Mr Kwame Apedzi, the Executive Director, St John Ambulance, Ghana (SJAG), has appealed to the Ministry of Education to include Emergency Medical Service (EMS) or first aid education in the syllable at the basic school level.

He said when people were educated from their formative stages on simple life saving interventions such as how to give Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), how to stop

bleeding, what to do when one faints or chokes, it would go a long way to help alleviate avoidable deaths.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, on Thursday, on the sidelines of the 78th Anniversary of SJAG, which fell on 24th June, Mr Apedzi said although the SJAG had been organising EMS education for basic schools, it could not cover all of them hence the need for such education to be incorporated into the school curriculum.

“Although, we know that the curriculum at the basic level is choked, we believe that since EMS can be used to save lives, it would be very helpful if it could be added to the curriculum for those at the basic level so that they can grow with that knowledge,”, he suggested.

He said because of the lack of knowledge on basic EMS provision or first aid by Ghanaians, many people continued to lose their lives when they could have been saved by very simple medical interventions.

He explained that SJAG, as a member of the Order of St John, a major international charitable organisation, was focused on the alleviation of human suffering.

In collaboration with St John UK, he said, this is done through the training and provision of first aid services, disaster management preparedness, ambulance services, community health and youth development – by giving the youth skills acquisition platform.

Mr Apedzi said SJAG was established in Ghana by the then colonial or British Police in 1937, with a governing council which was established by Act of Parliament (Act 57 of 1959).

He said for the past 78 years, it had rendered charitable services to humanity, trained millions of the workforce in first aid, provided emergency services to victims of disasters and provided first aid cover at national and corporate meetings.

”We have also played host to and trained employees of the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and continue to provide professional development to our internal stakeholders”, he added.

He cited lack of funding from the Ministry of Health, lack of ambulances, and inadequate training equipment as some of the major challenges facing SJAG.

On the organisation’s outlook, he expressed satisfaction with the rate at which people were embracing first aid and emergency medical service provisions and seeking training as well as requesting for professional services.

He expressed hope that SJAG would have its fair share of the ambulances that the Government was importing and supplying to agencies and departments.

First Aid at the basic school level!!! Yes sir. We at Canberra First Aid agree 100%. First aid skills are some of the most important that can be learnt and can help save somebodies life. We have been contacted on numerous occasions when some of our past students have used their new skills.

Come and complete a first aid course with us today so that you are prepared. We offer student discounts, we allow all participants and we will make you feel comfortable and welcomed into our first aid classes.

By Yusra Salim

Published: June 25, 2015

KARACHI: 

The doctors who are treating an unprecedented number of heatstroke patients in the unforgiving heat of Karachi feel many lives could have been saved had people known how to administer first-aid.

“The main reason behind the deaths is because people are unaware of the precautions and initial medical aid,” said Indus Hospital’s communication and resource development manager Saqib Zeeshan as he distributed chilled water bottles and juices among the attendants waiting in the park outside the health facility. “In my life, I haven’t experienced any situation like this in Karachi.”

According to the head of Indus Hospital’s emergency department Syed Ghazanfar Saleem, heatstroke is not the first and final stage, but it is the third stage and can be prevented if the patient knows what to do.

Heat stroke is actually the third phase of the ailment, said Saleem, adding that a patient or his attendant should start to worry when they feel heat cramps or heat exhaustion. “Every patient who is suffering from heatstroke has gone through the earlier two phases of cramps and exhaustion, which causes nausea, vomiting, rashes and dizziness,” he said.

If someone in your house or neighbourhood complains of redness across their body or they faint, take them to a doctor, keep them hydrated and give them ORS instead of water so that the body is able to maintain body salts, he advised. “The age bracket, which is mostly affected by heat, is toddlers or old people who are more than 50 years old,” he added.

Saleem admitted that a majority of the people who came for treatment had no idea what to do with the patient on the way to the health facility. “You can give them ORS, remove unnecessary clothes and sponge them with a wet towel on their face, underarms, thighs and neck,” he said.

