You are never too old or young to learn some basic first aid measures, as a group of young people from Burton have recently proved. St John Ambulance has been training around 140 teenagers who are working towards gaining their Duke of Edinburgh Open Award. The attendees learned how to deal with a series of medical accidents and emergencies that may occur on other parts of the course and in everyday life. Incidents such as asthma attacks, head injuries, and how to control bleeding were all covered during the session. Areas more specific to the Duke of Edinburgh Award were also considered which included problems such as hypothermia and heat exhaustion.
Michelle James, Schools Trainer for St. John’s Ambulance said: “We’ve incorporated things that they might encounter while they complete their Duke of Edinburgh Award. We’ve made the activities practical and it’s up to them to demonstrate their competence. They’ve been sensible and shown lots of enthusiasm and willingness, which is brilliant to see.”
Teenage Responses
Some people may think that today’s kids may not have much enthusiasm for going on first aid courses, but that could not be further from the truth. The fact is that when you set a challenge most people will respond to it positively. James Pickering, 17, said the course “covers lots of different skill bases. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a fantastic opportunity to gain new experiences and broaden your horizons. I’m going to Wales as part of my gold level and this will help me prepare for any hostile conditions.” 15-year-old Freya also added that learning first aid is a great skill to put on your CV and would hopefully help to attract future employers.
Indeed, with the jobs market currently operating in such a tough climate, being able to put first aid skills on a cv may help young job applicants to stand out from the crowd. Health and safety play a huge part in how modern workplaces operate, and there is a strong demand for people who know how to keep their heads if and when a medical emergency happens.
Where to Get Trained
If you are no longer at school but want to learn or refresh your first aid abilities, it may be unclear as to where you can get trained. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources available online to help you. St John Ambulance provides a range of different courses throughout the country for all levels of ability. It doesn’t matter if whether you have or haven’t learned first aid before in your life – it is never too late to increase your knowledge and life skills.
The more people trained in first aid, the more likely it is that our friends and family will survive if an accident ever happens to them. Rapid response is crucial when it comes to dealing with medical emergencies. If more people know what to do when the worse happens, there will be higher chances of survival for all of us.