Essential first aid
Last weekend, Alan Coppin, the Chair of the SGSA, attended an Essential First Aid course run by the St John’s Ambulance. Here’s his account of it:
At virtually all of the match visits I’ve attended as part of my role as SGSA Chair, I’ve seen St John’s Ambulance first aiders in attendance. They provide a vital service to many clubs across the country.
Only 1 in 14 people in the UK are first aid qualified. I was inspired to get some essential training myself by three events:
- A friend fell just five feet from a ladder, breaking his pelvis and hip bone
- Watching Robbie Savage’s interview of Glenn Hoddle and learning how a first aider saved his life
- During a match visit for the SGSA and seeing the tremendous work St John’s Ambulance do at sports grounds.
It was a fascinating session, providing essential first aid training including:
- Adult and child resuscitation;
- Treatment of severe bleeding and chest pain;
- Treatment of choking in adults, children and infants;
- Treatment of unresponsive casualty;
- Defibrillator demonstration;
- Epipen demonstration;
- Communication; and
- Casualty care.
If you haven’t done such a course I commend it highly: it could help you to save the life of a family member, friend or colleague. Just three and a half hours and £25. I have already bought better first aid kits for my home and car as a result of the course.
If interested it is simple to book – St John’s Ambulance hold hundreds of these courses at their centres all over the country. The good news is: if I can do it anyone can and it’s never too late!!