It is a big question. We would all like to think that we could step up and save a life if we had to, but without the right skills – could you? As we go about our daily lives, we have no idea what a day will bring. We don’t know if we will witness a crash, a fall, or someone choking. While you might have some common sense and significant reactions, without the proper skills, you might fall short. Here’s some great life saving skills to learn.
Here are some life-saving skills that if you have the time to learn, you should.
CPR
We hear it in the movies all the time “does anyone know CPR?”… but if it happened in real life, would you want to be the person to say yes? CPR has changed over the last few years, and it’s not too difficult to learn more about certification.
The general principles are the same:
- Check for responsiveness and call 911
- Tile person head back and give them two on second breaths through the mouth
- 30 chest compressions, two breaths, and keep going
But do you know how hard it is to do the compressions? How far to tilt the head back? Most likely not! Getting CPR training can save a life.
Controlling Bleeding
Minor cuts don’t pose too much of an issue; usually, they stop bleeding with a small amount of pressure. But what about a more extensive cut? A more significant cut needs to have a lot of pressure applied to help the blood begin to coagulate.
While ideally, you will apply pressure with sterile gauze, any material you have to hand will work in a pinch. And remember, where possible to elevate it too!
Choking
If an adult is choking, one maneuver can save the day, and that is the Heimlich Maneuver. There is a recommended technique for this, but if you can have first aid with this included, then take it!
Wrap your arms around the victim’s back from behind and make a fist below their ribs but above the belly button. With the other hand, grasp your fist and shove it into the victim’s upper belly with a fast upward thrust.
Repeat until the foreign item is ejected. Infant and toddler Heimlich procedures require more training than adult Heimlich techniques, as they are less intuitive and can do more harm than help if not performed correctly.
Allergic reactions
If anyone seems to be experiencing a severe allergic response, contact 911 right away and try to talk to them, asking if they’ve ever reacted like this before and if they have an EpiPen (a spring-loaded epinephrine shot).
You will need to deliver the shot if the sufferer has an EpiPen but cannot do it on their own; instructions should be printed on the exterior. If required, be prepared to do CPR.
Regular people become heroes every day because they have learned how to save a life if they need to. Of course, you hope that you are never in that situation, but if you were, wouldn’t it be nice to think that someone else had taken steps to learn?
Are you a fast learner? Then this post is for you: Learning Opportunities Are Open to Everyone.
