3月30日是美国三月的最后一个工作日，也是我们大学授予新生奖学金名单决定的截止日期。2012年，我们系毫无悬念地集体通过，将四年的全额奖学金给了一个应届高中毕业生，他在圣诞之前邻居的一场大火中，凭借自己在救火自愿者（firefighter volunteer，作者译）培训之中学到的技能，在救火人员赶来之前，成功地帮助困在房子的一位老人和小孩逃生。实际上，在所有申请奖学金的考生之中，这个孩子入学标准考试（SAT）和在高中的平均成绩（GPA）都属中游，但是他的勇敢、他在关键时刻表现的镇定、和他对社区作出的这一巨大贡献，征服了奖学金申请委员会（Scholarship Committee，作者译）的所有成员。
由此，我想起了另一位广被世人传颂的英雄 Wesley Autrey ，这位50多岁的纽约建筑工人、海军退役者，被人们授予了很多好听的称号，如：地铁超人（Subway Superman）、哈勒姆区英雄（The Hero of Harlem，Harlem是纽约最不安全、最乱的区域，作者译注）、和地铁英雄等。2007年1月2日，在纽约的某地铁站，20岁的学生Cameron Hollopeter突发颠痫，失去意识后坠落到了铁轨上，此刻，一号列车的灯光已经出现视线里，正带着孩子在不远处等车的Wesley Autrey先生迅速判断了局势，奋身跳进轨道，将Cameron拖到铁轨的缝隙间，紧紧地将他按在地面，火车从头顶呼啸而过，但Cameron的生命却保住了，Wesley Autrey也只受了点轻伤。
为了表彰他在关键时刻的见义勇为，美国时代杂志（Time Magazine）将他选入了2007年世界上最有影响的100个人 （Time 100）之一，获这项荣誉的多是世界领袖和名人，如胡锦涛、苹果创始人之一乔布斯等（见照片）。2007年1月23日，当时的美国总统乔治·布什亲自邀请Wesley Autrey参加了在美国国会山举行的一年一度的国情咨文（State of the Union，作者译），当他现身在议会大厅的时候，包括总统在内的全体人员起立鼓掌，向他表达了美国人最高级别的敬礼。而他本人却坚持说自己不是英雄，他只是说：We have got to show each other some love。说得多好，我们人类之间相互应该是充满着爱的，这应该是人性和人道上最基本的闪光点。
Wesley Autrey被授予的另一个称号是“地铁撒玛利亚”（Subway Samaritan，作者译），撒玛利亚是记录在圣经新约里面的人物。耶稣在 Gospel of Luke (见10:30-37) 中这样讲述，有一个旅行者被抢劫、暴打后留在路上等死，很多人经过都装作视而不见，但好人撒玛利亚却停了下来，帮助了这个受伤的人，耶稣用这个例子阐述了什么叫“邻居（neighbour，作者译）”和人与人之间互爱的概念（见 19:18）。美国是一个基督教占主流的国家，因此这个品质自然地留传了下来，见义勇为已经是一种人性和人道主义的最基本表现，而不是什么需要通过特殊的鼓励和张扬才能促进的行为。
以下是几个最近的例子。
2012年２月６日，华盛顿州某女子（点击进入新闻原文）驾驶的车辆和卡车相撞后起火，两个孩子被困在变形的车里，路人及时施救将两个孩子拖出，待救援人员赶到时，车辆已经被熊熊烈火淹没（见下面照片）。
2012年3月4日，密尔沃基的男子Kevin Pratt（点击进入新闻原文）散步时见到一个人（后来证实是３７岁的Wayne Howe）在冰水里游泳，后陷入挣扎，他和周围的几个人马上展开了接力营救，尽管Pratt没有经过救生员的专门训练，但他常进行水上运动，而且他深知，这样的冷天落水人员根本无法支持到营救人员的赶来，Pratt的果断决定救了Wayne Howe宝贵的生命（见下列照片）。
记得弗吉尼亚理工学院那场枪杀惨案的人，恐怕还记得那个以色列裔教授Liviu Librescu（点击进入新闻原文），他用身体挡住了房门，争取到了时间让学生从窗口跳出去逃生，自己却殒命于枪口下。现在，他的照片被永远挂在了出事现场Norris Hall，供人们凭吊。该校还专门以他的名字设立了奖学金，让人们永远记住这位用自己的生命保护了学生的老师。
在这场惨案中还有我们的华裔英雄助理教授Haiyan Cheng（程海燕，点击进入新闻原文），她见到杀手接近屋子时，镇定地组织学生一起用障碍物堵住了教室的门，杀手开了几枪无法打开门后离开，一屋子的学生都获救了。
这样的例子我可以举出很多很多，我自己就经历过一些。
十几年前深夜开车在波士顿迷了路，一个素不相识的美国人主动停下车来，向我问明情况后，她前面开车、让我后面跟着找到了我要去的地方。
在美国我一共有两次丢了钱包，却都被素不相识的人送到了警察局，警察打电话给我让我去取回来后，发现里面分文不少。
还有一次我目睹了一场车祸，前面的一辆车被撞后翻到了沟里，我们后面跟随的几个人马上都停了下来，打911电话叫警察的，察看每辆车情况的，有个医生马上开始检查翻车的司机，见车有着火的趋势，又组织人员对伤员尽可能以损害最小的方式弄出车子，不到十分钟，救援人员赶到了。我们这些人将伤者交给了专业人员、并给警察做了事故的目击笔录后，安静地离开了现场，而整个过程中，救火人员一直都在夸那个医生，说他的救助避免了一场烧伤甚至死亡的发生。
