In almost every emergency situation you are in, whether it is a car wreck, a scraped knee on the playground, an active shooter, or a natural or man-made disaster, YOU are most likely going to be the first responder. Help from emergency responders may take awhile to arrive. Having some background in basic first aid training can be an invaluable tool to help save lives.
Learn to save a life!
- Take a basic First Aid Course – whether through your local emergency responder classes, the Y, the Ameican Red Cross or other venue.
- Take a CPR class – CPR training isn’t always available through first aid courses, or you can choose to take a separate class to be certified. These are also offered through many civil defense groups, city or county emergency responder groups, local recreation centers and the American Red Cross.
- More than the Basics First Aid Classes – if you really want to learn, take a course in more than just basic first aid. One such class is offered by The Patriot Nurse, where you get an intensive course on more than just how to do a tourniquet or pressure bandage a wound.
- Stock up your Medical Library – get first aid books that you can study and keep as a reference.
- Learn techniques on You Tube – make sure you’re dealing with someone who is medically sound and learn basic techniques, even if you’re so remote you can’t take a first aid class. While these won’t substitute for real medical training, they can make you familiar with basic techniques (though I’m not sure I’d want to watch a video on youtube to learn how to remove an appendix from some dude doing it in his backyard).
And just so that you know that I do heed my own advice — my son and I took a first aid class and you can read about it here.
YOU are a first responder. Make it count!
