|
|
- Home
- Courses
- Defib. Training
- Water Safety
- Where ?
-
Newsletters
- 2024 Current >
-
2023 Archive
>
- Jan: The Dangers of Pond Ice
- Feb: Defibrillators (AED's)
- Mar: Wherever, Whenever
- Apr: Home Improvements
- May: Response to Cardiac Arrest
- Jun: Summer Water Safety
- July: Inhalers Information
- Aug: CPR Basics
- Sep: Legislative Info for First Aid
- Oct: Saving a Life, Be That Person
- Nov: Points to Consider
- Dec: Winter Driving and Some Christmas Safety Advice
- 2022 Archive >
-
2021 Archive
>
- Jan: First Aid Qualification Update
- Feb: The Covid-19 Virus
- Mar: UK's 10 Most Dangerous Jobs
- Apr: Getting Started
- May: Be Water Aware
- Jun: Open Water Safety
- Jul: AED's (Defibillators)
- Aug: Dangers of Cold Water
- Sep: Around your Home
- Oct: Cardiac Arrest
- Nov: Bonfires, Burns & Scalds
- Dec: Winter Safety
-
2020 Archive
>
- Jan: Hypothermia
- Feb: Your Eyesight
- Mar: Cuts
- Apr: Coronavirus
- May: Coronavirus 2
- Jun: Applying First Aid Knowledge
- Jul: Return to Training
- Aug: Getting Out - Doing More
- Sep: Outside Water Kills
- Oct: First Aid at Work During the Covid-19 Situation
- Nov: Help yourself and the NHS
- Dec: Seasonal and Situation Awareness
-
2019 Archive
>
- Jan: New Year's Resolution
- Feb: Adrenaline Auto Injectors in Schools
- Mar: Community First Aid
- Apr: A Powerful Message
- May: First Aid in Schools
- Jun: AED Facts
- Jul: Summer Water Safety
- Aug: Holiday Time
- Sep: Home and Garden Safety
- Oct: Safety, Water and You
- Nov: Bonfires, Fireworks, Safety
- Dec: Winter Advice
- 2018 Archive >
- 2017 Archive >
- 2016 Archive >
- Contact Us
Information Sheet
June 2020
June 2020
Applying First Aid Knowledge
My name is David Cotterill of Digital Solutions in Eckington. I originally designed and continue to manage and host this website for Alan Joynes, proprietor of Life Saving Solutions Limited.
On the afternoon of 9th May 2020, (the day after VE Day) I was working in my upstairs home/office, which overlooks my back garden. The window was open as the weather was warm. I then heard a woman calling for help, repeatedly but weakly. I looked out of my window and saw the bottom half (waistband to feet) of my next-door neighbour laid horizontally on her back on her concrete patio - her top half hidden by a garden umbrella.
This lady, almost 80, is widowed and is isolated due to Coronavirus. I shouted I was on my way. When I looked into her back garden over my fence I could immediately see she had a head injury, evidenced by an expanding pool of blood. I called out to her and said I was coming to help. I immediately called 999, gave the basic details, then passed the phone to my wife to complete the picture.
Unfortunately, my neighbours garden is fully enclosed with a 6 foot high fence, and her front door was (quite rightly) locked, so I gained access from a neighbouring property by lifting a fencing panel upwards and jamming a hose-reel spool underneath. I crawled under the fence and arrived by the side of my neighbour.
My first observations were that she’d probably fainted and fallen unprotected backwards and striking her head, evidenced by the fact she was lying straight (not crumpled) on her back, her arms by her side, and her spectacles a foot or so away behind her head. I shouted to my wife to throw a clean towel over the fence for me to catch. All the while I was talking to the lady as she was drifting in and out of coherence (although not consciousness).
I made a thick pad of the towel and pressed it against the wound. I then did a quick triage by asking her to describe any pain when she gently moved her toes then feet, similarly her fingers and hands. I asked her if she had any back or neck pain. No pain was reported. I gently raised her head and replaced in on a seat cover so it was more elevated. At the same time I turned it slightly to her left (as the wound was on her right side) then re-applied the towel to the wound and used my other hand on the diametrically opposite side her head to create a firm “head sandwich”. All the while I kept her in conversation and gave her reassurance that the professionals were on their way.
The first ambulance crew arrived at the scene within 18 minutes of the call and took over the job. I helped to load the lady onto a scoop to go through a narrow doorway then she was placed on a trolley to transport to the ambulance, at which point she vomited. The crew called in a Paramedic to administer a drug, I think to prevent this happening, but I’m not certain.
