Paramedic Questions
Question
At what exact point does a person who is dying become tamei (ritually impure from a corpse)? I am asking in the practical case of a paramedic. If a paramedic is doing CPR on a patient in cardiac arrest, do they become tamei only once the patient is officially pronounced dead, and only if they were still doing CPR at that moment? What is the halachic status in the different situations: while performing CPR, being in the same room when the patient is pronounced dead, or other similar cases?
Answer
Shalom!
Thank you for your question!
It appears that you are asking about a Kohen serving as a paramedic.
Only in a case where a Kohen already knows how to do CPR may he volunteer for Hatzalah. However, if there are other volunteers at the scene who can perform the CPR, then he should allow them to do it because of the concerns mentioned in your question.
עי׳ בשו״ת חת״ס יו״ד סי׳ שלח ושו״ת שבה״ל ח״ג סי׳ קסד. הצלה כהלכה סי׳ לז ואילך.
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