• Do CPR in the water • State worse than county • It truly takes a village • Mayor’s authority • More dead urchins Do CPR in the water Because we average about 12 deaths a year due to drowning
• Do CPR in the water • State worse
than county • It truly takes a village •
Mayor’s authority • More dead
urchins
Do CPR in the water
Because we average about 12 deaths a year due to drowning here on Kaua‘i, our first line of defense must be all of us — not just our terrific lifeguards.
The reason? Time is of the essence. Many drownings occur due to cardiac arrest in the water. Drowning itself for other reasons also produces cardiac arrest. We know that a person’s chance of recovery is doubled if CPR is administered to a victim within the first few minutes after a collapse or drowning.
As such, there is simply not enough time to get the victim to shore — a task which could take as much as 10 minutes or more. By then, there is no chance for resuscitation. After four minutes without oxygen, brain cells begin to die and irreversible brain damage occurs.
This is called biological death. Having tried CPR in the ocean myself on victims (more than once), I can tell you it is not an easy proposition.
What we have learned, however, from the American Heart Association guidelines is that compressions only (even without administering the breaths) may be enough to save a life.
These could be done in the water or even underwater, for that matter.
The sooner the better. Calling all surfers, swimmers and beach-goers to be prepared to act fast. You may be the only chance a person has to live. Your willingness to respond fast may indeed save a life.
Stephen Farrell, Koloa
State worse than county
In reference to “co-op dictatorship” (Letters: Feb. 1), the state government is just as bad or worse.
Did you renew your vehicle tag lately? Without warning, it skyrocketed beyond belief. I just read also, parking fees at the airport will increase.
Are they going to build a double-decker parking lot? Where is this money going to? My personal opinion is that the governor has got to go, acting like Obama. Representatives?
I’m not even going into our gas prices.
Daniel Genegabuas, Kapa‘a
It truly takes a village
I am one of more than 20 volunteers working at the St. Catherine’s Church food pantry. Each Wednesday, we distribute approximately 3,000 pounds of food to any and all who visit us.
The food comes from the Hawai‘i Food Bank in pre-packaged boxes and cans with fresh fruits, vegetables and rice, bulk-packaged in large cartons.
Each week we must break down the perishables into small quantities in order to hand them out.
Until the kindness and generosity of Lisa Merritt, acting manager at Safeway, we were hard pressed to quickly and safely distribute these perishables.
When asked for her assistance, Lisa volunteered to donate the same type of plastic bags offered in the store’s produce department.
Without Lisa’s help, we would not be able to assist the 300 to 425 Kauaiians who visit our food pantry each week.
For those who don’t know of St. Catherine’s pantry, we also accept donations of clothing and household items for distribution and recently compiled an outreach sheet containing the names and phone numbers of 40 services being offered through island agencies.
Michael Piano, Kapa‘a
Mayor’s authority
According to the Kaua‘i County Charter, Article VII, Section: 7.05, the mayor has direct supervision over all departments, which includes the Police Commission which in turn selects the police chief.
How does the mayor not have authority in this chain of command?
Robert Mandap, Mililani
More dead urchins
I’m a water safety officer on the island of Kaua‘i, and I work in the Po‘ipu area.
I noticed hundreds of heart urchins that were dead on the ocean floor between Nu‘ukumoi Point and Makuena Point on a recent dive.
I believe this due to all the runoff from resorts, golf courses and homes that are directly adjacent to the ocean either, with or without swimming pools, along with the seed companies, which have fields in the area that are contributing to this problem.
The seepage that filters through the earth and into the ocean has been a major source of the ocean’s deterioration in coral reefs, sea life, etc.
Myles Y. Emura, Kaua‘i
