ABC: Always Bring Croutons?
Taking a stab at first aid
Aaron Levere Staff
I recently spent a full day relearning my ABCs. That’s airways breathing and circulation, for those of you who don’t love safety as much as I do. St. John’s Ambulance recently offered the one-day first aid training to those who are always the first on the scene when things have gone horribly wrong: the media.
This was a basic first aid course, designed to train people to be the first responders in a medical emergency. Basically, this training is meant to keep someone breathing — perhaps keeping them alive or at least not making things worse — but not the more advanced techniques like popping an eye back in or fashioning make-shift organs out of leaves and gum.
I’ve been skeptical of first aid in the past. What good is some 16-year-old camp counsellor going to do me when my hand has been severed in a slurpee machine accident? But as we worked our way through the various lessons, there was an eerie familiarity to the examples used.
First of all, most anecdotes used to illustrate what to do in the case of any particular injury began with the words, “I was working as the first aid attendant at a hockey rink once when. . . ” and the rest of the injuries used as examples usually involved (surprise, surprise) cars.
Then, when we were given instruction on dealing with shock (which I’ve recently experienced), hypothermia (that too), heat stroke (check), serious cuts (of course) and possible head injuries (luckily not, but close), this all became too familiar.
My injury resume is outstanding. I play a lot of recreational (sometimes too recreational), no-helmet hockey. I bike up and down Pembina every day, dodging cars driven by aggressive, violent psychopaths. Apparently, I also have extensive experience with physical trauma. Suddenly the relevance of first aid training became starkly apparent. Even if I’m not the one conscious when it is relevant.
The benefits of knowing some basic first aid are not only in knowing how to respond to the injury specifically, but also in the potential for that training to allow for a calmer response. Accidents are only made worse — for the victim (or “casualty” as they are called in the manual), but also for bystanders — by that darn spectre of the unknown.
One of the best things about the course was that our instructor, Jane, was so knowledgable about how the body works and was an expert at conveying this. Shock, as I well know, is only made worse by wondering what’s happening to you. This course was reassuring because the next time I pass out after some sort of trauma, I’ll feel a lot better when I come to, knowing that my body is just concentrating on keeping the blood flowing to my vital organs and that I am not necessarily dying. Isn’t that reassuring?
For those who are trying to help someone injured, there is often uncertainty about what to do and what not to do. First aid takes away some of that fear and allows for a calmer and, therefore, more effective,response.
The advantage of basic first aid training is that it takes away some of the panic that only makes emergency situations worse for all involved. From there, common sense and a quick and informed response are often enough to make all the difference.
St. John’s Ambulance continually offers a variety of courses of different levels and for particular specializations (wilderness survival, for example). For information on course times and to register, contact St.John himself at: info@mb.sja.ca or call 784- 7000.
If you actually require emergency first aid assistance, just email me at tobanculture@umanitoba.ca. I’ll be there pretty soon and you will see for yourself just how much I love safety.
