How to save a life
Brush up on the basics on your next coffee break
Each year, I share a series of first aid videos to help remind everyone of basic, life-saving first-aid skills. I specifically chose these videos because they are only 2-5 minutes long, so you can get through the entire set on your coffee break.
You may think you already know these skills, but unless you have occasion to put them into practice regularly, I encourage you to take another look. During emergencies, people can become so stressed or overwhelmed that they have trouble taking action. Reviewing and practicing emergency procedures are the best remedies for getting your brain into gear.
If you want a deeper dive, there are plenty of high-quality, longer tutorials on YouTube. Also note that CPR and choking procedures are different for infants, so if you have babies in your life, please look up specific instructions for them!
These videos are best as a refresher. If first aid skills are new to you, I recommend taking an in-person course. Most community centers offer classes for free or at a low cost. Don’t skimp on these valuable skills. They could make all the difference.
1. Recognizing drowning
It is a lot more subtle than you might think!
We just got back from a cruise where my husband saved a man from choking by using the Heimlich maneuver. The man had a history of throat cancer and his companion had no idea how to help him.
That’s an old CPR video. While first aid certification classes may still teach the combination of hands and breaths for resuscitation, hands-only technique is generally the recommendation for a bystander intervention. It’s more likely to be undertaken (since most people don’t want to put their mouth over the mouth of a stranger), is less complicated, is physically less tiring and is generally as effective as traditional CPR. Exceptions are for choking victims, drowning victims and drug overdoses where the person may already be hypoxic. Otherwise, there is plenty of oxygen already in the bloodstream - it just needs to be pumped around.