The main goal of first aid & emergency procedures is to stop the condition of the person involved from getting worse and to ultimately make sure that they don’t die.  Thousands of people are involved in accidents each year and many of these are seriously injured or even die but these people could be saved if more people were taught the basics of emergency first aid.

It is a basic skill that places the patient in a stable condition before the emergency services arrive.   Remember that you do not need to have a medical education to apply the basics of this skill, only the willingness to learn.  It often comes to down to using basic decision making skills that will ultimately have a positive effect on the person you are treating.  Emergency medical training should be a priority for your entire family.

When first aid & emergency procedures are applied quickly and competently it can make the difference between someone recovering completely from their ordeal or being left with a permanent injury or suffering death.

As already mentioned, the basics of emergency first aid can make a big difference but it is also vitally important that you have access to the correct first aid materials.

Of course there are many compromises that can be made as the necessary supplies will not always be on hand, but if you do have the correct equipment the whole process will be far easier.  Having proper supplies and equipment readily available could also, in some cases, determine the difference between life or death.

There are many different levels of emergency medical training and treatment.  Minor ailments include someone with perhaps a minor abrasion which can be treated with an antibacterial topical cream and covering.  The main objective is to keep minor wounds clean and free of contaminants which can cause infection.

More severe trauma may be treated temporarily by preventing blood loss and often involves someone who has been involved in a road traffic accident.  In such cases, the goal of emergency first aid should be to stabilize the person’s vital life functions until professional emergency personnel arrive on the scene.  Keeping the injured alert by talking to them can help alleviate the stress of the situation.  Ask them questions regarding what is hurting or how they feel.  Such information can be valuable to the EMS workers.

In rare cases, you may be treating someone whose heart has stopped and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is required.  If you have access to a CPR mouth barrier the process will be much more effective and you would also be reassured that you would be protected from any biological contamination.

An added benefit of acquiring these skills, supplies, and equipment is the satisfaction and feeling of being in control of any situation that may arise.

If you have ever witnessed an accident and didn’t know what to do, just imagine for one minute the difference it would make, not just to the person you were assisting but also to yourself.  Do not underestimate how important this is.

So, next time you feel the need to learn this skill, don’t put it off to another day.  Bite the bullet and make it your goal to learn emergency first aid.

The recent swine flu outbreak, while seemingly over-hyped by the media, is certainly something we should be concerned about. Although there have only been 12 confirmed cases of human swine flu between 2005 and 2009, the virus is transmitted easily through human contact, particularly by children with hand to mouth contact after exposure on the skin (usually from sneezing or coughing) from an infected person. I have found that the best place for accurate information about the swine flu outbreak is the Center for Disease Control (CDC). General information and facts about swine flu can be found on their website.