Red Cross Blogs

My first first aid experience

By Chris Jefferies
March 4, 2010 at 12:26 pm

I vividly remember the very first person I helped as a first aid volunteer.

Summer 2007, I’d only just joined the British Red Cross at the sprightly age of 15. After several days of training, I was attending my first event as a fully qualified Red Cross volunteer. Our team was providing medical cover for a large martial arts grading event.

Although I’d passed my first aid course with flying colours, I was nervous before the event began. There’s quite a difference between the classroom and the real thing! Two experienced adult volunteers took me under their wing and I would be working with them for the day.

Hundreds of spectators had turned out to watch their family and friends compete. Wearing a bright yellow jacket, with a big sign saying “first aid” is not the best way to appear inconspicuous.

At our first aid post, a few people trickled in. Most wanted blisters dressed, or suspected sprains/strains looked at. Some just wanted a plaster. “Easy peasy” I thought.

Rosie was taking part in the under-16s category. This was supposed to be non-contact, and she was wearing full protective clothing just in case. All these precautions didn’t help however, when her opponent misjudged a move and delivered a vicious blow to her head.

“Guys, we need some help over here!” Suddenly, that yellow jacket seemed even more conspicuous.

Over we went, all three of us carrying various bits of kit. Rosie was lying prone on the ground, as we approached we could see she was conscious. Brian, my colleague took the lead.

“Hey there, stay nice and still for me, Chris here is just going to hold your head. Don’t worry, it’s just a precaution”

I obliged, painfully aware that hundreds of sets of eyes were following our every move. However I soon forgot all about this as I focussed on the task at hand.

Rosie was complaining of pain in her neck, and she had some pins and needles in her hands. These are all classic signs of a possible spinal injury. Swiftly, Brian established there were no other injuries and an ambulance was called. I was still holding her head and doing my best to reassure her.

The paramedics arrived and working as a team we transferred Rosie carefully into the ambulance for a trip to hospital. Then, as quickly as it had begun, it was back to the blisters and plasters in the first aid post.

Three years on and I’ve met many more people like Rosie – in need of help. I’ve moved on from being a trainee to a trainer, from being mentored to mentoring, from a novice first aider to being part of an emergency ambulance crew.

When a call comes in, that slight twinge of nervousness is still there. However, so is the feeling of making a difference, being there during a distressing and painful moment in someone’s life.

Making a simple gesture of humanity.

Do you know what the best part is?

You can too. Get involved today.

All names, ages and other details have been changed to protect patient confidentiality and privacy.

---

Comment (0) »

---

The Red Cross values comments both complimentary and critical. However, we will not tolerate the following: aggressive or personal criticism of the blogger, breach of copyright, obscene, defamatory, profane, sexually oriented, racially offensive or likewise objectionable comments.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 12:26 pm and is filed under First aid. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

---