First Aid: Primary Survey, CPR and Recovery Position.

St Johns Ambulance Videos and Tips. Personal Experience

Dear Reader, I hope you’re okay and that life is calm and comfortable for you and your loved ones.

If you’re new to Carer Mentor, ‘Hi and Welcome!’ I’m Victoria. You can read more about me and the Carer Mentor mission here: Who Started Carer Mentor and Why?’

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Have you ever called emergency services?

In the UK, there are two telephone numbers 999 and 111. Do you know the difference between the two? Did you know that 112 is synonymous with 999, the EU emergency number?

I recommend reading the Advice on what services to contact for different health needs

Here are some essential emergency telephone numbers in the UK:

[This is the Wiki list of emergency telephone numbers. It’s interesting to note that the telephone numbers for Police, ambulance and fire are different in some countries. Remember. ]

• 999: The main emergency number for the UK, used for life-threatening emergencies:

  • Police, ambulance, fire brigade, coastguard, cliff rescue, mountain rescue, cave rescue, and more

  • Free to call and can be dialled from a locked mobile phone

  • This is a helpful link of Advice on what services to contact for different health needs. Even if you think you know, it’s always good to check now before a crisis occurs.

• 112: The alternative emergency number, which can also be used to contact emergency services across the UK and the EU

• 101: For non-emergency situations where you need police assistance or to report a crime that is not urgent

• 111: For non-emergency medical advice and assistance, available across England, Scotland, and parts of Northern Ireland

• 0800 111 999: For gas emergencies, such as if you smell gas or suspect a gas leak

  • This is the free, 24/7 number for the National Gas Emergency Service.

  • The helpline will advise you on what to do next.

  • You can also contact the National Gas Emergency Service via textphone (minicom) on 0800 371 787.

  • If you're a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can use SignLive to contact the National Gas Emergency Service free of charge.

  If you smell gas inside your property, you should also:

  • Open doors and windows to ventilate the property.

  • Turn off the gas at the mains tap.

  • Do not enter the cellar or basement if the gas leak is there.

  • Do not turn any power or light switches on or off.

  • Do not light any sort of flame within the property.

  • Do not use any appliances that could cause a spark.

  One of the first indicators of a gas leak is often the smell, but other symptoms include feeling lightheaded, nausea, dizziness, and headaches.

• 105: For reporting a power cut and getting information about power outages in your area

• 03330 046 046 (This is the Automobile Association (AA), a company that can help even if you don’t have a contract with them, but you’ll be asked to pay for insurance coverage): For roadside assistance in the event of a vehicle breakdown. Safety advice:

  • If your vehicle's in a dangerous location and drivable, move it somewhere safe now. Keep your sidelights and hazard lights on.

  • It may be unsafe to stay in your vehicle, so: exit carefully using the doors opposite to traffic if possible. Wait away from the road, preferably behind a barrier.

  • If you can't leave the vehicle, wear your seatbelt.

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What happens when you call 999 for a health emergency?

What to expect when you dial 999 for the Fire Brigade

Don’t forget to have a ‘Go Bag’ Ready for the person you care for AND yourself

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Emergency First Aid refresher videos.

What to do if someone is having a ‘heart attack’; cardiac arrest

If someone has become unresponsive and they are not breathing normally, they could be in cardiac arrest. Find out what to look for and what to do, including how to do CPR and use a defibrillator.

What is a cardiac arrest? A cardiac arrest happens when someone’s heart stops.

• What to do, signs and symptoms

What to do if someone has a seizure: watch the 3 minute video

How to treat a burn: watch the 3 minute video

How to treat a minor wound and prevent infection: watch the 1 minute video

What should you have in your first aid box and what's needed for certain injuries?: watch the 2 minute video

For more information and practical support for different conditions, see the St John Ambulance website: sja.org.uk/get-advice/

First aid online advice

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Restart a Heart!

In the UK, less than one in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Knowing CPR means that one day, you could help save the life of your family, friend, or stranger.

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How would you manage a heart attack if you were on your own?

Click this link: What to do when you’re having a heart attack and you’re on your own

I'm having a heart attack

It’s important you get medical attention immediately. Don’t worry about wasting paramedics’ time – a heart attack is a medical emergency.

You should:

• call 999 for an ambulance

• sit down and stay calm

• take 300mg aspirin if you have it and you're not allergic

• wait for the ambulance.

Two Urban Myths To Ignore

By The First Aid for Life Organisation¹ https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/

Cough CPR

Cough CPR is often suggested on social media as a response if you think you’re having a heart attack and are alone.

It suggests that breathing deeply and coughing vigorously can squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm.

However, there is no medical evidence to support ‘cough CPR’ and many experts are dubious as to how it might work.

Water and cayenne pepper

Another urban myth for heart attacks is to drink a glass of water with a spoonful of cayenne pepper in it. Supporters suggest cayenne pepper is a stimulant capable of increasing the heart rate and carrying blood all over the body, rebalancing circulation.

There is no proof, however, that cayenne pepper is useful when taken at the start of a heart attack. Furthermore, it isn’t clear how capsaicin interacts with aspirin when taken during a heart attack.

Aspirin however has been proved to be helpful.

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Aiding someone else.

The mantra from St Johns Ambulance that’s in my head is Dr. ABC:

Primary survey:

1. Check for Danger

2. Check for a Response

3. Open Airway

4. Check Breathing

5. Check Circulation

6. Treat the steps as needed.

Dad had a couple of seizures due to atrial fibrillation and tachycardia. These were caused by his congestive heart failure being destabilised by his bladder cancer in 2019.

Seizures are scary and can make you freeze in the moment. Trying to develop muscle memory, and knowing what to do automatically can save lives. Enabling the heart to pump oxygen around the body can be life-saving.

There was a specific moment in 2019 when my parents, our GP/Primary care physician and I aligned and signed the ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ form. We could treat symptoms to ensure he was comfortable, manage pain but we were not allowed to resuscitate him. Please discuss this with your loved ones, and medical professionals as each country’s forms and procedures and legal obligations are different.

It is important to be clear about loved one’s wishes, medical obligations, responsibilities and the national laws.

Try to get clear on what you can and cannot do, and what actions to take in an emergency.

Knowing in advance will help you feel more equipped to act in the moment. This knowledge can also alleviate some of the fear, stress and trauma of the event.

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First Aid for Life are first aid experts and a leading independent provider of exemplary and fully regulated first aid courses; offering outstanding training for groups and individuals at your venue or ours.

Our team of highly experienced medical, health and emergency services professionals who regularly use their first aid in the real world, will tailor the training to your needs and empower you with confidence to give immediate and appropriate first aid in an emergency.

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