在美国，有专业救助人员、警察等在场的时候，这一类的救援工作是一定要交给专业人员来做的，除非专业人员提出需要帮助，否则插手会有妨害公务的嫌疑。在专业人员到来之前，法律也保护在场的任何人员有权不施援手，因为这是一种自由，但是多数美国人会选择帮忙。尤其在很多事故发生伊始，时间就是生命，在场的人会根据实际情形迅速作出判断，在保证安全的前提下尽量施以援手，如果不知道怎么办的话，可还以挂通911电话，接线员会询问情况、指导你按正确的步骤救援直到专业人员的到达。美国所有的州也都有法律保护施救的人员不受法律追究，有趣的是，这个法律的名字就是好人撒玛利亚命名的，叫“Good Samaritan”法，弗吉尼亚州法条款§8.01-225就详细罗列了在紧急情况下施救或者助产不能被追究责任的法规（Persons rendering emergency care, obstetrical services exempt from liability），这个法律（本文结尾附有全文）的基本意思是：在事故、火灾、或威胁生命的现场，任何出于好心、免费施救生病或受伤的人员的时候，没有法律责任，不得追究民事赔偿。
见义勇为是一种最基本的人道和美德，全人类都一样。
而不同的，只是道中有道而已。
§ 8.01-225， Persons rendering emergency care, obstetrical services exempt from liability
A. Any person who:
1. In good faith, renders emergency care or assistance, without compensation, to any ill or injured person (i) at the scene of an accident, fire, or any life-threatening emergency; (ii) at a location for screening or stabilization of an emergency medical condition arising from an accident, fire, or any life-threatening emergency; or (iii) en route to any hospital, medical clinic or doctor’s office, shall not be liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such care or assistance.
2. In the absence of gross negligence, renders emergency obstetrical care or assistance to a female in active labor who has not previously been cared for in connection with the pregnancy by such person or by another professionally associated with such person and whose medical records are not reasonably available to such person shall not be liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such emergency care or assistance. The immunity herein granted shall apply only to the emergency medical care provided.
3. In good faith and without compensation, including any emergency medical services technician certified by the Board of Health, administers epinephrine in an emergency to an individual shall not be liable for any civil damages for ordinary negligence in acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such treatment if such person has reason to believe that the individual receiving the injection is suffering or is about to suffer a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction.