A heatstroke patient can never be treated at home and should be taken to a hospital as soon as possible. “Heatstroke is a medical emergency when the temperature of the body rises up to 41 degrees or 106 Fahrenheit,” he explained. “A patient takes around 12 to 24 hours to reach normal temperature, which is 36 to 38 degrees. Their temperature should be checked frequently and they should be kept under a fan or an air-conditioner.”

The protocol at the hospital is also simple. “When any patient comes to us, we first try to keep him hydrated,” said the doctor. For the toddlers and elderly, the doctors insert a tube through their nose, mouth or the urinary track to their stomach to water the body.

As Indus Hospital received a large number of patients from Ibrahim Hyderi, Korangi, Landhi and other nearby areas, its administration decided to convert its three general wards into air-conditioned emergency wards. “We have discontinued all OPD’s and converted them into emergency wards to make more space for heatwave patients,” said Zeeshan.

Since Sunday night, these doctors have treated nearly 900 patients who suffered from heatstroke. The total number of casualties at Indus was 43, out of which 19 were dead on arrival.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 26^th, 2015.

There have been some tragic tails in the last month from India and Canberra First Aid course has been keeping a close eye on the country since traveling as a tourist last year.

Make sure you can treat for heatstroke/hyperthermia. We at Canberra first aid course will teach you the main ideas and how to treat them. We wish the Indian community all the best in the future. A beautiful country full of great people.

If an accident occurs, make sure you have a first aid kit at the ready that’s fully stocked with the essentials.

Yahoo7 Lifestyle

June 23, 2015, 10:00 pm

Does your family have a first aid kit handy?

Do you have a family first aid kit? If you don’t, it’s time to make sure you stock your cabinet, car and camping bag with these essential items that will come in handy should any accidents occur.

1. Triangular bandages
   Usually made from a metre square of cotton or calico folded diagonally, triangular bandages can be used in various ways as a sling or for immobilisation of broken bones and soft tissue injuries.
2. Crepe (conforming or elastic) ‘roller’ bandages 
   Commonly used to securing a dressing in place on a wound, maintaining pressure over a bulky pad to control bleeding, supporting an injured limb or joint, applying pressure to a limb in circumstances such as a snake bite.

3.Sterile non-adherent dressings 
Sterile wound dressings should be opened carefully with clean or gloved hands so as to avoid contamination of the wound it is to be placed over. For controlling bleeding, dressings must be bulky to ensure adequate pressure is applied over the wound.

4. Disposable gloves 
   It’s imperative when giving first aid to minimise the risks to yourself, the patient, and any bystanders. Wherever possible, wash your hands in soapy water or a hand sanitiser then apply disposable gloves (preferably non-latex) before touching a wound, blood or other bodily fluids. If there is no time to obtain or apply gloves, place your hands in plastic bags and use the patient’s hands to apply pressure to serious bleeding wounds.
5. Thermal blanket
   Usually waterproof and windproof, a first aid thermal blanket is used to prevent or counter hypothermia and can also be used to comfort patients suffering shock.
6. Plastic bags of varying sizes
   Re-sealable bags can house all your smaller first aid items, whilst bigger plastic bags can be used to hold ice, snow, or cold water for cooling strains and sprains.\

