FACT SHEET
Help Your Family & Local Community: Learn First Aid
Of the several basic skills needed for daily life, few are more important than a working knowledge of first aid. Few are as easy to learn yet are of such practical value. Those who learn the simple skills of aiding an injured family member, friend or colleague are aware of the feeling of well-being this brings to life at home, in the workplace and at the sporting arena.
First aid means exactly that: the initial care of the ill or injured. If you are not a doctor, nurse or an ambulance officer but are simply the first person on the scene you can help by:
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Calling for medical assistance,
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Comforting the person,
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Manage the injuries.
When a person is injured, and their injuries plainly require more than just a bandaid, then you need to seek medical aid as soon as possible.
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If possible don't leave the person to call for help, send somebody else,
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The message you send should be brief and to the point, inform emergency services of the location, the nature of the accident, how long ago it happened and the condition of the person,
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Ask how long they will be.
Providing comfort and reassuring the injured person is often more important than you might imagine, particularly at the scene of the accident. Merely sitting by their side, telling them that everything will be all right and that help is on the way will have a calming effect on them.
Modern first aid takes a preventive approach. Knowledge of common injuries and their treatment serves the very important secondary function of protecting us, and preventing others from being injured.
First aid saves lives and as accidents and injury are unpredictable, training more members of the public in first aid can only be of enormous benefit to the community.
To gain these life-saving skills, people can undertake a Senior First Aid Course. This comprehensive 16-hour course, which includes a two-hour assessment, covers all the fundamentals of first aid. It is a standard certificated course in first aid, which is accredited by WorkCover and complies with the requirements of the Occupational Health & Safety Regulation.
For More Information:
Call Customer Service on 1300 360 455