4. Provides assistance upon request of any police agency, fire department, rescue or emergency squad, or any governmental agency in the event of an accident or other emergency involving the use, handling, transportation, transmission or storage of liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, hazardous material or hazardous waste as defined in § 10.1-1400 or regulations of the Virginia Waste Management Board shall not be liable for any civil damages resulting from any act of commission or omission on his part in the course of his rendering such assistance in good faith.
5. Is an emergency medical care attendant or technician possessing a valid certificate issued by authority of the State Board of Health who in good faith renders emergency care or assistance whether in person or by telephone or other means of communication, without compensation, to any injured or ill person, whether at the scene of an accident, fire or any other place, or while transporting such injured or ill person to, from or between any hospital, medical facility, medical clinic, doctor’s office or other similar or related medical facility, shall not be liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such emergency care, treatment or assistance, including but in no way limited to acts or omissions which involve violations of State Department of Health regulations or any other state regulations in the rendering of such emergency care or assistance.
6. In good faith and without compensation, renders or administers emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cardiac defibrillation, including, but not limited to, the use of an automated external defibrillator, or other emergency life-sustaining or resuscitative treatments or procedures which have been approved by the State Board of Health to any sick or injured person, whether at the scene of a fire, an accident or any other place, or while transporting such person to or from any hospital, clinic, doctor’s office or other medical facility, shall be deemed qualified to administer such emergency treatments and procedures and shall not be liable for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such emergency resuscitative treatments or procedures.
7. Operates an automated external defibrillator at the scene of an emergency, trains individuals to be operators of automated external defibrillators, or orders automated external defibrillators, shall be immune from civil liability for any personal injury that results from any act or omission in the use of an automated external defibrillator in an emergency where the person performing the defibrillation acts as an ordinary, reasonably prudent person would have acted under the same or similar circumstances, unless such personal injury results from gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct of the person rendering such emergency care.
8. Is a volunteer in good standing and certified to render emergency care by the National Ski Patrol System, Inc., who, in good faith and without compensation, renders emergency care or assistance to any injured or ill person, whether at the scene of a ski resort rescue, outdoor emergency rescue or any other place or while transporting such injured or ill person to a place accessible for transfer to any available emergency medical system unit, or any resort owner voluntarily providing a ski patroller employed by him to engage in rescue or recovery work at a resort not owned or operated by him, shall not be liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such emergency care, treatment or assistance, including but not limited to acts or omissions which involve violations of any state regulation or any standard of the National Ski Patrol System, Inc., in the rendering of such emergency care or assistance, unless such act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
9. Is an employee of a school board, authorized by a prescriber and trained in the administration of insulin and glucagon, who, upon the written request of the parents as defined in § 22.1-1, assists with the administration of insulin or administers glucagon to a student diagnosed as having diabetes who requires insulin injections during the school day or for whom glucagon has been prescribed for the emergency treatment of hypoglycemia shall not be liable for any civil damages for ordinary negligence in acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such treatment if the insulin is administered according to the child’s medication schedule or such employee has reason to believe that the individual receiving the glucagon is suffering or is about to suffer life-threatening hypoglycemia. Whenever any employee of a school board is covered by the immunity granted herein, the school board employing him shall not be liable for any civil damages for ordinary negligence in acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such insulin or glucagon treatment.
