Ask Carroll

[alakaboo]

The week after Sunstroke buys one of Roy's boards with bitcoins.

[el rancho]

The week after Sunstroke buys one of Roy's boards with bitcoins.

1.3 million. which is why it's hard to take roy's opinion on anything seriously, along with the holocaust denial.
the orange wetsuit and wizard beard I like.

[andy2476]

Godsave it is possible.
If you can contain your excitement, watch these two videos and ponder the possibilities.
Folding Hills Hoist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQudrrcYIhA

Nice shpants Boo. I think the boat's sailed on your male menopause though.

[Davros]

The opportunity cost of not performing CPR is probably less.

[Nick Carroll]

But let's face it, if some festival has invited you to talk about some subject you know a shit load about, it's never gonna be a huge effort to find something to say.

As a random thought, someone who has chosen to make a career out of being a journalist/author is unlikely to have difficulties in telling other people what they think about something.

ha ha yes there is that.

So are you planning to go Tim Winton or Dan Brown? Or maybe Peter Corris, but instead of an ex army turned private eye, its a former world tourer who has settled down back home to be a wiry yet supremely fit clubbie/surfer investigating crime amongst the upper classes of the northern beaches, forced to deal with requests to admire pristine McTavish longboards on display in the foyer and prone to fits of coldness when a SUP is spotted on a client's X5.

But, seriously - any thoughts of fiction? Or your interest just doesnt lie in that direction.

Yeah I think about fiction for sure. Can't imagine going down any of the paths you've laid down above though. I have a vague idea of how to go about it; think it would be cool to write from a younger person's perspective at first. But I have a few other things to do right now. (Well maybe I do! It depends if the publisher bites.)

Who knows, I might just go on a surfing binge.

[DucksNuts]

Hey Nick does Frenchman's off Newport attract many crew? I can't tell how rideable it is from the sweet safe sand

[Nick Carroll]

It's been a while since I did a first aid course, presumably with SLSC and liability insurance etc you're doing them pretty regularly. On the radio this morning I heard a bloke from some sort of cardiac arrest awareness group spruiking the new methods and inviting people to come down to Luna Park for demonstrations, it might have been called Take Heart. Apparently only 1 in 10 people survive heart attack these days and they want to raise awareness and educate which obviously is a good thing.

What really surprised me though was they recommended just getting in and going for it with the CPR, I can't quote exactly but he said if someone isn't responding normally and they aren't conscious then just get into it, don't bother to check for pulse or airways or anything like that, just start up on the chest compressions to the beat of the Bee Gees Staying Alive and don't bother with any of the breathing stuff, just the chest compressions. I was under the impression this could be a rather dangerous thing to do to someone who has say just fainted or something, whose heart hasn't actually stopped beating. Obviously I'm due for a refresher course but I was wondering what the current SLSC take might be on that and is this really the recommended procedure nowadays?

Yeah, OK here's the deal with that:

People having heart attacks in particular may be in fibrillation yet still be conscious, or not quite unconscious.

You can definitely hurt a person by applying chest compressions a bit too violently - cracking ribs etc. You can't damage their heart if it's beating normally.

Lots of research has shown that unless you're highly trained in CPR, then pausing for breaths can be a royal waste of time. This is because it takes quite a few compressions to move blood entirely through the circulation system. The old 15 compressions was barely enough to get the blood moving at all. Nowadays in the longer first aid/bronze courses they teach a ratio of two breaths to 30 compressions; 30 gives you a shot at moving blood through a full cycle, but only if you're doing a very good job of it.

Blood carries quite a bit of oxygen, more than you think. There's enough to suffice for four full cycles through the body. If you can get even partly oxygenated blood moving through the body and brain, you're doing the key job of a first responder -- which is preventing brain damage thanks to lack of oxygen.

There's been a lot of research to show that the more complex the CPR process is made, the less effective it is in the hands of someone who's not fully trained. Most people are way better off just focusing on the one thing -- chest compressions -- and doing as much of 'em as possible. The assumption is that at some point, trained help will arrive and take over with oxygen, defibrillator etc.

Coldly, without defib, most people whose heart has stopped will die. But the best single action you can take is simple chest compressions.

[Nick Carroll]

Hey Nick does Frenchman's off Newport attract many crew? I can't tell how rideable it is from the sweet safe sand

Frenchman's is the back bombie about 400 to 600+ metres off the back of the reef. It's a mushburger until it's 20 feet, so no, it does not attract many crew. In a giant ENE swell it's got a profile a lot like Phantom Reef off the back of V-Land on Oahu. Sick tow wave at that size.

[kreepykrawly]

Dear Nick
have youse eva performed mouh to mouth resuscitation on anybody that didnt need it.
I have a m8 who swears he's seen yah early morning strolling on Newie beach looking for semi conscious ftiday night traggics to perform 'mouth to mouth on.

Please if I ever get drunk and fall over on Newport beach keep your lips away from mine !!!

P.S just because you have a first aid certificate doesnt give you the right to put your tongue down peoples throats !!!

[Nick Carroll]

a) god yes. Well they wanted it but they didn't strictly need it

b) fortunately surf clubs are equipped with masks that we often use during resuscitation efforts in order to avoid any inadvertent tongue action. But! we also have terrible airway opening devices that resemble throat-dildos. So if I were you kk I would not slump into unconsciousness on a Sydney beach just incase some enthusiastic lifesaver tries to force one of those things past your tonsils.

[Nick Carroll]

ha ha sadly the digital rectal exam as a test for signs of life is an urban myth.

Just do a refresher course matticus, you might really be glad of it some day?

[bobjs]

ha ha sadly the digital rectal exam as a test for signs of life is an urban myth.

Sure makes me feel alive every morning, particulary when the roids are flaring or got another round of worms from the kids.

[Beanpole]

......and women say men don't talk about their emotions.

[godsavetheking]

Nick, I just read the Slater interview on the ASP site where he comes out strongly in favour of having 'majors' with double points at the venues like Fiji and Tahiti (clearly he's been reading the Free Ride Voice eh steve). Good idea, or the bitter ramblings of bloke who blew his best shot at Title #12?

[Nick Carroll]

Well it might be a good idea to have double points events but I don't think it should necessarily be restricted to events that KS has traditionally dominated, I suppose that is a diplomatic way of putting it.

I bet he wouldn't be in favour of a double points WCT at Sunset Beach hey.

You might also be about to witness the weakness inherent in the idea at the current Fiji event. A bad forecast can reduce a great location to rubble, then wheres your goddam double points?

I would urge the ASP to focus on that aspect first before getting all double-pointsy.

[Buff_Brad]

a) god yes. Well they wanted it but they didn't strictly need it

b) fortunately surf clubs are equipped with masks that we often use during resuscitation efforts in order to avoid any inadvertent tongue action. But! we also have terrible airway opening devices that resemble throat-dildos. So if I were you kk I would not slump into unconsciousness on a Sydney beach just incase some enthusiastic lifesaver tries to force one of those things past your tonsils.

KK would be fine as there's no way he'd have a gag reflex.

Too vehement in calling himself "straight".

Yeah right ...... straight down on the nearest c.o.c.k.

[steve shearer]

I have a question about your book.

Have to go get the kids now, will ask later.

[Animal_Chin]

Hey Nick! Steve has a question but he has to go get his kids.

He'll ask you later.