I had been in a few emergency situations in my younger years, but the first time I actually got to use my High School Learned First Aid/CPR skills happened just a couple of years after graduating.

Setting the scene: We were having a huge yard sale at my moms one beautiful summer day. My brother in law had brought down a 4 wheeler to try to sell for a friend of his. Out in the further end of our yard was a garden. That particular year my step dad had placed some of his family's tree seedlings in our vegetable garden. It was getting close to end of summer/beginning of fall and in preparation, we had a huge pile of sawdust to be put around the seedlings before the cold set in.  The kids were having a lot of fun that day taking turns on the 4 wheeler, under close supervision of my brother in law. Myself, I was afraid of the darn thing.  Our entire huge family was there that day. I really wasn't comfortable with the younger kids trying it out on their own. But they weren't my kids, so after voicing my concerns once, I then kept my nose out of it all.

That particular day of the sale was nearing it's end. Most of the adults were inside the pole barn garage re-folding and stacking things for the next day. I don't know if the kids were being watched, a lot of that day is fuzzy in this brain, but one thing that will never dim will be the screaming. Everyone inside ran out to see what was happening. Most of the kids were absent from view. I remember looking towards the running of one or two adults, all running towards the other side of the big sawdust pile. The first thing that came out of my mouth, and quickly, was "call 9 1 1". I don't even know who I told that to, I just yelled it and ran. I remember someone running beside of me, and without even looking at them I asked them to bring towels and water. With the presence of the 4 wheeler not at all in view, I could only imaging what had happened. I heard lots of crying and screaming coming from the other side of that pile. I still get chills thinking about it. As I rounded the corner of the pile I saw my sister reaching down to pick up or hold her 7 year old son. I know I scared the be-jesus out of her when I screamed "don't move him". I don't think I have ever ran so fast in my life. I slid into the area where Timmy was laying like a ball player running into home plate to save the series playoff. Seriously. I remember asking them " is he breathing"? His eyes were closed. Yes, he was breathing. "Did anyone see him wreck"? For it was obvious what had happened as the 4 wheeler was lying on it's side, not even 2 feet from Timmy's head. Everyone talked at once. I had to ask them to please talk one at a time, preferrably an adult. My brother in law began to tell me what happened, bawling and out of breath. I asked him to take a deep breath as I could not fully understand what he was saying. And so he did and started again. "All I know is that Timmy went up the pile on the 4 wheeler, and the d*** thing accelerated towards the top, flying, then Timmy went into the air with it and they came down apart". No one had been on the other side when he and the 4 wheeler landed. We had no idea as to whether or not the 4 wheeler had landed atop of him or not. So my next step was to physically look over his body for aparent injuries, injuries you could see without moving him. I pulled back his eyelids to check for any sign of head injury, as I did not want to move his head. When doing this I looked for red whites, or any sign of blood. His nose was bleeding which concerned me greatly. It could have been from hitting his nose or a head injury. At that time we got a small cry from him. And then he opened his eyes. But he would not move his head. He told us that his head and arm hurt really bad. I urged him to not try to move his head, his arm, any part of his body, yet. I asked for someone to get a pad and pen. I then checked his pulse, and respirations. I had my mom write that down for when the EMT arrived.

Our home was close to 20 min. from any local EMS facility. That is the closest one, it is mostly volunteer, and is small and unable to handle more than one emergency without calling in the next closest facility. Timmy had landed somewhere between 50 and 75 feet from the small rural road on which we lived. By this time, the large crowd of cryng people had drawn attention to passerbys. A few people had pulled off the road and ran over to see what was happening, and two of the people who had stopped, were a beautiful christian couple. The man had kneeled beside Timmy, laid his hands upon his head and begun to pray. To this day, I wish I had had their names. By now one of my sisters had arrived with a bucket of cold water and several towels. I asked one of the guys to please go to the barn and look for duct tape. I rolled two of the towels long ways and lined them along Timmy's head and neck. I took 2 strips of duct tape and taped together the bottom and top of each towel in order to form some type of restraint. I then felt along each and every bone in his body. I was searching for blood, any hot areas, and any areas that did not feel normal to me. I waited until last to do his left arm. I knew it was broken, it was bruising and swelling. While I was making and applying a splint for his arm, two of my sisters gently washed and dried his scraped and bleeding shins. Timmy had begun to shake, at which time I knew he was going into shock. I asked someone to run quickly and gather me up a couple of blankets. It was important for us to try to calm and soothe him, and to cover him with some blankets to stave off the shock.

http://www.livestrong.com/injury/21-how-to-make-a-splint/

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/164699_splint-fracture-lower-arm-wilderness.htm

I again took his pulse and respiration and had it written down again, noting to myself that both had risen, and praying to God that the EMT's arrived soon, for I WASN'T one, and I knew that the situation could go from bad to worse in a hurry.

At this time we were all just praying and trying to soothe Timmy, trying hard not to do or say anything to scare him. His mother had calmed and I am so proud of how quickly she picked up on what had to be done without freaking out and scaring her son. In the distance we heard the sirens, and in that circle surrounding Timmy, you could hear several sighs of relief. A sob was released from my lips, this I also remember quite clearly. Another thing I remember clearly was when Timmy began to come around. Of all things, he made the statement that his all-star pitching arm was going to have to take a break and we all nervously giggled with him. Everyone stepped back as the 2 EMT's walked up. We handed them the paper with the pulse and respir's we had written down, my brother in law explained what had happened, they boarded Timmy, and he and his mother boarded the squad. I suddenly began to shake. Once the ordeal was taken care of, it was like my body came out of that mode it was in and finally showed it's own state of shock.

 ***The first thing to do is to remember to always stay calm! and call 9-1-1. ~Check with your local Red Cross or even with your local EMS facility and attempt to receive your own First Aid/CPR certification.  ~Try to keep on hand a first aid kit. ~ If you know it is possible that the victim has received any type of head or neck injury- do not move them. ~ If you cannot afford to pay for such classes/certification, ask your primary care physician to please show you what to do in case of an emergency when it comes to your children/family.

I am not in any way here to provide formal education. I can only describe to you what I have learned to do, and am able to provide in my own instances. Please learn how to do these things if you possibly can. Someone you love may need you one day. And the feeling inside of not knowing WHAT to do in a situation like this, is immesuarable. I know, from what my sister told me afterwards, that if he had had to depend upon her alone, he probably would never have thrown another pitch in his life. LOL- in her own words. Please follow some of the above links and do yourself and the people you love a favor- GET CERTIFIED!