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Deliberate attacks - how even basic first aid can help mass casualties.

first aiders can greater increase the chances of survival before the emergency services arrive.

*Images are taken from a training day and it is not a real life situation*


It's not a nice thought but unfortunately a reality of the world we live in today, deliberate attacks on our communities do happen, have happened and will inevitably happen again.

 

These situations can of course create mass panic, hysteria and mental scarring that can live with us for the rest of our lives. However, with the immediate actions of the general public in a first aid capacity, this could be vital to saving as many lives as possible. It is also vital in proving to those responsible that humanity is something that will never cease to exist and we will all come together and help one another even in the face of disaster. Showing our resilience and capabilities makes us stronger as a person, community and country. 


A way that we can do this together is to have as many people as possible have a basic knowledge of first aid training. Being a first aider is an invaluable skill and there are many courses available to suit your required level from basic first aid all the way up to advanced and First Responder training courses. No matter your level of knowledge on how to assist a casualty, even the most simple act of first aid, if done quickly enough, can save a life.


Of course it is a lot to ask of people to put aside their own fears to help but if it is safe to do so and you feel able, having a basic knowledge of first aid is an invaluable skill. 


A UK charity called Citizen Aid is empowering the general public to help save lives by offering a free app and a pocket guide to take you through some simple steps of basic first aid.  These visual aids reduce the anxiety from the pressure of making a difficult decision when faced with a frightening situation.


With the recent publication of the Manchester bombing review many fingers have been pointed, rightly or wrongly, but the fact is, it’s a scary situation and often people feel like there was nothing they could have done to help. If the response time of the emergency services is delayed, for whatever reason, having as many trained first aiders in the public will help this kind of situation and lives will be saved.


4 December 2024
A quick story time from the weekend about why having a trained first aider in a group is a great idea. This weekend one of our instructors was out in the Suffolk countryside with a mixed group of friends and strangers. As they began their walk, they hadn’t made it more than a couple of paces when one of the older gentlemen in the group went sheet white, became weak, collapsed on the ground and started vomiting. The gentleman's son was with him, caught him as he fell and called out for help. Thankfully, our instructor was within shouting distance and was the only trained first aider in the group, in fact he is a community first responder, so he had with him in his truck an oxygen tank, defibrillator and every piece of kit a first responder would need. He quickly got the gentlemen assessed taking his heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar and asked him about any past medical conditions that may be relevant. He did an assessment, used his training to ascertain whether an ambulance was needed or whether the kit he had with him was sufficient. Thankfully, an ambulance wasn’t needed but the gentleman was taken home and is feeling much better. It made us think, here in the office, that while this situation did not need an ambulance if the first aider had not been there, it would have been a scary situation for everyone because no one there really knew what to do for the best. The moral of the story is that the benefit of completing first aid training is that you never know when your skills as a trained first aider may be able to help a friend or a stranger. It is also important that anyone who has been trained in any level of first aid should carry some essential kit with them. Some useful things in a basic first aid kit would be: A couple of pairs of gloves Sterile wipes Medical tape Scissors Tweezers Gauze Resuscitation face shield Plasters Sterile bandage Triangular bandage Eye wash Emergency foil blanket Whistle (especially if you are going for walks in remote areas) Who is the best first aid training company in Suffolk? Well, this is an easy answer and here are some reasons why. Our MD is an award winning first aid instructor who has real life experience in emergency situations. We teach our Outdoor First Aid course outdoors under a parachute in the middle of Sutton Hoo Woodland. We teach all levels of first aid from basic first aid training up to the more advanced First Responder on Scene level. At the end of our higher level first aid courses in Suffolk, we use a local charity, Casualties Union, who provide actors to re-create scenarios for our learners to put into practice all their first aid training. Our instructors talk through kit requirements on all our first aid courses whether we are training you in Suffolk or at your premises, ensuring the kit is relevant to your needs. Our first aid courses are not boring! Many people dread doing a first aid course because they have a stigma of being boring and just listening to a PowerPoint presentation for six hours stuck in a classroom, being taught by someone who doesn’t actively have any real-life experience. That's not us, we get you involved, get you interacting with the equipment, pass on knowledge from real life emergencies and make it enjoyable. We offer first aid kits of varying sizes and for different requirements. Our most popular choice is a DAC mini Ouch Pouch which is the perfect pocket sized first aid kit. Is it time for you to book a first aid training course in Suffolk? Any time is a great time to complete a first aid course, and we would love to train you. Gatherings are more common at this time of year with Christmas shopping in full swing the high streets are busier, markets are full and places where crowds gather can become a hot spot for accidents, injuries or exacerbation of underlying medical conditions. We run first aid training throughout the year with open courses that anyone can join. Many of our first aid training courses are in Suffolk but we do travel nationwide as well. We would like to encourage all those who have taken a first aid course with DAC Education, or indeed, with any first aid training company in Suffolk or beyond, please do ensure that when you are out and about your skills and knowledge are not wasted and please carry with you even just a basic first aid kit. It's better to carry one and not need it, than to need it and not have one.
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