Can you help?

FirstAidMike

people in town centre

Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, any time. Could you help?

You’re in the supermarket, enjoying a coffee, in your local café, on a night out with old friends or just walking down the street.

Suddenly, someone if front of you drops to the ground. They’re unconscious and not breathing.

What will you do?

Walk by and pretend you didn’t notice.

Get out your mobile phone and start recording what’s going on, better still take a “selfie”

Stand there, transfixed in panic

Or will you be the one with the confidence to do something.

Check for signs of response and confirm if the person is breathing? They may have had a cardiac arrest.

Can you instruct one of the bystanders to call 999 to call an ambulance and find out where the nearest AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is kept?

Can you start CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation). Compressing the casualty’s chest 30 times and then giving 2 rescue breaths, repeatedly, until professional help arrives makes a difference.

Do you know where your nearest AED is kept, would you have the confidence to open the box and use it? If you want to know where your nearest public AED is located here’s the Save a Life app to help.

Making a difference

You really can make a difference by starting CPR and defibrillation, immediately. Follow the Resuscitation Council Chain of Survival

Resuscitation Council Chain of survival
Resuscitation Council Chain of survival

 

Learning Basic Life support skills like CPR and how to use an AED are brilliant life skills which you really should know. Book one of our CPR First Aid Training Courses

Remember, it’s not always someone else lying on the cold ground, unconscious and not breathing,

it could be a close relative, a best friend or

YOU.

Other similar links

Your Community Needs a Defibrillator

Don’t Play Hide and Seek

 

 

Pampering dangers

FirstAidMike

Beauty Treatment Me time

There’s nothing like a bit of pampering, so most women and some men, look forward to going to the hair salon, nail bar or spa.

Treatments are a luxurious pleasure and part of that valuable “me time”. Hopefully you’ll come out feeling fabulous and full of self-confidence.

Knowing your hair, nails and skin look great means, you look good and boosts your self-confidence, esteem and attractiveness.

Fashion demands that how you look is important, and something you must cherish. Whether that is hair colour to nail varnish or other cosmetic treatment.

With colours coming in a vast array of shades and tones, few of us give any thought to how these hues are achieved.

The dangers

Pampering is luxurious and pleasurable why should you have any worries?

Hair colouring foilsYou put all your faith in the colourist or stylist. They must make sure bleaches, colours and other chemicals are not going to be harmful.

You expect they will be properly applied and used in accordance to the manufacturers’ instructions.

In return for this faith we expect the salon to observe a duty of care to you the customer.

Making sure they’re meticulous about allergy testing. Carrying out skin patch tests 48 hours before the treatment.

Giving plenty of opportunity to see if you have any kind of reaction to the type of dye they’ll be using.

All too often you find this as a bit of a chore, or you pressure the salon into doing the colouring now. Telling them you’ve never had any problems before, and you don’t have time to wait for the skin test.

Typically, this is when problems arise.

What you should know

It’s essential that you  never ignore any kind of allergic reaction.

The first sensitivity may only result in minor symptoms. But subsequent exposure can produce a rapid, severe reaction called anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition.

You may regard allergies as an inconvenience and often overlook them as being just a rash or a bit of irritation.  For the person with a genuine sensitivity, it is a serious, life threatening, condition

Sensitivity is not limited to the chemicals and dyes in salons and spas, it can be something as simple as the gloves the therapist or technician is wearing.

With latex sensitivity being one of the more common allergens it’s vitally important that you tell your therapist or technician so they can use an alternative product.tattoo parlour

And of course there are many other occasions when protective gloves are worn so you need to be aware of these too.

Links to related subjects Allergies can be life threatening

 

Act FAST if you suspect a stroke

FirstAidMike

Act FAST if you suspect a stroke

Stroke victims are becoming younger according to the latest Public Health England report, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-42871861

“Everyone needs to be aware of the signs of a stroke”, these are the words of Professor Julia Verne, director of Public Health England, on learning that strokes are affecting younger people.

Between 2007 and 2016 the number of first-time strokes suffered by 40 to 69-year-olds rose from 33% to 38%

She continued, “Calling 999 as soon as you see even one of the symptoms develop – in the face, arms and speech – is essential. Speedy treatment will help prevent deaths and disability.”

Knowing the signsStroke symptoms listed

The importance of knowing the signs and what to look for is crucial.

Although there is little in the way of first aid to be done, apart from making sure the person is safe and comfortable.

The most important advice is to call 999/112 immediately you notice the symptoms.

 

Worried about being sued?

FirstAidMike

Scared to help?Sign post to Police and Law Courts

If you witness an accident or see someone taken ill, what’s your first reaction?

Will you avert your eyes and carry on past?

Stand back and wait for somebody else to make a move, because you don’t feel confident?

Pick up your phone and call 999 and hope someone will come along to help?

View things with suspicion, because it may be a scam to steal or attack you?

Worry you may be sued if you help and something goes wrong?

Or do you just roll up your sleeves and confidently do something positive to help?

Our first consideration must always be, for our own safety and that of any bystanders.

What’s happened is it an accident or some mendacious scam.

Will you put yourself at risk of injury if you attempt to help.

These are just some of the questions you ask yourself and the assessment you must make.

Any first aid instructor will tell you, the first thing you must do is check for danger to yourself and others.

The casualty:

Maybe they’re lying in a busy road?

Holding on to an electrical appliance?

Surrounded by an unidentifiable liquid?

In an unstable building with debris hanging above them or collapsed floors?

