SLC21/WK1: Empowering Life-Saving Skills: A Guide to First Response and Basic First Aid

I prioritise health, and for that reason, my friends like @bossj23 may think I am idolizing the medical profession, but No, there is a more practical aspect in relation to what we face daily. I have witnessed many cases in which I couldn't help, but, for some, I was able to see the basic response administered by a first aid responder. You will always be free like a superhero or a messiah when you discover that what you did worked out.

Like I said, I would share experiences which I couldn't, the ones I helped and ones in which I witnessed the help administered.

I couldn't help

I was trekking by the road side when suddenly I heard a smash, I turned back I saw that a mini truck that look like a tricycle that just passed me a few meters away just crashed by the side of a bigger truck while trying to overtake it, it rebounced, lost control and hit the cyclist on the other end, this incident pulled the crowd, I was among them so as I went closer, I saw a severe bleeding, the mini truck driver had only a cut and could even stand on his own but the truck, damaged the cyclist face, tore the passenger belly open, I couldn't stand the watch and at the same time I couldn't leave, people who came to the rescue where contemplating on whether to leave the man whose intestine was torn open or not, they didn't know how they could help him but since he was breathing all of them were rush to the hospital, from the information I heard on the way the passenger whose intestine was torn open died, the cyclist with the less severe injury died as well, the accident might have tempered with his brain and also the delay in response was another factor.

I assisted and learnt as well

Another incident I witnessed was when my senior in secondary school fainted, she fainted because of how less aerated the classroom we had our interclass quiz was, students stood to watch even from the window, and the heat was intense she fainted, her classmate knew she was asthmatic so immediately she was rushed outside, student were pursued off the premises for an inflow of much air and fanned as well, a spoon was used to open her mouth while waiting for her inhaler to be brought from her school bag, she got revive and her inhaler was able to inhale slowly by her will she breathe, she became fine later. In this case, I observed the process and also helped in fanning her.

To manage this case I have to be alert of the kind of danger, in this case, it is an accident, if the environment is clear for an approach then I respond, I will call the emergency contact while I continue to administer the first aid, not moving means he is unconscious, I will position the cyclist on the back and then check airways, by checking the airways I will ensure I tilt the head backwards so that if he is breathing it will come out with a little pressure then, I will feel his breathing from the back of my palm. He is bleeding from his leg so what I will do is to look for a clean rag or cloth and place it on the injured part and also tie it to minimize bleeding. After all this, I will regularly observe his airway breathing and circulation till the medical personnel or emergency service approach arrives

• Ambulance Service: 112
• Police: 911 or 112 (depending on network) Fire Service: 112
• Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC): 122
• Nigerian Red Cross: +234-803-123-0000

We share almost similar number with the UK and France, now this are very short code easily memorized by dialing them it will redirect you to any representative off-line, I have tried this code before especially the 911 code in nigeria and it worked

I would love to invite @ngoenyi @bossj23 and @whizzbro4eva to join this challenge