7. Adhesive tape (2.5cm wide)
   Probably the most versatile of all first aid kid supplies, adhesive tape can be used to hold gauze, pads or bandages in place, or to help splint broken bones. It’s also useful to cover blisters, whilst small strips of tape can help hold cuts together while the patient awaits stiches or further treatment.
8. Resuscitation mask or face shield
   Face masks or face shields act as an infection barrier for first aiders performing artificial respiration in CPR, although the risk of transmission of disease by CPR is extremely low and first aiders are most likely to have to perform CPR on a relative. These devices can also complicate the process of CPR or cause the first aider to inappropriately focus on the mouth-to-mouth aspect of CPR (when chest compressions are the most important). The current advised rate of chest compressions to breaths in CPR is 30 compressions to 2 breaths.
9. Hand sanitiser
   It’s extremely important to minimise infection when applying first aid. Wash your hands with a hand sanitiser and then apply gloves whenever possible.
10. Antibiotic ointment
    A good antibiotic ointment should be used to dab on cuts and scrapes to prevent infection. For fresh wounds be sure to wash first with cool, running water (avoid soap as it can irritate wounds). Once the wound is clean, dab on some antibiotic ointment and cover with a sterile pad or bandage.
11. Antiseptic solution 
    Antiseptic solutions are essential to the effective first aid treatment of open wounds, cuts and grazes. The sooner first aid is applied the lesser the risk of the patient suffering long term scarring or infection.
12. Eyewash solution
    Eyewash solutions offer quick soothing relief from emergency eye irritations such as dust, sand, sawdust, insects or other similar foreign particles.

13. First aid manual
Make sure you have access to an easy to use first aid manual to ensure the patient is given adequate attention in an emergency whilst awaiting professional medical assistance.

Canberra First Aid and Training can provide you with a first aid kit withh all of the products listed and more. We have the cheapest first aid training in Canberra and with all of our courses you will receive a free first aid manual and cpr facemaks.

June 25, 2015 – 2:09PM

Megan Levy

A lone bluebottle is terrorising the shores of New Jersey in the US.

One of the marine creatures, so synonymous with summer at Australian beaches, washed up on the sand in Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Island on Sunday. Panic ensued.

So great was the concern that it prompted a warning from lifeguards, scores of news stories about the creature, known in the US as a Portuguese Man o’ War, while “Harvey Cedars, New Jersey” was trending on Facebook in the days after the discovery.

The bluebottle, or Portuguese Man O’ War, that washed up on the beach in New Jersey. Photo: Harvey Cedars Beach Patrol

One NBC reporter crossed to the studio live from the very beach where the bluebottle washed up, describing it as a “creature with a sting so severe and so painful it can be deadly”.  The segment was entitled “Scare at the shore”.

“I was very surprised, honestly. I’ve never seen anything like that so it scared me a lot,”  said beachgoer Chrystal Geier from the safety of the sand. She wasn’t venturing into the water.

Scientists at the Australian Museum examined the photograph of the creature from New Jersey, and said it appeared to be the same species as the one commonly seen at Australian beaches.

Most seasoned Australian beachgoers have encountered the painful welts of a bluebottle sting, and thousands of the creatures can wash up onto Australian beaches when the right wind prevails.

(Hey, New Jersey. That’s not a bluebottle invasion. This is a bluebottle invasion)

To be fair, in the US the creatures are usually found in warmer waters further south off the coast of Florida, so swimmers in New Jersey would be completely unfamiliar with them.

Martyn Robinson, a naturalist at the Australian Museum, said the float size on a bluebottle could vary significantly.

Their movement was dependent on the wind and current, as well as their bladder, which could be inflated to catch the wind.

“The dependence on the wind and current for their movement can mean they blow all around the world, but mainly they are found in tropical and sub-tropical waters,” he said.

“In Australia when we get north or north-easterly winds onshore in summer, that’s when the bluebottles are a problem for us.

“If the wind blows them onto the shore, that’s a disaster for them.”

Make sure you understand how harmful sea creatures can sting you and how to treat them with the right first aid procedures. Although not found in Canberra all of you are aware of many occasions when they cover the beach at Batemans Bay. Do a first aid course in Canberra with Canberra First Aid Courses and we will teach you all about the treatment of the blue bottle and other sea creatures. Canberra First Aid will give you the best first aid course in Canberra in regards to time, efficiency and skills learnt. Our hands on approach is loved by all participants.

