevideo. Later we learned that the fellow didn't make it. I was surprised when the non-coded message came over the PA system.

[RMLincoln]

As an EMT I have stopped to rendered aid to 3 passengers on cruises. My best advice to all passengers is to learn where the phones are in public areas.

 

Phone locations vary ship to ship and cruise line to cruise line. Look for them near elevator lobbies, outside of lounges or at entrances to theater, buffet, dining rooms casino, pool, spa, other area of large gatherings. Take note of how to get help, it may be your loved one who needs it.

 

We were 2 days out of LA on our way to Hawaii, so about half way. I had a woman collapse literally at my feet one evening as I was exiting the show lounge. Her head hit the hard stone-tile floor in the entranceway/exit rather hard, but she fell because her heart stopped. I immediately began an assessment and as I called loudly to my husband to call 911 for "no breathing, no pulse", a physician jumped-in to join me in CPR. Her friends told us she had a pacemaker... well I believe it was more than an ordinary pacemaker because her heart started and she actually came to! The medical team arrived and took over, yes it was Bright Star call.

 

A few days later I saw her walking around the ship and we were both thankful to run into each other. I believe her pacemaker was equipped with a defibrillator which saved her. She told me she was overnight in the infirmary for observation, released in the morning and said she felt fine!

 

The other thing that I had to do during that incident was get a bar server to re-route people around us because they were actually stepping on us. One person kicked my evening purse (it was formal night) about 20 feet away from where I had dropped it by my side to attend to the woman, and he never even made a motion to retrieve it for me. People were unbelievably uncaring and oblivious.

 

Another incident that shocked me was when a gentleman tripped and fell in a doorway between the lido buffet and the pool area. He was unconscious and had a bad cut on his head while people just stepped over and around him, no-one had called 911 when I found him. People were worse than oblivious. Just astounding.

 

Please take the time to notice where the phones are, and be willing to call for help if help is needed. If all you can do is ask someone else to call for help and then direct traffic around an injured person, that will be a huge step forward. Remember, we're all in the proverbial "same boat." m--

[KirkNC]

Babe Ruth is code for "Drunk with a bat".

 

LOL, that's funny!

[Topsham]

As an EMT I have stopped to rendered aid to 3 passengers on cruises. My best advice to all passengers is to learn where the phones are in public areas.

m--

 

 

 

If I ever need your services on a cruise, I swear... you and your husband are on my tab!

[IRL_Joanie]

I'm glad that I read the posts after Randy's reply to mine:)

 

It is sad, to me at least, that the "Good Samaritan Law" is not practiced more here in the US for fear of being sued:(

 

I was a Firefighter/EMT for 2 different Volunteer Fire Departments from 1989 (NJ) to 1994 (NM). So I was/ still am well versed in what to do and how soon it should be done to at least try to save a persons life.

 

Unfortunately, over the last few years I've seen people just standing around doing squat to assist the person(s) in need.

 

OK, sorry for getting on a Soap Box:( Just a touchy subject for me.

 

Joanie

[RMLincoln]

If I ever need your services on a cruise, I swear... you and your husband are on my tab!

 

At your service! m--

[Topsham]

At your service! m--

 

 

Thank M.

Likewise. You and yours... safe cruising!

 

Stephen

[iceman93]

Remember the basic rule of cpr: you can not make a condition worse, any help will increase the survival of the victim.

the quicker somebody is attended to the higher the chances of not only survival, but of complete recovery.

 

That's actually the EXACT opposite of the "basic rule of CPR" I was taught, which is that, if you don't know what you're doing, you stand more chance of harming someone than helping them. Incorrectly-applied CPR can crack ribs, forgetting to clear the airway and then blowing in the mouth can just lodge the impediment further, etc.

 

Either way, I agree with some of the other true professionals who've posted that the best and first thing you can do is send someone for help, either in person or via a nearby phone.