Or do they have a knife sticking out of their chest?

Whether you favour walking past or have the empathetic urge to rush to help, are polar opposites, but both are natural human reactions to a situation.

If the casualty is conscious, always ask them first if they want your help and if they decline don’t force them, but if their unconscious do what you can.

The scriptures of 2000 years ago relate the story first, and in the two millennia, nothing has changed.

Your worry may be that in these highly litigious times, you could be sued, if something goes wrong.

In the UK, the Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism (SARAH) Bill, known as the Good Samaritan’s Act, protects anyone trying to help, as long as they believe they’re doing something for “the benefit of society”.

Finally, as long as what you attempt is in good faith, with the intention to help, there really is no reason to be scared to help

CPR First Aid Training has a course suitable for your needs, whether First Aid at Work, for the full qualification or Basic Life support skills, we want you to have the confidence to act in an emergency – Book here

Acid attack first aid

FirstAidMike

household corrosive productsMalicious acid attacks using corrosive substances are, sadly, on the increase.

Although still a relatively uncommon weapon, acids and other corrosive chemicals create injuries that are life-changing for the victim.

Household cleaning products include toilet cleaners and bleach which are readily brought in supermarkets and hardware shops as well as battery acid contain these hazardous chemicals.

This is why, we all need to know what to do in the event of an attack

In August last year the NHS, the British Burn Association and the Royal College of Surgeons launched the Report, Remove and Rinse campaign

As soon as you’re aware of an acid attack taking place, shout for help and get someone to call 999 and explain what has happened, put the phone of speaker phone, so you can talk directly to the ambulance service.

Protect yourself from acid attacks

Make sure there is no continuing risk of attack and the assailant has either been immobilised or has left the scene.

But you must be sure that you’re not at risk, before attempting to administer first aid, additional casualties are not helpful.

Put on gloves

Every first aid box will have some form of protective gloves so make sure you use them.

Check the floor and adjacent surfaces for chemical spills before you kneel down.

acid and corrosive warnings

Take Action

Take immediate and appropriate action following acid attacks to remove the contamination.

If the chemical is a powder brush it gently off the skin before washing. Watch out for airborne particles.

Never wipe or rub the area.

Carefully cut away all clothing from the area, shears are usually in the first aid box.

Never pull T-shirts over the head, because chemical may get into the eyes.

Make sure not to pull any clothing stuck to the skin, cut away all contaminated clothing, with the shears.

Immediately after acid attacks start flushing the whole area with copious amounts of clean water and continue to do so for 20 minutes.

Rinsing within 1 minute of the event will reduce complications.

This makes the difference to the, pain, suffering, scarring and long-term recovery of the casualty.

Continue flushing for a further 15 to 20 minutes, if it’s still burning.

The best sources of water are a tap, hose or shower, drinking water bottles are insufficient for more than initial flushing, but several water cooler bottles can be used.

David Ward, President of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), said:

“BAPRAS surgeons specialising in burns and trauma have seen first-hand the devastating impact on patients admitted to A&E after vicious corrosive substance attacks. They cause severe pain, scarring which can be life-long, and can damage the sight, sometimes leading to blindness. Unfortunately these vindictive attacks are on the increase.

“The minutes after an acid attack are critical for helping a victim. This guidance BAPRAS has published with NHS England gives the important, urgent steps a victim or witness can take to help reduce the immediate pain and damage, and long-term injuries.”

To gain a First Aid Qualification Book here

Click for help choosing an Ofqual regulated trainer

Your community needs a defibrillator (AED)

FirstAidMike

Cardiac arrests do not discriminate.

No matter if you’re young or old, as human beings, any one of us could have a cardiac arrest at any time.

AED automated external defibrillator
Public Access Defibrillator

Whether you live in a city or a rural village, your public access AED (automated external defibrillator) is vitally important.

It makes a difference to the safety and well-being of the local community.

Once you have one, you must let people know about it, and the basics of how to activate and use it.

The Resuscitation Council’s, “Chain of Survival”, says best practice for treatment of cardiac arrests is:

Resuscitation Council Chain of survival
Resuscitation Council Chain of survival

Early Recognition of cardiac arrests

of an unresponsive and non-breathing casualty. Try to get a response and make sure they’re breathing normally.

Early CPR

(cardio pulmonary resuscitation), immediately you know the person isn’t breathing, call the  ambulance service and immediately, start chest CPR chest compressions.

The person lying on the floor in front of you is technically dead,  you can only improve their survival rate.

Early Defibrillation.

Investing in an AED keeps our communities safe, and we make sure everyone knows where they’re kept.

Visiting a sports club, I discovered they have an AED. Most people didn’t know it was kept on top of the kitchen cupboard.

A public access AED is available to anyone that may need it. By registering your device with the ambulance service, you make sure they can tell people quickly, where and how to access it. See our page Opening the AED box

Some defibrillators are privately owned for the exclusive use of company employees, students, if it’s a school or college or club members,  making them public access is a generous thing to do. Register these with the ambulance service too.

You should know where the nearest AED (automated external defibrillator) this makes an enormous difference to response time.

Early hospitalisation

and transfer to professional medical care. Alert the ambulance service immediately you realise the casualty isn’t breathing, you will help ensure this.

Funding an Public Access AED may be possible through the British Heart Foundation

All CPR First Aid Training Courses include AED instruction.

Book here for First Aid at Work, Emergency First Aid at Work, Basic Life Support, Paediatric First Aid or non regulated sports injury courses