First aid

Attack of the choking Chinese chicken

Choking-man-BLOGIt sounds like an old joke: what do you get when you cross a Chinese restaurant, a choking diner and a first aid trainer? But luckily, this tale had a happy punchline.

Timing, they say, is everything.

And certainly, if you start choking in public, there are few better times to be sitting opposite a first aid trainer.

Over the years, Sara Hodges has taught literally hundreds of people life-saving skills – including how to help someone who’s choking.

So when her friend, who was facing her in a crowded Chinese restaurant, suddenly took on a surprised look and stopped speaking, she knew exactly what was wrong. More

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Cupid strikes at first aid course

Valentine-first-aiders-BLOGHeart rates were racing for all the right reasons when lovebirds Michael and Aurelia first clocked eyes on each other at one of our first aid courses.

Sometimes, love can blossom in the unlikeliest of places.

When Michael turned up for a three-day first aid at work course in 2011, he was ready to roll up his sleeves and learn all about burns, bumps and bandages.

What he didn’t expect was a beautiful French girl to come zooming along on her scooter. But it turned out Aurelia had also been sent along by her company. More

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‘I saved my lovely baby’s life’

Baby-lifesaver-Lucy-Smith-BLOGMum really does know best, it seems. Lucy Smith resolved to learn baby first aid while she was pregnant, and it turned out to be the best decision she ever made.

I’d always planned to make learning first aid part of my preparation for motherhood. It just seemed to make sense.

So when I was 14 weeks pregnant, my husband and I attended a Mothercare event for expectant parents.

We were both really eager to go along since the event featured a British Red Cross baby first aid session. More

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Black Friday: how to survive it

Xmas-shopping-crowd-BLOGThe Thanksgiving shopping bonanza is the latest American import to reach these shores – but who knew getting a bargain could be such dangerous work?

They came; they saw; they had a dust-up.

As the clock struck twelve last night, thousands of ravenous bargain-hunters crammed themselves into Britain’s stores – closely followed by scores of police officers.

While speakers rang out with Tis the season to be jolly, numerous scuffles and punch-ups erupted in the aisles as shoppers jostled for heavily discounted goods. More

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Meet Jess: the humble life-saver

Jess-Bradley-HCA-winner-BLOGJess Bradley has won a major award after saving the life of a man with a horrific injury – but she doesn’t see anything remarkable about her actions.

Today, Shetland Islander Jess Bradley was given a young heroes’ award by the British Red Cross.

And no wonder. Even a mere mention of the disturbing scene she had to deal with (helping a man with a deep gash in his neck) would be enough to make most people feel queasy.

But the trained first aider is surprisingly blasé about the whole incident. As she puts it: “I didn’t think it was anything remarkable – it was what I’d been trained to do, an instinct.” More

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Dogs of war: the first aiders on four legs

DOGS-gas-mask-houndsDuring the First World War, the British Red Cross got lots of help from an unlikely quarter. As Armistice Day approaches, we sniff around for the full story.

At first, it sounds like a particularly far-fetched episode of Lassie.

A dog, you say, carrying first aid supplies through the whizzing bombs and flying bullets of no man’s land? And all to reach and save wounded soldiers? It sounds preposterous. But it’s true – every word of it. More

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Katie Melua finds spider in her ear

Katie-Melua-BLOGThe singer was being driven the closest thing to crazy (sorry, couldn’t resist) by a scratching noise in her ear – until doctors made a grisly discovery.

Here’s a creepy-crawly tale to make your skin, well, crawl.

Katie Melua recently visited her doctor about a repetitive scratching noise in her ear that had persisted for a full week.

The songstress was concerned it might be an early sign of tinnitus, but instead the doctor found something altogether different – an incy wincy spider had set up home inside her head. More

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