A neighbor dies: What would you have done?

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

I was leaving for work on a recent morning when I heard a strange sound, like crying by a woman or a cat.

Just outside my door was a woman in full tears; she had just come out of another apartment in the complex. (This was the same apartment I saved from burning down earlier this year, with a new tenant.) She said that she had found her friend dead, and asked me if I knew CPR.

A man there with her said “there’s nothing you can do anyway.” Other people were showing up, a fireman came over from the firehall across the street. I realized that someone had already called 911, and the situation seemed to be under control, so I left before any emergency vehicles parked me in and I would have been late for work.

I did not:

[ul]
[li]try to see if there was something I could do (which wouldn’t have been much, 911 was already called)[/li][li]check out the body out of curiosity[/li][li]see if there was anything else I could do (hi Opal)[/li][/ul]

My priority was getting to work on time.

What would you have done?

#2

Seems fair. If the woman indeed found her friend dead, CPR wasn’t going to help.

#3

I would have gone in to start CPR with the fireman. But I’m a nurse. It’s kind of a compulsion to at least try to help. Would it have done any good? Probably not. But I’d try.

Please note that I’m not saying you did anything wrong. I don’t think you did do anything wrong. I’m taking your question very literally: what would I have done.

#4

You saw firefighters (and presumably EMTs) walking in. The person was panicking, most likely, because there was no one there yet, but they’re there now, you’re safe to go, IMO, with no moral obligation to stay. And FTR, I don’t have any issues with you wanting to get your car moved before it gets blocked just to see what happens next.

Honestly, unless you know lifesaving techniques on par with the firefighter that was heading in (and again, there’s a good chance he’s an EMT) or at least better than the average joe, you’d just be in the way.

This is all, of course, assuming you don’t know CPR or had any kind of emergency meds on you at the time.

(And pretend like a made a joke about your title and username)

#5

My actions would depend on how well I knew the people. If I were friends with the deceased or the woman who was crying, I would have stayed as long as I could. If I didn’t know them, I would have gotten out of there the same way you did.

#6

Concur with the above - if emergency personnel are on site, you don’t know the deceased or the woman who found her, someone else is with her, and you don’t have any special skills, you have no obligation to stay. In fact, you will probably help the situation by leaving.

#7

I’d have offered to stay with the crying woman, but that’s about it. If she wanted some support, I could do that, but I’d be useless at CPR.

#8

I would have checked to see if CPR could be of any use (as opposed to : the body is already cold) until the fireman showed up. Given that every minute counts, one shouldn’t wait even if emergency services have already been called.

I would also have asked if there was anything I could do, if only offering coffee or something.

Being at work on time would be very unlikely to be my priority in such circumstances, but then again being late wouldn’t really have been a significant issue for me anyway.

#9

If there was no fireperson on scene, I would have started chest compressions, if I could. Once the fireperson arrived, I’d clear out of the way.

I would offer to let the lady wait in my apartment, maybe make tea or something if she wanted it. I would have offered to call someone for her. I would have stayed until she collected herself and left.

I would have told work that I was blocked in and couldn’t make it until lunch.

#10

In a similar situation, I’d have just gotten out of the way and let more competent personnel handle things. I have no special medical skills and it’s been years since I learned CPR, so I’d be of little use unless there was no one else able to deal. If the weeping woman was a close friend, I’d have stayed to comfort her, but from what you described, you’d have just been in the way. I expect in emergency situations, the professionals would prefer to have everyone gone.

#11

I probably would have checked to make sure the person was actually dead and beyond help. Other than that, I would have asked the woman if there was someone she wanted me to call for her. When other help arrived beside that lone fireman, I would have left for work.

#12

Do you know CPR? I didn’t read anything stating that you were trained.

I’d of left as well unless, I was close friends

#13

Run around screaming “I didn’t do it! I can’t even spell ISIS!”

I may have asked the fireman (if I only saw one ) if he needed any help until others arrived, then go from there.

#14

So, in one week, we have an apartment tenant whose neighbor died; another tenant whose landlord died; and a landlord whose tenant died. Is there something going around in the air lately?

#15

Stay and watch…there’s nothing else to do to save them, is there?

#16

I don’t know, but I’m feeling nervous.

#17

Probably not, but there may be things you can do to comfort/assist the friend.

As for me, I would have at least confirmed for myself that the person was dead.
mmm

#18

Make sure to go through the pockets of the corpse first.

#19

The bereaved woman had a companion there helping her. 911 was already called, and other residents were also aware. This had been going on for some time before I went out.

I had CPR training years ago, but I now take immunosuppressants because of my transplants. This makes me keep away from contact with many people.

I found out tonight that the woman died of a drug overdose.

#20

I don’t know if you’re referring to my post, but in case you are, yes I am.