Terri Ramsey Beavers Want to become a real world superhero? Learning a few lifesaving skills could enable you to come to someone’s rescue when they need it.
In truth, many of us would much rather not be put in a situation where we have to save someone’s life. Many of us hope that if we ever were in such a situation, someone else nearby might have the skills and be able to intervene instead. However, this isn’t always an option. It’s possible that you may be put in an emergency situation where you are the only person available to offer help.
In this situation, knowing exactly what to do is crucial. Most of us have only a rough idea as to how to help someone who is having a cardiac arrest or choking. By learning the proper method of saving someone, who can react much faster and more confidently to an emergency situation if it arises without the fear of accidentally causing more damage.
Below are 7 examples of life-saving skills that are useful to know. Hopefully, you will never have to use them. But just in case, it’s worth having these skills at your disposal.
CPR
Only 1 in 10 people survive an out of hospital cardiac arrest. This is when the heart stops and a person stops breathing.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a first aid procedure that is used to restore blood circulation and breathing to someone who has had a cardiac arrest. It involves using chest compressions combined with artificial ventilation.
Contrary to what you see in movies, CPR alone is rarely enough to bring someone back to life. The goal is instead to keep a person’s blood pumping and maintain brain function until a paramedic arrives with a defibrillator. CPR increases the chance of a person being able to be revived with a defibrillator and also reduces the chance of brain damage when they come around. It is possible to learn separate AED training in order to use a defibrillator, however you may not always have one handy.
A basic life support (BLS) course can teach you how to perform CPR. How do I find courses in BLS near me? Try looking into voluntary aid societies and ambulance trusts in your area – these organisations will often run these courses.
The Heimlich manoeuvre
Many lives are claimed by people choking on food or other items. Knowing how to save someone who is choking can be a valuable skill.
The first thing you should do when helping someone who is choking is to encourage them to cough. If it is clear they can’t do this, bend the person forwards and provide five strong back blows between their shoulder blades in an attempt to dislodge the object. If this still doesn’t work, you may have to carry out the Heimlich manoeuvre.
Also known as abdominal thrusts, this technique involves standing behind a person and placing your arms around their waist, pulling your arms sharply inwards and upwards into their abdomen in order to dislodge the object. There are first aid courses that can teach the Heimlich manoeuvre in greater detail to ensure you’re getting the technique right.
An emergency airway puncture is an additional first aid skill you can learn in case the Heimlich manoeuvre does not work. However, this is much more risky and it is generally recommended that people don’t try this unless professionally qualified.
The recovery position
If someone is unconscious but breathing, it is a good idea to put them in the recovery position. This position can also be used to help someone recover who has recently had a seizure.
The goal of the recovery position is to roll someone onto their side in order to open up their airways and reduce the risk of choking if they vomit. The positioning of the arms and legs can stop them from rolling back over. There are many videos online that can teach you how to put someone in this position. First aid courses also teach it.
Tourniquet application
Many people die from blood loss following accidents. Learning how to reduce bleeding through pressure or bandaging is a useful skill. One advanced skill that may be necessary for heavy bleeding is a tourniquet.
A tourniquet involves wrapping cloth or another material around a limb or extremity in order to stop the flow of blood. When it comes to serious injuries, a tourniquet can be necessary for preventing heavy blood loss until a person is able to receive treatment from a medical professional.
There are videos that can teach you how to apply a tourniquet, but you may find that a first aid course provides greater detail.
Epinephrine injection
Severe allergic reactions can cause people to go into a state known as anaphylaxis. In this state, a person’s body may swell up, they may have trouble breathing and they may fall unconscious. Anaphylaxis can be deadly if epinephrine is not quickly administered. Most people with severe allergies will carry an epinephrine auto-injector in case they have an allergic reaction.
But how do you administer an epinephrine injection? Many people don’t actually know how to administer these injections. There are guides and videos online that can explain how to use an epinephrine auto-injector. This could be vital for saving someone.
Rescue knots
There are many situations where tying rope or fabric around someone may be necessary for rescuing them – such as lowering someone from the window of a burning building or rescuing someone from a mountain ledge.
Rescue knots are specialist knots designed to stay secure when pulling or lowering a heavy weight. Failing to tie the right knot could potentially lead it to come loose and cause someone to fall to their death. To prevent this from happening, consider learning some of these rescue knots.
Single armpit tow
Rescue swimming is another set of lifesaving skills beyond first aid that can be useful to know. It involves knowing how to save someone who is drowning or otherwise trapped in the water.
If someone cannot swim and you cannot throw anything out to them to grab onto or if someone is unconscious in the water, knowing the single armpit tow could be useful. This is a swimming technique used for carrying someone in the water while swimming. There are rescue swimming courses that can teach you this skill.
