You always hear about first aid, but what exactly is it and why is it important to know? Get answers here!
What is first aid?
First aid is an essential skill for any human to learn. That is because as you about your daily life you are susceptible to several different illnesses and injuries.
It is often at the most unexpected and most inconvenient times when an injury occurs and puts you or your loved one in danger. Knowing simple first aid moves, such as CPR, how to dress a wound, and the Heimlich maneuver can help ease someone’s discomfort and potentially save their life.
Being able to effectively administer first aid to those who need it is an essential life skill that more people ought to have in case there ever comes a time when it’s needed. Having this skillset can help a loved one or stranger.
Here are a few reasons to consider taking the time to learn first aid.
3 reasons why first aid is important:
1. It increases your safety
Simply put, first aid is a powerful preventative measure, which is able to promote the safety and health of you, your loved ones, and others. You could find yourself in a public place and someone falls ill or has chest pain.
Having the capability of administering CPR or helping an injured or sick person in another way is amazing. You can keep them safe until the medical services arrive to take over.
It is a powerful skill and one that forms an integral part of society. Taking a BLS certification or a quick training course can be the difference between life and death.
2. It can help to relieve pain and discomfort
In addition to being responsible for saving a life, you also are responsible for providing a sense of calm and tranquility to those who are in pain. With your training, you will be able to relieve or limit the pain of the distressed person.
For example, you will know how to safely move them or when it is best to leave them in the current position. Other things you will learn as part of what is first aid is placing pressure on a wound and providing comfort for the person in question. You can make them feel they are in safe hands.
3. It helps people to feel secure
As said above, the simple fact of having someone with first aid training with you can be very comforting. This sense of security can also promote relaxation of the muscles and a better sense of happiness in your environment.
It can prevent a bad situation from becoming even worse than it was before. That’s an important part of why first aid is important.
Final words on what is first aid
It’s important to remember, though, that trained first aiders aren’t medical professionals. They cannot provide full treatment to people in distress.
However, knowing first aid enables you to contain a situation and make sure that it doesn’t worsen. If someone has a serious medical condition, an emergency can certainly be made better by having a person experienced in first aid there to help.
In short, the privilege of being able to provide medical assistance in everyday situations and being in the position to save someone’s life is a rewarding life skill. It is one that not only you will benefit from, but the people around you will too.
Well said!!
Great post ! This motivates me to enroll into one such program !!
Excellent awareness post Christy. I think it’s so important that we all at least learn a few basics in case we’re caught somewhere we can help someone, including ourselves. :) <3
Excellent points, Christy. Unfortunately we can never really predict when a medical emergency is going to happen, so being or having someone handy who is prepared to deal with a crisis can save lives and bring peace of mind.
I honestly do think First Aid is underrated. I wish I were trained more fully in it (only had taster style sessions and a basic cert from my last job 2 years or so ago). It really is one of those things that’s good to have ‘just in case’, and is incredibly useful if the situation arises where it’s needed. Great post! x
Brilliant post, Christie. I have done a couple of first aid courses and have used my knowledge a few times.
I did take First Aid and Mouth to Mouth (which is dated now) Learned how to make a splint and set a broken bone…YIKES and lots more. That was a lot of years ago, and I’ve never had to draw on it. Still, if I had to draw on it, I could certainly be of some help.
Hahaha, thinking about it all, I even learned about sucking snake venom out of a snake bite.
OH,and setting a tourniquet!
When young I used to scorn first aid kits but since having a child they’re with me in the car, at home, holiday cottages! The number of cuts I’ve cleaned, plastered over, the wasp bites that needed soothing as well as tick removal a couple of times! Christy, this is an important post and hopefully lots of people will take note. Many thanks for sharing.
Hi Christy:
Excellent advice and I have been a First Aider for years if that is the proper term. I take the course every two years as the program does change.
Has it come in handy… Certainly, underground and even in remote areas, highways and byways on several occasions from minor scraps to full on first aid before the professionals arrive. There is something about giving comfort that warms the heart knowing that you have made a difference…
Hugs from Alberta
https://superduque777.files.wordpress.com/2017/07/rosa1.jpg
Good to be reminded of this.
Hi Christy
Wonderful post . I just want to add.Your blog is first aid for all of us. Thank you
Great post! I was thinking its time I take a course in first aid. We live in the country and I have 3 little kids. I’ve had two big scares with my 3 year old recently where he choked on a cranberry and a toy a few weeks later! Absolutely terrifying! Both times we managed to wash them down with drinking a lot of water but besides that I had no idea what to do!
this is a very good awareness post and it is a privilege to help – and good tips here.
a long time ago (80s) someone was choking at a restaurant (on jello-!) and a customer jumped in and helped him (Heimlich) and it was a great example of how we never know when we could use a basic saving skill to actually help….