Four Situations where First Aid will Help you Cope

In the world that we live in we there is the potential, almost every day, to encounter a situation that could be described as life-threatening. Not necessarily to you, but to friends or loved ones, or to complete strangers who you happen to pass in the street. These situations vary from things like car crashes to heart attacks and many other incidents. The range is long and the reactions to these situations are always different. What is important to know is that when there is a trained responder who is able to help immediately then the chances of a life being saved are much higher. So, empower yourself to be that person by doing some courses and studies. Here are a few situations where a trained first aider can make a big difference.

Heart-stopping moments

One of the most commonly experienced emergency situations is the heart attack. Or more specifically a stopped the heart. If you come across a situation where a person appears to be unconscious, then check for a pulse. If there isn’t one, then you need to hope that you have done the right CPR training Melbourne has plenty of accredited institutions who can provide this. Learning this training by watching grey’s Anatomy or House is never going to work, it is something that you need to have been taught properly. It is harder than you think but administered correctly it is life-saving. 

Choking

Another frequently encountered hazard is choking. It is much easier than you realise for food or other items to get stuck in a person’s windpipe. This blocks off air to the lungs and before you know what has happened, they are unconscious and collapsing. If you know what to do it is surprisingly easy to remedy the situation. In fact, you can even perform the process on yourself in an emergency. It is called the Heimlich Manoeuvre and in short, it involves restricting the diaphragm in a sudden movement, an action that forces the lungs to empty the air they contain. The result of this is the blockage is forced up and out and the airway is once again opened.

Bleeding

Accidents can result in a lot of blood being spilled and the loss of blood can result in death. If you come across a situation where a person is bleeding, then the first thing that you need to do is apply pressure to the wound. Tourniquets are not the answer, instead of push down on where the blood is coming from – ideally, do so with a piece of cloth. If you don’t have anything your short will do the trick. The point is, the sooner pressure is applied to the wound the sooner the blood will clot, and the flow of blood will be staunched.

Seizures

There is not much that can be done when a person is having a seizure. Urban legend has it that you should put something in their mouth to prevent them from biting the tongue, but this is not actually a good idea. Rather monitor the situation. Most seizures pass quickly. If it goes on for longer than a minute seeks help, but if it comes to an end naturally, which is usually the case, then simply roll the person into the recovery position and they will come to in their own time.