Many of you will know that I am a retired chap, just turned 65 last month but have been retired from working for 6 years now.
That in itself is nothing to shout about, loads of people have been there, done that, got the T-shirt etc.
My post today had been prompted by an event earlier this morning.
One of my neighbours came banging at the front door, screaming a bit, her boyfriend was in a bad way in their flat. I ran over the road, found him on the floor, apparently having a fit, blue in the face, breathing erratically and thrashing about.
Despite being bitten twice, kicked a bit (he is a bodybuilder) I managed to get him breathing better and calmed him down a lot. He was trying to swallow his tongue and re-arrange my body parts at the same. Fortunately an ambulance turned up pretty quickly.
The point of my story is that if you have not done any first aid training then get some and soon, you may never know when it will be important to someone. I started my first aid training back in the late sixties and kept it up to date as often as I could. I never ever had reason to use that training until today. I hope it helped.
Your employer may be able to arrange something or if you are self employed then there are many other ways to get that experience.
This site may help:
http://www.redcross.org.uk/en/What-we-do/First-aid/First-aid-training
I don't want people to comment on this post saying well done and all that, I'm not after that. I would like to hear that some of you have taken that step, perhaps already, and gotten some first aid training, you never know when you might need it.
Apart from a very brief gap after graduating from university, I've been a qualified first aider since my late teens.
ReplyDeleteI have had to use my knowledge and training a few times, fortunately not for anything major.
It's definitely an important skill set for people to have and I'd wholeheartedly recommend everyone who reads this to get trained.
Thanks Tamsin
DeleteIf only one person who reads this gets some First Aid training then it would be a 'plus'.
It would be a better 'plus' if someone used that training to help out in a situation.
Jim
Inspiring stuff Jim. A speaker at my er, fraternal organisation last year was a Paramedic who instructed us in the use of a defibrillator. Hopefully I'll never put this knowledge into practice but still....
ReplyDeleteHi Tim
DeleteIt's always best to have the knowledge in hand just in case.
The chap concerned has just been released from hospital, bitten through his tongue but passed other test OK, suggested that he shouldn't drive for 6 months and should attend an epilepsy clinic.
I will look into getting qualfied this fall
ReplyDeleteThat would be great, you never know when you need to do something to make a difference to someone else's life.
DeleteIt's probably the most important skill to learn and hope that you never have to use it.