Emergencies like hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, or civil disorders can cause a lot – both in terms of structural damage and loss of lives. One must know how to provide proper first aid during such an emergency when someone is in immediate need for it. Knowledge of basic first aid can be the difference between life and death. If you know what to do in an emergency, you will not be just another helpless witness. In this article, we will cover the reasons why you should learn first aid and how it can help someone. Let’s get started.
NOTE: Be sure to look for professionally delivered training courses on first aid to ensure you fully understand the proper requirements and techniques.
Save Someone’s Life
This is one of the most important reasons to learn first aid and take a CPR course because you could save someone’s life – nothing can be more significant than this. Suppose, you see someone fighting for their life during a civil disorder, what would you do? You can do nothing unless you know how to give them proper first aid until the help arrives.
Prevents Situation from Getting Worse
In case of emergency, when a person does not get immediate first aid, their symptoms may worsen or deteriorate. If you are adequately trained and have basic first aid knowledge, you will know how to keep the patient stabilize until an ambulance arrives. Suppose, someone is bleeding from a deep cut, without medical intervention, the patient could suffer extreme blood loss, costing him his life. By simply knowing the first aid techniques, you can apply the required pressure and prevent the situation from deteriorating rapidly.
First Aid Reduces Recovery Time
The more you delay, the more the situation worsens. If you have basic first aid knowledge, you can have a massive impact on someone’s chances of recovery. Worst emergencies mean more permanent disability. Providing the patient with immediate first aid can make a significant difference.
First Aid Training Allows You to Understand the Condition of the Patient
Basic first aid knowledge can help you understand the emergency situation in a much better way. For example, if one of your family members gets knocked out while running in case of an emergency, you can easily take care of the situation and tell if the injury needs immediate paramedic intervention or not. First aid training also teaches you the types of injuries to prioritize, giving the severely injured person the very best chance.
Helps Relieve Pain
Some injuries do not need medical intervention at all, but a person with no first aid training won’t even know the difference. A ride to the hospital is not necessary when the solution is merely applying an ice pack or a quick rub. A person who is trained in first aid courses is reliable than every other person in the room. He can perform simple procedures and can help relieve pain, temporarily, if not permanent.
Improves Confidence
Bystanders can have fears that they may do something wrong to the person who is an emergency condition. This is the reason why people often fail to provide first aid for a casualty that may worsen the condition even more. First aid training would not just enable you to help others in emergency conditions but will also improve your confidence when nobody is daring to go near the one who is injured severely and seeking for help.
Increases the Chances of Survival
The first few minutes following an emergency are the most crucial. If the patient receives immediate attention, the chances of his survival can increase by as high as 75%.
Your Loved Ones Can Get Injured
In case of a natural disaster such as a tornado or earthquake when anything terrible can happen, your first aid training can help save your injured loved one’s life, without needing to call emergency services. Also, during such events, the chances are that no ambulance will be available. So, your best bet would be providing immediate first aid.
Remote Area
If you live in a remote area where hospitals or emergency services are not within reach, you should definitely learn first aid as it allows you to help save someone’s life or from a major injury.
Here are some topics that are covered in most first aid courses:
- Asthma attack during an emergency
- What to do if someone’s unconscious and is not able to breathe
- Choking – both theory and practical
- What to do if someone’s unconscious but breathing
- Heart attacks
- CPR – practical, and difference between adult, child, and baby CPR
- Drowning – how to help the person who has got water in his lungs due to drowning
- How to prepare for an emergency
- Bleeding – how to stop bleeding and what to do in such a situation (nose bleeds, amputated parts, eye injuries etc.)
- Burns – scalds, fire, and electrocution
- Head injury – compression and concussion
- Poisoning – non-corrosive and corrosive
- Seizures and fits
- Acute allergic reactions
Conclusion
Anything can happen during earthquakes, tornadoes, and other emergencies; one must know how to provide first aid to their loved one or a stranger who needs immediate medical attention. Basic first aid knowledge won’t just help in saving a life, but it is also a great virtue to help someone in need. Getting trained in providing first aid doesn’t require any high medical knowledge, anyone can learn it, and is definitely worth it.
Read our article on preparing and organizing a medical aid kit to know the essential accessories that a first aid medical kit should include.