Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Are you prepared?

I briefly mentioned last week that I was taking First Aid on Wednesday and Thursday.  First Aid training is covered through my job, and it has been far too long since I’ve been certified.  When my friend mentioned wanting to take the course I jumped on the bandwagon for training through St. John Ambulance.

Last year on a ride one of my teammates crashed, broke her collarbone and suffered a concussion.  I had no idea what to do or how to respond.  Between biking, hiking and just life in general I knew I needed to update my skills and be more comfortable with First Aid.  You never know when something is going to happen!  The reminders on CPR and choking were great, and we practiced splinting broken bones, tying slings and using AEDs.  While we all hope that nothing happens, it is good to be prepared.  Knowledge of proper First Aid can make all the difference in an emergency situation.

Besides being prepared there are a few things you can do to keep safe – make sure that people know where you are going to be and how long you are going to be.  Be safety conscious!  If you are riding, know the rules of the road and ride defensively.  Run defensively!  If I’m running I’ll wave at drivers as I’m crossing the street in front of them – to say thanks for stopping and to make sure I know that they see me.  Invest in a Road ID or Yikes ID so that all of your emergency information is close at hand.

Do you have any other safety tips?

*Thanks again for all the congratulations for my race on Sunday!*

9 comments:

Marlene said...

Good for you - this is something I would like to do. I have not taken any first aid training since my baby-sitting course as a kid. Not good.

Thanks for the reminder about being safe out there.

teacherwoman said...

Our work offers yearly training in First Aid and CPR/AED. It's great, and we get paid.

So often we hear stories of accidents that could have gone bad if the person with didn't use CPR. Just recently, a boy got caught up in a rope in the garage and his dad started administering CPR right away. They say that he would have never made it if his father did act as fast as he did.

Thanks for the reminder, we all need it from time to time!

Wes said...

unless you are on a trail, get rid of those damn head phones :-) I got plenty of first aid training in the army. I can wrap somebody up like a mummy and immobilize them in no time!!

Julie said...

I've always wanted to take that course -- problem for me is accessibility. Mike has (through odd twists of fate) been the very first person at the scene of two accidents...He has paramedic training from years ago and helped out until the ambulance/police arrived.

You are right -- being prepared is a great thing.

TNTcoach Ken said...

Amen, we have to be certified to coach.

Dano said...

Being that I am a Trauma ICU nurse I like to think that I prepared to deal with emergencies. I have been first responder on a couple of accidents that my training has come in quite handy.

My cave diving instructor gave me some good advice that I have applied to my cycling. He told me to assume that the cave, an inanimate object, was trying to kill me, that will help keep me alert. When on my bike I assume that everyone is trying to kill me, it puts me in a defensive mind frame of mind and reinforces the need to pay attention.

I decided to invest in a road ID....it just arrived 2 days ago! A small price to pay for that peace of mind.

RockStarTri said...

I recently renewed my certification. The more who know this, the better. Good job!

Mel-2nd Chances said...

Definitely a great idea!!! I've thought about that often now being on the roads a lot more, either running or cycling! Good for you!

Nicole @ Geek Turned Athlete said...

I have to be CPR and AED certified to be volunteer, but I haven't taken a first aid course besides my lifeguard training. I need to get a road ID. Thanks for reminding me!!