UberFIRST-AID
Brand: Uber
Team: Andrea Raia, Andrea Zanino, Pierpaolo Bivio and Francesco Sguinzi
School: Fondazione Accademia di Comunicazione, Italy

Summary: In large cities, the average response time for emergency services is more than seven minutes – which can be the difference between life and death. With the rapid growth of Uber fleets in major cities, Uber cars can arrive at a person’s location in about three minutes. This program would provide Uber drivers with certified first aid training and equip them with lifesaving first aid kits. When 911 receives a medical emergency, the closest Uber car is notified. Once at the scene, the driver can provide first aid until the ambulance arrives.

An exceptional video in the first aid training field. With uber arriving in Australia and Canberra it would be a great idea to incorporate this training here also and the introduction of AED’s into vehicles in the Canberra region.

Canberra First Aid courses are provided at an already low rate but we would like to hear from you if you are driving for uber and interested in providing this service.  

BY CARIMAH TOWNES POSTED ON JUNE 17, 2015 AT 3:08 PM UPDATED: JUNE 17, 2015 AT 4:40 PM

When Cleveland police shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice within seconds of driving up to him in a park, they failed to provide medical assistance for nearly four minutes. Even if they had tried to help Rice earlier, the CPD officers didn’t have a first-aid kit with them. A seven-month long investigation of the shooting concluded that one FBI agent eventually tried to administer medical assistance, but he only had rubber gloves at his disposal.

Now, thanks to an agreement between the city and DOJ, Cleveland officers are required to keep kits in their vehicles.

Most police departments give cops medical equipment, but four months ago WKYC-TV discovered Cleveland officers didn’t have the tools to administer aid, including first-aid kids and defibrillator machines. In compliance with a federal mandate following the DOJ investigation of the CPD, the city just acquired 800 kits — which come with tourniquets, chest seals, scissors, and gauze, and other basic supplies. They are the same ones used by the U.S. military, and 300 hundred of them will be placed in every one of the CPD’s zone vehicles.

“They are there to protect and serve. How can you do either if you don’t have first-aid kits?” asked Walter Madison, the Rice family lawyer. “Who knows what would have happened if the police gave him life-saving measures? There’s no telling if Tamir would still be here if those officers had acted with the same level of care as you saw the federal agent.”

The distribution of first aid kits is a step in the right direction, but the CPD’s prior lack of medical equipment speaks to a larger problem of its inadequate training. According to the DOJ’s scathing report of the department, officers resort to excessive force and have accidentally shot the wrong people. In some cases, they didn’t even mean to fire their weapons.

But lack of preparedness isn’t limited to the CPD. In many instances, officers across the country wind up hurting the people they’re called to protect.

For example, half of the people killed by police have a mental illness — many of whom were shot after a family member called law enforcement for assistance. Such was the fate of Jason Harrison, who was shot within seconds of police arriving at his door, and 18-year-old Keith Vidal who waswielding a small screwdriver. Experts attribute the alarming trend to a lack of adequate training. Some departments deploy special teams of officers and mental health professionals to deescalate situations involving people with mental illness, but standard police tactics, such asbarking orders and using excessive force, can actually agitate people in the midst of an episode.

Officers also often end up escalating situations with children. For instance, Rice’s 14-year-old sister was handcuffed at the scene as her brother bled on the ground. In the same vein, a newreport, found that children who witness an arrest of a parent experience trauma, stress, and fear. But most cops aren’t taught how to approach kids. They don’t know what signs to look for or how to connect kids with helpful resources. Experts with Office of Justice Programs Diagnostic Center (OJPDC) and Strategies for Youth, which co-authored the report, also agree that cops should avoid drawing their weapons and using handcuffs around children. But incarcerated parents said cops pointed weapons or handcuffed them in front of their kids — without explaining to the children what was happening and why.

Canberra First Aid can supply you or your business with first aid kits so that you have the equipment needed to help in an emergency situation. We have a wide range at the best prices. We also complete the best and cheapest first aid training courses on a weekly basis. Book in now on our website www.canberrafirstaid.com or call us on 0449746357.

June 2, 2015
Kasey Edwards

“You’ll never have sex again if you look like that!” screamed the personal trainer. His abuse was targeted at a woman who had made the mistake of entrusting him to help her exercise.

