05 Feb, 2010
Posted by: blissfule In: Perth
This week I'm sharing the notes I took during a half-day first aid course. I hope you enjoy and benefit from them, but please remember that this information is not a substitute for hands-on first aid training.
Several things I learned in class were specific to
Australia, and I will share them here. What are the equivalents where you live?
image source :: greenwichmeantime
The
emergency telephone number in Australia is 000. Or, on a mobile phone, dial
112 (this will work even without a SIM card in the phone). Either can be dialed while the mobile phone keypad is locked.
Emergency calls are routed to a central call centre in the Eastern States, so you must specify from which state you are calling (e.g. Western Australia), as well as the town, address, and a street crossing to help the ambulance find you as quickly as possible.
Good Samaritan laws protect first aiders responding to a casualty as long as they "acted as a calm and rational person of the same level of training would have under the same circumstances."
Anyone who performs first aid and feels anxious or distressed as a result can call the St John counseling service. Staff are trained to
help first aiders work through intense emotions.
With excellent training, laws to protect ordinary citizens who want to help their neighbours, and an emotional safety net available via trained counselors, I feel confident that I can use my new first aid skills to "do something, help somebody."
01 Feb, 2010
Posted by: blissfule In: Perth
This week I'm sharing the notes I took during a half-day first aid course. I hope you enjoy and benefit from them, but please remember that this information is not a substitute for hands-on first aid training.
While Ben was formulating his health, safety, and environment (HSE) goals for his next performance cycle at work, he decided to book me on a
St John first aid course on basic resuscitation for children and infants.
My last CPR course was in conjunction with
Red Cross swimming lessons as a child. Now as an adult it was high time I updated my skills. I enjoyed the 3 1/2 hour course very much, although at one point I did have to cross my arms firmly across my chest to prevent leakage - later Ben and I compared notes and that was right when Vi started fussing!
Our instructor has been teaching
St John first aid courses for the last 20 years. She said she wondered if what she was doing had any impact when she heard a statistic that,
after calling emergency services, most people don't do anything further when someone stops breathing.
photo source :: ABC
CPR should be initiated within the first four minutes. Here in Western Australia ambulances take an average of 9 to 12 minutes to arrive. First aid skills fill that gap and make a very real difference between life and death.
I learned so much on the course, and I will write up my notes into a few posts. But I'm curious. When did you last take a life-saving course? How confident would you feel about administering aid?
It's difficult to think about, but
if you do not know what you would do right now if someone you love stopped breathing, please take a resuscitation course.
26 Jan, 2010
Posted by: blissfule In: Perth
How appropriate that today,
Australia Day, we had our first sighting of one of the more infamous natives of this great country: a
redback spider.
It was a great teaching moment for our children. Ben supervised a close-up look and told them what to do if they see one (leave it alone, tell Mama or Baba where you saw it), and to get help fast in case they are ever bitten.
22 Dec, 2009
Posted by: blissfule In: Perth
Well, the weather outside is delightful
But the lack of snow was frightful
Until the yellow flower tree let go
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
28 Nov, 2009
Posted by: blissfule In: Perth
Human behaviour, much more than ozone depletion,
determines the overall effect of UV on people in Australia.
~Australia State of the Environment Report 2001~
The sun is strong here under the hole in the ozone layer. To play in the garden, sunhats are a necessity.
Michael is able to put this one on himself, a huge help to his busy mama. Thanks to Grandpa and Grandma for the great accessory.
22 Nov, 2009
Posted by: blissfule In: Perth
14 Nov, 2009
Posted by: blissfule In: Perth
Ever since our
tenth anniversary celebration, Ben and I have been looking forward to living in a house we own, with walls that stand alone - not touching another person's house.
We moved in on Wednesday, and every morning I wake up thinking how blessed we are to be homeowners!
We are especially fortunate to be taking over beautiful mature gardens in our backyard. Pruning is a new pastime, and I am looking forward to replacing a huge amount of cactus in the front garden with a veggie patch.
08 Nov, 2009
Posted by: blissfule In: Perth
We have a tradition of celebrating the anniversary of the day we land in any country by eating a favourite national dish.
With three small children, we prefer an early dinner out. The only place serving steak at 4:30pm was
The View, up a steep flight of stairs near the
Fremantle fishing boat harbour. With friendly service, tasty food, and a nice big outdoor table overlooking the Indian Ocean, we thoroughly enjoyed our steak celebration!
27 Sep, 2009
Posted by: blissfule In: Perth
04 Sep, 2009
Posted by: blissfule In: Perth
A peek inside our mailbox revealed a whole new meaning for the term "snail mail".
A snail was munching on our mail! Apparently personal letters and bank statements are equally palatable.
Speaking of paperwork, we officially
registered Vi's birth today and received her Australian birth certificate!
