Re: Mounties Electrocute Airline Passenger

On 2007-10-18 03:42:51 -0700, Larry Dighera <LDighera@xxxxxxx> said:

On Wed, 17 Oct 2007 19:08:36 -0500, Dave S <Dastaten@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote in <13hd8t6g5rtibda@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

Dave S wrote:
Larry Dighera wrote:


Perhaps. I doubt the coroner will find the passenger to have expired
as a result of the Mounties arresting the passenger. It would be
interesting to know where the darts hit the passenger.
If it was across the chest, I can see how the Taser may have
precipitated a heart attack.

I cant. A taser is not a defibrillator, nor a cardioverter. All use
electricity, but in different manners. The energy involved is much
different. The capacitors involved in medical devices such as external
defibrillators are larger than the entire taser device, and the energy
involved is orders of magnitude larger.


Larry.. for further comparison..

http://www.taser.org/specifications.html has some data.
Most specifically.. each individual energy pulse is 1.76 Joules.

When I use a defibrillator on a patient in cardiac arrest, the
recommended energy ranges are 200-360 joules per discharge. They have to
JUST to be able to get 5-10 joules of energy to the heart itself (which
is the range of energy that INTERNAL defibrillators run at - devices
that have DIRECT electrical contact with the heart. Notice again, the
taser only puts out less than 2 joules.

A police car strobe light runs about 10 joules per flash.

Aircraft strobes run in the 30 joule range

Does this put things in a perspective?

Yes. It does. Thank you for the information. I meant to research
that.

I'm not sure how comparing a defibrillator to a Taser justifys using
Tasers on suspects, but I personally find such use dehumanizing and
hazardous.

But you do not find pepper spray, wrestling him to the ground, or other methods dehumanizing or hazardous?

Perhaps you are putting to fine a point on it, Larry. No matter how you do it, forcibly rendering someone harmless and throwing him to the ground is going to be dehumanizing and hazardous.

The pepper spray would definitely have forced evacuation of the whole terminal until it was cleared, but it probably would not have stopped the person from throwing his tantrum. Allowing him to continue the tantrum would only have endangered others and their property, and he probably would have died anyway. He died of emotional upset, not of a Taser

Of course, there is always soma-gas. It was basically harmless, and no one thought that the Brave New World was dehumanizing or hazardous, did they?
--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Mounties Electrocute Airline Passenger
    ... A taser is not a defibrillator, ... The energy involved is much ... recommended energy ranges are 200-360 joules per discharge. ...
    (rec.aviation.piloting)
  • Re: Mounties Electrocute Airline Passenger
    ... A taser is not a defibrillator, ... The capacitors involved in medical devices such as external defibrillators are larger than the entire taser device, and the energy involved is orders of magnitude larger. ... When I use a defibrillator on a patient in cardiac arrest, the recommended energy ranges are 200-360 joules per discharge. ...
    (rec.aviation.piloting)
  • Re: Mounties Electrocute Airline Passenger
    ... If it was across the chest, I can see how the Taser may have ... The capacitors involved in medical devices such as external defibrillators are larger than the entire taser device, and the energy involved is orders of magnitude larger. ... When I use a defibrillator on a patient in cardiac arrest, the recommended energy ranges are 200-360 joules per discharge. ...
    (rec.aviation.piloting)
  • Re: Where does it go? (mismatched power)
    ... Let's be careful to point out that "forward power" is a measurement ... forward energy which is traveling at the speed of light in the medium. ... Because the watts (joules/second) and the joules will ... 204 joules in the forward wave and 104 joules in the reflected wave. ...
    (rec.radio.amateur.antenna)
  • Re: Soon to arrive my HDTV
    ... Joules can measure energy dissipated, energy transferred, or energy ... "No wonder he recommends plug-in protectors. ... sprinkler system and garage door opener. ...
    (alt.tv.tech.hdtv)