This story came from a client of clinical psychologist Louise Adams. “She was in pieces after that comment. It took her weeks to recover,” Adams says.

This anecdote is just one of many examples that confirmed what Adams, who runs a weight management clinic, has long suspected. People don’t avoid exercise because they don’t like exercising. They avoid it because they don’t like their bodies – and they fear the way other people will judge their bodies.

And now there’s research to back this up. A survey of 1400 people conducted by Nine Rewards for Curves has found that one-in-three Australians are avoiding exercise altogether because they’re embarrassed to be seen exercising. Forty-six per cent of respondents said they have had feelings of anxiety at the thought of attending a gym.

Adams blames what she calls the “pornification of exercise” for contributing to people’s avoidance of physical activity.

“Part of why people are anxious about exercising is because we are supposed to be sexy and physically perfect when we do it. We see images of women in tiny shorts and crop tops and this makes people feel inadequate,” Adams says. “Research shows that the more we are exposed to images of physical perfection, the more depressed and angry we get. This doesn’t motivate; it makes us feel worse and we want to hide.”

At the other end of the spectrum, we’re bombarded with unflattering pictures of fat people and ‘public health’ messages about how they’re going to die untimely deaths. And as numerous failed anti-obesity advertising campaigns highlight, fear and shame don’t help people make healthy decisions in the long term.

Former trainer for The Biggest Loser and director and trainer at Melbourne’s Urban Workout, Andrew Meade says that the exercise industry is often a terrible ambassador for health and wellness.

“It perpetuates the stereotype of ego-maniac meatheads who are unbalanced and totally obsessed with their bodies,” says Meade. “There needs to be more places for people to work-out in a comfortable environment where they won’t feel judged all the time.”

One-third of survey respondents also said that they feared getting hurt at the gym, which is not surprising given the mythology that exercise has to be painful to be beneficial.

Far from being motivational, ‘fitspiration’ and ‘thinspiration’ quotes like “Go hard or go home” and images of people who have been sedentary for 20 years crying and vomiting from the exhaustion of pulling trucks on shows like The Biggest Loser are turning people off exercise.

“People should be pushed to a level that is adequate for them, rather than smashing a person so hard that they leave by crawling down the stairs. They’re not going to enjoy it or want to come back if they can’t walk the next day,” Meade says. “But there is a belief in the industry that we need to punish people during a workout. It’s totally unnecessary and it’s something that the industry needs to address.”

People’s fear of being hurt during exercise is not unfounded.

Physiotherapist and author of Fit Not Healthy, Vanessa Alford questions the education of some personal trainers, saying that many lack the knowledge to keep their clients safe.

“It scares me how little knowledge some personal trainers have in the areas of anatomy, physiology, musculoskeletal conditions and rehabilitation,” says Alford, who has taught the Diploma of Fitness. “Extensive knowledge in these areas is essential to ensure exercises prescribed to clients are appropriate, safe and effective.”

Based on the research, it would appear that the fitness industry is the worst bunch of people to promote exercise to the general population. The toxic exercise culture that it perpetuates – abusive personal trainers, intimidating gym environments, ‘no pain no gain’ attitudes, and the obsession with aesthetics – is a major reason why people don’t want to exercise.

“People need to motivate themselves from kindness rather than fear and shame,” says psychologist Louise Adams. “The literature shows that lasting health behaviours come from self-care, from being your own best friend. That’s what is missing in the exercise industry.”

Still, Adams is optimistic that things are changing. She is running workshops to help people reframe exercise from a punishment to an ongoing process of self-care. She says there has been a lot of interest in the workshops from the fitness industry, which suggests that some people are beginning to realise that the current approach of being mean to people to get results is not only bad for clients, it’s also bad for business.

Kasey Edwards is a best-selling author.

With so many stories and so much information flooding the media its hard to know where next. All I can say is that heart attacks are very serious and all of the information brings me back to the fact that exercise helps make the heart stronger.

