First Aid can save lives. Someone knowing what action to take in an emergency can mean the difference between life and death. Learning the basics of first aid can help prepare you in advance to take control of a situation when an emergency occurs. This is one of the main reasons why people should do first aid training.

There are many reasons why people put off taking First Aid training even though they have the right intentions. Here are some of the more common ones:

• They think they are too busy to fit in another class in their busy schedules
• They don’t know how to start or where to go
• They think they already have enough first aid knowledge to deal with an emergency
• They are under the wrong impression that accidents usually happen to others and not to someone close like a family member, friends, or colleagues

If you ask any individual who has completed a First Aid training course if it was worth the time and effort the answer will always be “yes”. Here are 5 reasons why it is essential to have at least some basic First Aid knowledge:

First Aid can do much more than just save lives

While there is no doubt that First Aid training helps to save lives there is more to it than just that. Receiving First Aid quickly can help reduce a patient’s recovery time which could either cause temporary or long-term disability. If you are trained you will know how to remain calm when confronted with emergency situations and how to use simple acronyms as an aid to help recall the crucial steps you should take. Therefore, First Aid training will not only help you take control but make you more effective and confident when you need it most. If you're an event organizer, you should consider using event paramedic services in your events.

Enables you to increase patient comfort

Not all injuries or accidents require a trip to the hospital but that does not mean they don’t cause discomfort and pain to the injured person. For example, when a child is crying uncontrollably because of the pain from a bruised elbow or someone is suffering from a high fever, knowing how to act by simply applying well-known techniques such as a bandage or an ice pack correctly will help to relieve their discomfort. By remaining calm you also provide much-needed emotional support which reduces anxiety and makes the injured person feel more secure in the knowledge that someone is taking charge of the situation.

It provides you with the right tools to prevent a bad situation from becoming worse

In some emergency situations, if a person does not receive basic First Aid almost immediately, their condition can often deteriorate quite rapidly. Applying basic care as soon as possible can help stabilize a person until emergency medical help arrives. First Aid training will teach you what to do if no first aid kit is available. For example how to use basic household items as emergency tools in a crisis allowing you to cope with many different situations.

You will also learn how to collect and record vital data and information about the patient’s condition and about what happened. This information will help the emergency services save precious time when they arrive, allowing them to immediately attend to the patient. One can see how a First Aid-trained person can become a vital link in the chain of survival.

First Aid training creates the confidence to provide care when needed

Basic First Aid training allows you to be confident in the knowledge that you have the necessary skills and abilities to provide first aid assistance when needed. It also helps you reflect on your own personality and how you will react in difficult situations that may need the skills you were trained in.

First Aid training encourages safe and healthy living

One of the first things you learn during training is how to look after yourself and how to make your own safety a priority during an emergency. This has nothing to do with selfishness but rather with being practical. Keeping yourself safe enables you to provide assistance to others without needing help yourself.

You will also be taught the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and avoid how to avoid bad choices that could increase your risk of developing serious health problems like heart disease or chronic illness. Having optimal health helps you become more aware of your own safety and more alert to potential hazards in your surroundings that could cause you harm.