B. Any licensed physician serving without compensation as the operational medical director for a licensed emergency medical services agency in this Commonwealth shall not be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission resulting from the rendering of emergency medical services in good faith by the personnel of such licensed agency unless such act or omission was the result of such physician’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Any person serving without compensation as a dispatcher for any licensed public or nonprofit emergency services agency in this Commonwealth shall not be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission resulting from the rendering of emergency services in good faith by the personnel of such licensed agency unless such act or omission was the result of such dispatcher’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Any individual, certified by the State Office of Emergency Medical Services as an emergency medical services instructor and pursuant to a written agreement with such office, who, in good faith and in the performance of his duties, provides instruction to persons for certification or recertification as a certified basic life support or advanced life support emergency medical services technician shall not be liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions on his part directly relating to his activities on behalf of such office unless such act or omission was the result of such emergency medical services instructor’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Any licensed physician serving without compensation as a medical advisor to an E-911 system in this Commonwealth shall not be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission resulting from rendering medical advice in good faith to establish protocols to be used by the personnel of the E-911 service, as defined in § 58.1-1730, when answering emergency calls unless such act or omission was the result of such physician’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Any licensed physician who directs the provision of emergency medical services, as authorized by the State Board of Health, through a communications device shall not be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission resulting from the rendering of such emergency medical services unless such act or omission was the result of such physician’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Any licensed physician serving without compensation as a supervisor of an automated external defibrillator in this Commonwealth shall not be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission resulting from rendering medical advice in good faith to the owner of the automated external defibrillator relating to personnel training, local emergency medical services coordination, protocol approval, automated external defibrillator deployment strategies, and equipment maintenance plans and records unless such act or omission was the result of such physician’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
C. Any communications services provider, as defined in § 58.1-647, including mobile service, and any provider of Voice-over-Internet Protocol service, in this Commonwealth shall not be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission resulting from rendering such service with or without charge related to emergency calls unless such act or omission was the result of such service provider’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Any volunteer engaging in rescue or recovery work at a mine or any mine operator voluntarily providing personnel to engage in rescue or recovery work at a mine not owned or operated by such operator, shall not be liable for civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of such rescue or recovery work in good faith unless such act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct. For purposes of this subsection, the term “Voice-over-Internet Protocol service” or “VoIP service” means any Internet protocol-enabled services utilizing a broadband connection, actually originating or terminating in Internet Protocol from either or both ends of a channel of communication offering real time, multidirectional voice functionality, including, but not limited to, services similar to traditional telephone service.
D. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to provide immunity from liability arising out of the operation of a motor vehicle.
E. [Expired.]
F. For the purposes of this section, the term “compensation” shall not be construed to include (i) the salaries of police, fire or other public officials or personnel who render such emergency assistance, (ii) the salaries or wages of employees of a coal producer engaging in emergency medical technician service or first aid service pursuant to the provisions of § 45.1-161.38,45.1-161.101, 45.1-161.199 or 45.1-161.263, (iii) complimentary lift tickets, food, lodging or other gifts provided as a gratuity to volunteer members of the National Ski Patrol System, Inc., by any resort, group or agency, (iv) the salary of any person who (a) owns an automated external defibrillator for the use at the scene of an emergency, (b) trains individuals, in courses approved by the Board of Health, to operate automated external defibrillators at the scene of emergencies, (c) orders automated external defibrillators for use at the scene of emergencies, or (d) operates an automated external defibrillator at the scene of an emergency, or (v) expenses reimbursed to any person providing care or assistance pursuant to this section.
For the purposes of this section, an emergency medical care attendant or technician shall be deemed to include a person licensed or certified as such or its equivalent by any other state when he is performing services which he is licensed or certified to perform by such other state in caring for a patient in transit in this Commonwealth, which care originated in such other state.
Further, the public shall be urged to receive training on how to use cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and an automated external defibrillator (AED) in order to acquire the skills and confidence to respond to emergencies using both CPR and an AED.
(Code 1950, § 54-276.9; 1962, c. 449; 1964, c. 568; 1968, c. 796; 1972, c. 578; 1975, c. 508; 1977, c. 441; 1978, cc. 94, 707; 1979, cc. 713, 729; 1980, c. 419; 1983, c. 72; 1984, cc. 493, 577; 1987, cc. 260, 382; 1990, c. 898; 1996, c.899; 1997, cc. 334, 809; 1998, cc. 493, 500; 1999, cc. 570, 1000; 2000, cc. 928, 1064; 2003, cc. 18, 978, 1020; 2005, c. 426; 2006, c. 780; 2008, c. 229.)
（本文刊发于2012-04-01，欢迎转载，但请注明作者出处，违者必究。）
本文发布于： 2014-1-18 15:41