Canberra First Aid takes part in many fitness and fundraising events in Canberra from the Relay for Life to the Mothers Day Classic. Get out and about people exercise is an important part of life. 

We can also provide you with the best first aid course in Canberra to help in case a sudden cardiac arrest takes place near you. Don’t pay more than $115 for a first aid course in Canberra. We provide you with the knowledge and training to provide CPR for children, infants and adults and everyone will get to practice and also use our defibrillators. So for the best first aid course in Canberra call us now on 0449746357

Explore Australia’s coolest capital this winter

During the Australian winter, make time to discover the coolest Australian capital city and explore the Australian National Collection in Canberra.

Whether your children are adventure seekers, budding scientists or creative types there’s something that will appeal to every kid in Canberra during these winter school holidays.

Skate in the city

Experience the beauty of winter in the heart of Canberra on an open air ice skating rink for Skate in the City. This month-long event from 26 June to 26 July features dress up nights for the whole family, markets with food and kid’s activities, and ‘come and try days’ for ice hockey and broom ball. Kids will also love playing in the snow box in Garema Place.

Winter games

Inspire your little sporting dynamo with an athlete-guided tour of the Australian Institute of Sport and learn what elite athletes undertake to make it in their sport. Test your sporting skills at Sportex, an interactive sports experience that will have you kicking footballs, playing wheelchair basketball and racing a friend in a simulated ski race.

Snow play

In winter, Corin Forest Mountain Resort transforms into a winter wonderland, the perfect setting for Canberra’s only snow experience with snow play. Build a snowman, go tobogganing and start a snowball fight at Corin Forest in the Tidbinbilla Mountain Ranges, a 45-minute drive from central Canberra.

Rediscover dinosaurs

Roar with the dinosaurs at the National Dinosaur Museum in the Gold Creek Village these school holidays. You’ll find lots of animatronic dinosaurs as well as models and skeletons on display and your children can touch a 150-million-year-old dinosaur bone. Join one of their expert staff to experience a journey through time on a fun and educational weekend tour.

Hang with Australian icons

Take some time with the family and explore the collection at the National Portrait Gallery. Experience the gallery while participating in activities like Drawn in, Portrait Play and Story Time that the whole family can enjoy together. Children aged 9-13 years can also take part in a photography workshop and create a photographic self-portrait experimenting with pose, expression, costume and symbols.

Australian flora rediscovered

Be amazed on an afterDARK Lantern Tour of the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Take part in a lantern making workshop then embark on a fascinating night tour of the Gardens with your own ranger guide; what a wonderful way to spend a winter evening in the nation’s capital.

A truly touching experience at the zoo

Go behind-the-scenes at the National Zoo & Aquarium with a Zooventure or Family Tour. Be brave and take part in an animal encounter to get up close and personal with some of the world’s most amazing creatures like cheetahs, sharks, sun bears, white lions and red pandas. During the school holidays the Zoocation program offers a unique experience for primary aged children. During a fun-filled day, children will get up close and personal with many of the zoo’s animals, play games, make toys for the animals, and maybe even learn something along the way.

Book in to WordPlay

Drop in to the National Library of Australia’s kids’ space to read, write, illustrate and imagine. WordPlay offers a range of fun activities exploring the shape, meaning and use of language from 13-19 July. Take your children or grandchildren to the new monthly Friends of the National Library of Australia Storytime, 18 June and 16 July, where they will delight in hearing some of their favourite books and discovering new ones.

Drop in to the National Library of Australia’s kids’ space to read, write, illustrate and imagine. WordPlay offers a range of fun activities exploring the shape, meaning and use of language from 13-19 July. Take your children or grandchildren to the new monthly Friends of the National Library of Australia Storytime, 18 June and 16 July, where they will delight in hearing some of their favourite books and discovering new ones.

Money making

At the Royal Australian Mint you can see one of the world’s strongest robots make Australian coins. Count the 5 cent coins in the staircase and marvel at the giant colourful coins above your head. See fascinating coins from way back in history including tricky forgeries. You’ll be inspired to start your own coin collection and you can even make your very own coin in the Mint Coin Shop.

