You’re having a family get-together when Uncle Joe suddenly collapses. The panic sets in. What’s next? This scenario is a perfect example of why Para CPR & First Aid and first aid training are so valuable. These skills aren’t just a collection of knowledge that you can keep around. They’re also your trusted sidekicks when an emergency occurs.
You may think “I have a telephone.” You might think, “I have a phone. I can dial 911.” You can call 911, but what if the first responders are stuck in traffic and miles away? Each tick counts. Knowing CPR will literally keep Uncle Joe’s heart beating, giving him a fighting chance to arrive before professionals arrive. Isn’t this amazing?
CPR is a breath of fresh, clean air. The blood is kept circulating by quick compressions of the chest. Imagine a car that doesn’t have fuel. Imagine a heart that doesn’t have oxygenated blood. You could run that engine with your hands. It’s pure magic, right?
First aid, aside from CPR is like having a Swiss Army Knife in your head. We are more likely to experience cuts, burns and sprains than we would like. If you know how to use basic supplies to treat a cut or burn, or when to apply the ice, you can turn a potentially traumatic experience into a minor inconvenience. You can be the hero of the day by swooping in and fixing the problem.
Let me paint a picture of a course I once took. Let’s call my instructor Dave. He had tales to match the band. Dave, wide-eyed, said: “A child at a football match suddenly fell. The coach began CPR.” The kid survived because the coach applied chest compressions. It was as if a pin had dropped. His stories proved that a little bit of knowledge can go a long way.
These courses can be a lot of fun. You can practice CPR with a dummy, or even role-play. The program is lighthearted but still very effective. Imagine the camaraderie of a group practicing tricks on each other and sharing jokes.
You argue, “But I have no time, my schedule is packed with meetings, soccer practices, and other things.” It’s funny that many courses are available online. They can be self-paced and flexible. Would you prefer to be the deer in the headlights, or the cool cat who pulls others out of the fire? Exactly. You can find small pockets of time, such as during your commute to work, at lunch, or just before you go to bed.
These courses are also often very cheap and sometimes even free, thanks to community programs. What you learn is worth more than gold. It’s the knowledge that everyone needs.
Grab your thinking cap! You’ve probably argued with your toddler before. Knowing first aid will help you deal with minor injuries and bruising without drama. You can soothe little tears and fix small problems. Priceless.
Imagine you are hiking with a friend and they get a nasty wound. You would rather be the person who cleans the wound and applies the bandage than the one flailing about like a chicken with its head cut off. First aid training can make that scenario easy.
Remember: Being prepared doesn’t mean being paranoid. It’s being ready. It’s like building a house. These courses will help us all to be a little more confident and ready for emergencies.
Join a CPR and first aid course as soon as possible. This is not only a skill, but also peace of mind that we can extract from the daily chaos. Be the hero that you would want to be around.