Saving lives…
So last week I went up to Manchester to do my first aid training- I've done it many times in London before and I was expecting it to be the same!
Turns out, they do things VERY differently t'up North...
The instructor was brilliant, funny and made everything really memorable.
And here's the thing.
I am queen of safety- I am very risk averse.
But she made me care EVEN more about safety and first aid.
Being a Personal Trainer and Class instructor, I see how vulnerable people can be when exercising.
I was in the gym the other day and saw a guy faint after lifting heavy weights. Then, I saw a girl drop a dumbbell on her toes!
It’s a minefield out there…
Being safe whilst exercising is KEY!
Hence why all Personal Trainers SHOULD have basic first aid skills (but sadly, this is not always the case!)
I know the London fitness circuit at the moment is saturated with under qualified trainers and premium studios often do not have a designated first aider.
It’s not a legal requirement for each studio to always have a first aider on site, but someone must be appointed to take charge of first aid in the workplace.
It’s something I always advocate for wherever I teach/ do events!
But anyway, enough harping on, you came here for the goods….
Here's a few bits I found out from the course that I found fascinating:
The most common bone break in the body is......The clavicle (collarbone!) OUCH! Turns out all of those agility exercises in BarreHR might come in handy to save us from tripping over!
The 2nd most common bone break is....The HIP! This one really shocked me! Let's make sure we build plenty of muscles to support those hips and practice our balance.
The most common burn is from hair straighteners- ouchy! I have done this so many times- crispy ears ahoy!
If you call 999 and you can't speak, you can press 55 on your keypad and they will start messaging you instead.
Did you know you can add your emergency contact to your lock screen? You can also add any relevant medical info like your blood type- all without unlocking the phone! (If you want to know how, email me and I will send you a little video).
There is a website called 'Defib Finder UK' where you can find your nearest defibrillator- great for emergencies!
There are different types of Epi-Pens (for a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis) and each one has a different administration time- some you hold for 3 seconds on the thigh, some longer! Fascinating!
WHAT THREE WORDS is a great app for navigation that is used by emergency services a lot. Say you are out walking in a field and you get into trouble- You'll then be able to identify the exact 3-meter square by zooming in and tapping on the map, which will display the unique three-word address- genius!
So there you have it- some new little nuggets for you that might help save a life!
This week, I will be thoroughly re-checking my first aid kit and revising from the course- it was brilliant!
I recommend EVERYONE attend a first aid course- it can really help save lives (but make sure you get a good instructor haha!)
Charlotte