1000000% right buddy.

A few weeks ago my wife was taking our foster child for a supervised visit with his bio-grandma. Shortly after arriving, my wife was ordering food for everyone and her existing heart (mitro-valve prolapse) condition caused her to go into cardiac arrest (her heart started rapidly beating so fast it wasn't actually pumping anything).

Thank fully beyond anything I can describe, there were four people on hand who were CPR trained (including an exEMT and current trainer himself) who immediately helped my wife until an ambulance came. If it weren't for these people who were obviously in the same situation as this douche bag, my wife would be dead and I would be a single father of three. Instead she is in full recovery and at home happy as ever, granted she is now a cyborg with a built-in defilibrator, but she is alive.

Lessons learned.

1. EVERYONE needs to learn CPR. Its vitally important.

2. ANYONE who has medical training must help otherwise it should be considered a crime against humanity.

Here is an example of how obligated people are.

My girlfriend graduates school in 2 weeks, but 4 weeks ago a 17 year old boy was stabbed right in front of my house. Now this incident was most likely gang related but my girlfriend takes her job seriously and her school knows where she lives, so if they found out she did nothing, it could hurt her chances of not only graduating, but getting a job.

With people still wielding weapons and a 17 year old boy with knife wounds in her back she walked right into the middle of it all, only to provide the best medical attention she knew how for this young boy who just returned from a trip to the beach celebrating high school graduation.

Could she have been injured? Of course she could, and I was fearful as she ran right into the thick of things, but you know what, it makes me happy to know that there are probably many out their as dedicated and caring out there when it comes to their job and the oath they swore as much of I saw from my girlfriend that day.

5-10 minutes out of that lazy mans day and a woman could be sitting at home right now with her baby and young children, enjoying life. Instead this EMT disregarded his oath and chose a stupid ass sandwich over his obligations and it cost a woman and child their lives.

Yeah they do, I see that as a problem in our legal system. Laws should be the same across the country but oh well.

Built in defilibrator is the least of your concerns my friend, if I were in your position I would just grateful that some people did what they swore to do and thanks to that your wife is still with you. Although I am absolutely sure that you are eternally grateful to them.

Those are wonderful people who saved not just her life, but also yours and your children's that day.

People like that are real heroes.

I don't disagree that if you are trained in saving someones life that if you are off-duty you shouldn't help.  I just don't think that legally they NEED to help, and in looking at other stories on this, apparently the guy wasn't an EMT, rather he was an EMD (Dispatcher - so what skills does he really know?)

What if I was an EMT, and I had been out drinking, and was close to falling down drunk, would you REALLY want me to try and help you?  I might do more harm than good.  However, if you are saying I HAVE TO HELP then I stumble over to you, trip, fall on you, break your ribcage, etc etc... am I protected by law because I had to help you?  I know this is kind of a bad 'what if' thing, but there are a lot of what if's..

Prop's to your girlfriend, she has more balls than I do.  And again, that's a great what if.  If she would have suffered consequences for not walking into a GANG FIGHT trying to render aid... let's just say I'm thankful I'm not going to be a nurse.  I don't think in Canada even if you are on duty you have to help if it means RISKING YOUR OWN LIFE.

@Bolded - Must have been a damn good sandwich - I kid, I kid!

Oh and @superchunk - Glad your wife is ok

I would be grateful that you at least tried to help instead of just walking away.

I wouldn't blame you for getting your drink on while your off-duty, that isn't my way. I won't sit here and say that people in the medical field can't get high or drunk, but you know what I do think? A drunk and/or high EMT is much more effective that some random joe in a pub or waiting 10-20 minutes for Paramedics to arrive.

Also in the case of my girlfriend I am not sure if she was obligated to waltz right through the middle of a gang fight since it endangers her life as well, but as I said, she is VERY serious about her job. So serious to the point where she has a good chance of graduating a valedictorian of her class in 2 weeks.

She has balls (not literally of course ) and I give her credit for that. Seeing what she did that day gives me no doubts that she would do whatever is necessary to protect my daughter and reassurance like that is a great thing to have.  

I agree - and the fact that her job supplies her with her own 'nurses' costume aint bad either ;)

Trust me my friend, I know that better than most.

Using the "lawsuits" as an argument is ridiculous. First of all, nothing guarantees you that he would get charged or that he'd do anything negligent. EVEN IF we could consider that as a certain possibility, what kind of court would charge him? He was on a break, off duty, correct? Then he would be just another man helping a sick woman. And if we get charged for helping the fellowman, when nobody else can, then in that day we can officially say our world is completely fucked up.

Besides, if you're an EMT they you should at the least care about people enough to help a dying pregnant woman. Wait, let me rephrase that. If you're a decent human being you should at least care about people enough to help a dying pregnant woman... even if that means delaying your precious snack time >_>