Street food and cool eats

Kick back with the family at Braddon’s newest niche The Hamlet and take your pick from a range of delicious food vans like BrodDogs, Mr Papa and April’s Caravan. The new urban village on Lonsdale Street has become home to a fantastic array of street food vendors and foodies have been beating a path to The Hamlet’s door since they set up shop on the vibrant street.

Seriously cool science

No family trip to Canberra is complete without experiencing the excitement of Questacon, home to more than 200 hands-on exhibits. At Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre you can free fall down a six-metre slide, experience an earthquake and star in a Spectacular Science Show. Explore colour, movement, light and sound in the Wonderworks gallery where you can freeze your shadow, make beautiful light patterns by dancing, or create your own unique Harmonograph artwork to take home.

Taken from Visit Canberra.com.au

There is only one other thing that I could suggest in the greatest city in the world… Get yourself booked in to a First Aid Training Course in Canberra with Canberra First Aid. Our new training room at The Tradies Dickson is always warm and will give you the option of a cheap schnity for lunch.

Canberra First Aid prides itself on calling Canberra home and gives back to the community by helping out with community programs and fundraisers.

So get yourself on to our website at www.canberrafirstaid.com and book in to the best first aid training in Canberra.

By Julie Carey
View Comments (0) | Email | Print
(Published Friday, Jun 12, 2015)
Working on a garbage truck is not the most glamorous job, but one public works employee in Vienna, Virginia, is getting a lot of praise after he helped rescue a stricken woman along his route.
Gul Nabi didn’t hesitate to give potentially life-saving help because every Vienna town employee receives first aid training.
Nabi is normally assigned to the street maintenance team but last week he agreed to sub on a trash truck. He noticed a woman who appeared upset walking out of her house,
“I see the woman walk from the home. I see her walk is different,” said Nabi.
The woman — Jane Evans — was alone in her home doing a crossword puzzle when she took a pill that it didn’t go down. She pushed her medical alert pendant but then became fearful.
“I just panicked,” said Evans. “Actually I was thinking, I cannot die on a pill because how are they going to explain that to my sons, so at some point I realized I needed help, so I went outside.”
Evans’ plan was to get to her neighbor house for help. She saw Nabi first and gestured to him to come over.
“I was pointing to my neighbor’s house and he started to turn and then he said, ‘No!,'” Evans recalled. “He said stand up, put your hands up and then … I was alive.”
Nabi had performed a textbook Heimlich maneuver.
“I said what happened. She said, ‘I’m choking.’ I said, ‘OK, you don’t mind if I do something?'” said Nabi.
Once the pill was dislodged, Nabi did go get Evan’s neighbor, and then it was back on the trash truck.
When Evans called town hall to praise Nabi, she learned why he reacted so quickly. All 180 Vienna employees are required to get first aid, CPR and AED training every other year. The idea behind the decade-old policy — town workers, especially sanitation, public works and inspectors — are everywhere the public might need help.
“Training every two years we’re hopeful if something happens, they won’t panic, and this is proof they can go out there and do it,” said Mary-Beth Bustle, a Vienna employee who has been trained to teach the classes.
Even so, Evans is impressed with what Nabi did for her.
“He recognized the problem, he knew what to do and he did it, not worrying whether he’s going to get sued down the road,” she said. “He saw somebody in distress and helped them. I think that’s admirable in today’s society.”
“She feels good. I feel good, too,” Nabi said. “I say thanks, God!”
It’s not the first time a town worker has stepped in to give first aid, Bustle said. Another trash truck worker saw someone in distress in a gas station parking lot. “Someone was holding them up in a way that cuts off air flow. He laid them down. He did not have to perform CPR but he calmed the person and got emergency there,” said Bustle.

The great work that can be done by the general public in an emergency situation. Make sure you get first aid training in Canberra. Canberra First Aid and Training can provide you with the skills to save a life by completing one of our first aid training courses.