Blue to the sky, orange to the thigh

Last week I attended an Emergency First Aid at Work training day with Chamber members The Square Lemon Training Company. Held at Brighthelm, the day was incredibly valuable, interesting and interactive.

Our group was made up of Brighthelm staff and probation officers from Littlehampton. After introducing ourselves and having a chat, I realised that I was the least qualified, with absolutely no first aid training, compared to the others who were quite well versed in DRSABCD, RIDDOR and the like. They are much more likely to be in a situation where first aid is needed than at the Brighton Chamber, but when you look at the statistics it’s clear that more needs to be done to make sure people have some level of first aid training:

• Nearly two-thirds (59%) wouldn’t feel confident trying to save a life*
• A quarter (24%) would do nothing and wait for an ambulance to arrive or hope that a passer-by knows first aid*

James Aldcroft, our trainer for the day, was brilliant. He encouraged discussion and debate, there were no dull powerpoint presentations, and we got to carry out CPR on ‘the boys’. We learnt not just what you should do in an emergency, but why.

We covered a LOT during the day: the responsibilities of a first aider, what should be in a first aid kit, resuscitation, heart attacks, choking, burns, shock and all the essential elements of first aid. Here are just a couple of things that I have taken away, and some interesting facts I learnt:

1. Be creative. First aid booklets show people wearing disposable gloves, helping the injured person with a full first aid kit to hand and no one panicking around them. Real emergencies are going to be real – it might be freezing cold or you might not have any bandages. But there is still a lot you can do to reduce serious injuries and improve the chances of survival.
2. Automated External Defibrillator’s are not as scary to use as they sound or look. They use simple audio and visual commands to tell the user what to do, and when the pads are attached they assess the patient’s condition and send a shock to the heart if needed. The idea is that a person can use one without any training.
3. Neither are EpiPens (used for emergency treatment of anaphylactic reactions). ‘Blue to the sky, orange to the thigh’ is a great way to remember how to use the easy device.
4. The overall aim when dealing with a burn is to cool it down, prevent ongoing burning and prevent infection. If cold (preferably running) water is not available to cool the burn then any cold harmless liquid is better that no cooling at all (you could use milk, juice, cold tea…cold mashed potato was also suggested but we decided it’s better to stick with cold liquids!)
5. Pen lids have been associated with a number of choking deaths, so now most pen lids now have holes in them to allow a passageway of air if accidentally swallowed.

James stressed the importance of looking after yourself first. Are you in danger? Are there any hazards in the immediate area? There is no point exhausting yourself carrying out CPR and collapsing as well! And if you can, empower the injured person: ask them to hold a bandage to their wound and apply pressure. It will avoid the possibility of infection and hopefully take their mind off the huge piece of glass in their arm – and free you up to call for help.

I learnt so much throughout the day and now feel confident that I could carry out first aid in an emergency situation. I’ve checked and updated the Chamber first aid kit already and will be on hand at events to assist with any emergencies!

Find out more about The Square Lemon Training Company first aid courses and other training they offer here, or contact James by email james@squarelemontraining.co.uk.

*Research conducted by ICM, February 2010, using a weighted sample of 2045 adults aged 18+

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk