What did you do today?

Today I saved someone's life...well not quite perhaps but let me please explain.

As I made my way into Melbourne town centre I came across a man lying on the floor in the shop 'Body Shop' having a diabetic attack. The staff were just helpless and his wife was screaming and panicking so I offered to help.

 

Now my First aid skills are very old however it's like riding a bike..right? They certainly came flooding back in an instant.

 

To make matters worse the man had collapsed on a flight of 3 stairs and was quite a big guy too. heavy! but he could not have been confortable. One of the staff was phoning an ambulance and I tried to organise the rest of the staff to help me move this man not only on a level ground but also on the side where he could have breathed more easily. That is until a woman passing by said she knew what to do and not to move him. The guy was lying on his back across stairs, could not breathe and fluid coming out of his mouth. I wanted him on a proper flat surface first and then get him on his side but no, she did not agree. She said she knew because her granddad went through the same thing. So I said OK.

 

I wish I had not as the first thing the ambulance man did when he arrived was what I'd wanted to do 10 minutes earlier. I was really upset with myself for having listened to her. One the first thing about first aid is to be assertive. I was not enough this time. I'll be if there is a next time!

 

Coming back to this man, once the ambulance men took over I left. They did not need me to get in the way! and I'm sure he is now making a full recovery.

 

So why this blog? Well first, in this age of high H&S awareness, I found it abysmal that no one in the shop knew what to do. Oh they looked pretty enough to try to sell goods to the general public but help them when in life threatening situation and in your shop, nope, no skills, no training, nothing! Shocking from a supposed worldwide caring business. Secondly and much more importantly, if you don't have first aid skillls, get some now. You never know when you might need them. It felt good to be able to help rather than walk by as sadly a lot of people did. And then if someone asks you "What did you do today" you might just find yourself answering..I saved someone's life!

 

Jean-Marie