4 Kinds of Workers Who Should Be Trained in First Aid

A lot of people, other than those who work in the medical field need first aid training. It is safe to say that anyone who is around a number of people on a daily basis should learn first aid. This is because as much as we think we are safe, and nothing wrong could happen, unfortunately it could. You could slip and fall on your way to work, your child could have a fall while playing in the park, there could be a car collision near your house or a fire could have broken out in a nearby area. You could either be a by-stander, or be one that helps a large number of people get on the road to recovery.

First aid is, simply put, the first kind of treatment given to a sick or an injured person. This could be before professional help arrives or even at the Emergency Room (ER) of a hospital. First aid training helps curb bleeding, teaches you how to administer Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), take care of minor cuts, bruises and burns.

There are a number of people who must take up first aid training such as:

• Healthcare professionals: Every single person associated with the medical field, from doctors, nurses, and attendants and absolutely anyone else should learn first aid. Over and above this anyone working at a hospital should know first aid; this not only helps in a crisis situation, but also raises the standards of the hospital.

• Rescue workers: This refers to firefighters, police officers, lifeguards and security guards. In case of emergency, civilians will look up to you for help. Being trained in first aid and CPR will make a huge difference in bringing the situation in control.

• Physical fitness personnel: Gym trainers, sports coaches, aerobics instructors, massage therapists and dance instructors, there is a lot of physical activity around their work areas. A fall resulting in a sprain or a fracture could be taken care of instantly.

• School staff and child-care facilitators: You need to make sure your child is safe when you are not around. Children by nature are difficult to handle and when they are in groups an accident is bound to happen. Make sure you are certain that your child's school or day-care center has a first aid trained professionals.

It has become increasingly common that large offices have a Safety Committee or a Safety Officer. This committee or officer must be trained in first aid and CPR administration. Over and above this they also make sure the office conducts regular fire drills and keeps fire exits clear and safety norms up to date. They also take care of a well-equipped first aid kit so that there is a sense of safety that employees feel while working in the office. Workplaces also have tie ups with hospitals or clinics where they can take their employees in case professional help is required.

First aid training makes you aware of how you can help save lives with basic essentials. Make sure you speak to as many people as possible to spread the word about first-aid training.

For more information, please visit our First Aid Training website.

First Aid Training For Kids: 5 Points to Consider

Kids first learn about safety when told by parents not to touch a hot stove. Kids have an amazing capacity to learn new things. So you need to teach them from a very young age about safety and what to do when emergencies arise.

Accidents and emergencies are frightening to adults, so how much more for children. They come as a surprise and therefore it becomes difficult to react properly. However, with a little knowledge and planning you can avoid a big disaster. Children are prone to accidents. Though they are young they can protect themselves and others by some simple measures. It is always better to discuss first aid with your kids rather than waiting for an emergency to happen first.

Five points to consider while teaching your kids about first aid:

• Talk about First aid: First of all, you need to talk to them about safety and fist aid. The basics of first aid can be adapted so that your kids can understand them however old they may be. There is no need to go into details. Talk about situations they may encounter in everyday life like bruises, cuts, choking, etc. In the end, make them tell you what they learned so that you can clear doubts and misunderstandings.

• Act it out: Make up a situation and act it out with your kids. Acting out helps to strengthen a kid's knowledge. Alarming and fearful situations can be dealt with while acting it out. It builds their confidence to be able to do the same thing when emergencies arise. Discuss how to respond in certain situations and allow them to practice on you or on dolls.

• Calling 911: A child should be taught to call 911 in case of an emergency. The first thing your child should do is call 911 before attempting to help the victim. Teach your child to use the phone and what numbers to press. Explain to your child what situations constitute an emergency, like someone passing out, choking, convulsing, and so on.

• Bleeding: Show your child how to control bleeding by applying pressure using a cloth or bandage and pressing it on the wound. Allow your child to practice bleeding control techniques on dolls.

• Breathing and basic CPR: Based on the age of your child, you can teach him the important points of chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Instruct your child to check if the person is breathing and teach him to administer gentle breaths. A child should also learn how to check the pulse. All this information is to be given to a child who is old enough to understand and apply it. Therefore, parental discernment is necessary here.

The home is the best place to provide first aid training for your child. In familiar surroundings they learn faster. There have been many cases where little children have saved their parent's life by calling 911 for help when their parents became unconscious, all because that's what they had been taught.

For more information, please visit our first aid training website.