The lady was admitted to A&E, had staples put into the wound, had a scan and neurological assessment, and stayed in a “Green Zone” overnight and released home the following day.
Everything I did on that Saturday was automatic (whether it was correct or not I don’t really know) but I felt fully in control of the situation. The bottom line is the lady was bleeding out, and I was the only one around who could deal with it. The lady survived and is back home enjoying the fine weather.
Why am I writing this?
Well, because I have uploaded 12 of Alan’s newsletters to this website every year for the past 6 years. I’ve always checked the newsletters for any punctuation/grammatical errors, and read them out of interest. Consequently, I’ve unwittingly or subconsciously absorbed the information within those newsletters.
I’m not writing this as a marketing ploy. It's also not an example of how to deal with this situation - I'm not qualified to do so. However, I really do recommend one of Alan’s First Aid courses which will give you the knowledge I used, and enable you to react to many medical emergencies you may come across, which of course could even be within your own family during these lockdown times.
Stay safe
On the afternoon of 9th May 2020, (the day after VE Day) I was working in my upstairs home/office, which overlooks my back garden. The window was open as the weather was warm. I then heard a woman calling for help, repeatedly but weakly. I looked out of my window and saw the bottom half (waistband to feet) of my next-door neighbour laid horizontally on her back on her concrete patio - her top half hidden by a garden umbrella.
This lady, almost 80, is widowed and is isolated due to Coronavirus. I shouted I was on my way. When I looked into her back garden over my fence I could immediately see she had a head injury, evidenced by an expanding pool of blood. I called out to her and said I was coming to help. I immediately called 999, gave the basic details, then passed the phone to my wife to complete the picture.
Unfortunately, my neighbours garden is fully enclosed with a 6 foot high fence, and her front door was (quite rightly) locked, so I gained access from a neighbouring property by lifting a fencing panel upwards and jamming a hose-reel spool underneath. I crawled under the fence and arrived by the side of my neighbour.
My first observations were that she’d probably fainted and fallen unprotected backwards and striking her head, evidenced by the fact she was lying straight (not crumpled) on her back, her arms by her side, and her spectacles a foot or so away behind her head. I shouted to my wife to throw a clean towel over the fence for me to catch. All the while I was talking to the lady as she was drifting in and out of coherence (although not consciousness).
I made a thick pad of the towel and pressed it against the wound. I then did a quick triage by asking her to describe any pain when she gently moved her toes then feet, similarly her fingers and hands. I asked her if she had any back or neck pain. No pain was reported. I gently raised her head and replaced in on a seat cover so it was more elevated. At the same time I turned it slightly to her left (as the wound was on her right side) then re-applied the towel to the wound and used my other hand on the diametrically opposite side her head to create a firm “head sandwich”. All the while I kept her in conversation and gave her reassurance that the professionals were on their way.
The first ambulance crew arrived at the scene within 18 minutes of the call and took over the job. I helped to load the lady onto a scoop to go through a narrow doorway then she was placed on a trolley to transport to the ambulance, at which point she vomited. The crew called in a Paramedic to administer a drug, I think to prevent this happening, but I’m not certain.
The lady was admitted to A&E, had staples put into the wound, had a scan and neurological assessment, and stayed in a “Green Zone” overnight and released home the following day.
Everything I did on that Saturday was automatic (whether it was correct or not I don’t really know) but I felt fully in control of the situation. The bottom line is the lady was bleeding out, and I was the only one around who could deal with it. The lady survived and is back home enjoying the fine weather.
Why am I writing this?
Well, because I have uploaded 12 of Alan’s newsletters to this website every year for the past 6 years. I’ve always checked the newsletters for any punctuation/grammatical errors, and read them out of interest. Consequently, I’ve unwittingly or subconsciously absorbed the information within those newsletters.
I’m not writing this as a marketing ploy. It's also not an example of how to deal with this situation - I'm not qualified to do so. However, I really do recommend one of Alan’s First Aid courses which will give you the knowledge I used, and enable you to react to many medical emergencies you may come across, which of course could even be within your own family during these lockdown times.
Stay safe
To see our summary of statutory information details click HERE
• Website designed and hosted by Digital Solutions (Established 1994) •
• email: [email protected] •
• Site updated 3rd August 2024 •
• email: [email protected] •
• Site updated 3rd August 2024 •