[PatsyAnne]

That's actually the EXACT opposite of the "basic rule of CPR" I was taught, which is that, if you don't know what you're doing, you stand more chance of harming someone than helping them. Incorrectly-applied CPR can crack ribs, forgetting to clear the airway and then blowing in the mouth can just lodge the impediment further, etc.

 

 

 

Either way, I agree with some of the other true professionals who've posted that the best and first thing you can do is send someone for help, either in person or via a nearby phone.

 

 

Speaking of using the phone, is the emergency number on the ship 911 or something else? I know different countries have their own emergency code.

[IRL_Joanie]

Speaking of using the phone, is the emergency number on the ship 911 or something else? I know different countries have their own emergency code.

 

It's 911 from any phone on the ship.

 

Call goes to Medical Center, Security and Front Desk. Not sure who else, if anyone it goes to. But thse 3 I do know first hand.

 

When I slammed the verandah door on my left hand while the ship was at a dead stop, docked, in Turks and Caicos, one of our Room Stewards dialed 911, told them the emergency and took care of my basic needs (jamming my hand into the ice bucket, taking pulse, etc.. (Good First Responder skills!!). Anyway some of our CC friends were at the front desk when the 911 call came in and told us later about hearing it. Security met me in the Medical Center and took statement....

 

All in All, I have nothing but high respect for the staff on HAL, when it comes to a medical emergency. There are those crew members who I've met that speak very very little English. They are the Workers, for lack of better term than "swabbies, Deck Hands, etc." The ones who work behind the scene to make sure everything works.

 

Joanie

Edited April 12, 2016 by IRL_Joanie

[Despegue]

Someone here critisized my post saying that any action to resuscitate is better than no action.

 

Sorry, but I must emphasize that in a condition where one's heart is not beating anymore, ANY attempt is better than no attempt.

 

You mention breaking ribs: so what?! You are dealing with basically reviving a dead person here...breaking a rib is the least you should worry about, and might happen even when applying correct method. It is actually very common by the way.

 

Mouth to mouth is no longer necessary when there is a cardiac arrest and if you are alone.

 

And please, do not insult me claiming that I don't know what I am saying. I have ER experience in the country with the World's best healthcare, thank you.

 

Once again: Call for professional help, untill they arrive DO ACT if you have ever followed a first-aid course if it does not threaten your own safety. It is the LAW.

[1of4]

That's actually the EXACT opposite of the "basic rule of CPR" I was taught, which is that, if you don't know what you're doing, you stand more chance of harming someone than helping them. Incorrectly-applied CPR can crack ribs, forgetting to clear the airway and then blowing in the mouth can just lodge the impediment further, etc.

 

Either way, I agree with some of the other true professionals who've posted that the best and first thing you can do is send someone for help, either in person or via a nearby phone.

 

?? I can't believe you are telling people to do nothing to help another human in distress. Never have I ever heard this before. I was taught that the first step is to call for assistance then to proceed assessing the situation and if VSA start CPR.

[MommaBear55]

In the US the last CPR I took established the following order of activities:

 

1. Call for help -or call 911 - first, and then

2. A - clear airway - fingers in and around the throat and mouth, tilting head to the side to avoid aspiration

3. B - rescue mouth breathing after closing off the nostrils, if no breathing has been confirmed

4. C - chest compression for circulation after checking for pulse at the neck carotid artery

 

It has been a while since your most recent CPR course. The single person or lay rescuer no longer gives breaths. It was found that the delay in circulation by stopping to give breaths was more harmful than the inevitable decrease in oxygen in the blood. Also, people are less concerned about infection from mouth to mouth, so are more likely to intervene.

[gpb11]

In Europe, it is the Law that you are required to assist anybody in need of immediate ( medical) help. If you had at any time had a CPR/first aid training, even at high school, DO IT. At the same time, call for assistance.

.. and in contrast, here in the US we've had to pass "Good Samaritan" laws to protect people from lawsuits if they help someone in distress. :rolleyes: