Remember the times when the little girls had a first aid kit as a toy set? It’s a lot of fun seeing them play with their girls gang, right? One would be the victim of an injury, and the other would be providing first aid with a lot of care. Yes, we are going to talk about First Aid now. This article is written to commemorate the World First Aid Day, which is marked on the second Saturday of every September.
When a child is so selflessly providing first aid to her victim (even if it’s a play), where has all the innocence gone, as a grown up? Some are outright selfish, and some are not aware of how to provide first aid.
Learning the basic techniques of first aid and taking immediate action are essential life skills that every person must be aware of. We might never know when such a situation might arise, and at least for the sake of our loved ones, we must be sound in the knowledge of first aid.
Many people just wait for an ambulance during an emergency. Absence of first aid or not taking immediate action during an emergency can worsen the situation of the victim or even cause death.
Did You Know?
- Situations where first aid could potentially make a difference include suffocations due to blocked airways, which claimed 2,500 lives every year, and heart attacks, which kill 29,000.
- Up to 150,000 people a year could be dying unnecessarily because people lack first aid skills to save a life.
- More than 2,000 people found that 60% would not feel confident trying to save a life.
- Almost 25% would do nothing if they saw somebody struggling, and would either wait for an ambulance to arrive or hope that a passerby knew first aid.
Here are some of the basics of First Aid:
First Aid Bandage
You can use an adhesive bandage to cover minor cuts, scrapes, or burns. To cover and protect larger wounds, you need to apply a clean gauze pad or roller bandage.
CPR
Place both hands on the center of their chest, with one hand on top of the other and press straight down to compress their chest repeatedly, at a rate of about 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
Heatstroke
Heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke and is life threatening. Cover them with a cool, damp sheet and apply a cool, wet towel to the back of their neck and sponge them with cool water in a cool location.
Heart Attack
Make them comfortable and loosen their clothes near the neck area and chest if they are going out of breath. Start providing CPR until the ambulance arrives.
Sambav makes it a point by requesting all readers to provide basic first aid as it can help stop a minor situation from getting worse. In the case of a medical emergency, first aid might even save a life. Check out Sambav’s Health Wallet App for more interesting features!
