Fourteen Uttlesford Ramblers attended an excellent first aid course at Lindsell Village Hall on 5th February, after a pleasant morning walk organised by Sarah Bennison. The course was presented by Tanya Bartram of Bartram First Aid Training in Saffron Walden and was free of charge for those attending.
Starting with a very useful tip about adding emergency medical information to a mobile phone, either Android or IPhone, (tap Emergency Number on the lock screen and then tap on medical information), Tanya explained how first aiders or medical personnel could easily obtain by these means essential medical information about an injured person from a locked phone, but nothing else. So that’s worth doing if it hasn’t been done already.
Tanya then explained the importance of clear location data for ambulance crews such as What3Words or OS Grid References and also advised walk leaders and others to carry a minimal first aid kit – just a couple of dressings, a few plasters, wipes, a small bottle of water for cleaning wounds and some Aspirin in case of a suspected heart attack to thin the blood. Otherwise, no lotions, potions or pills. If walkers choose to carry their own medications that’s fine.
Then we got down to the serious stuff about CPR and defibrillators, using mannekins as dummies and special training defibrillators, to avoid anyone being electrocuted. Kissing a mannekin was not for everyone but if one plucked up courage it was impressive seeing the chest actually expand. There is even a gadget available called a resuscitation shield which enables a first aider to blow into a mouth without the risk of anything nasty being returned by the patient. The pictures show the Ramblers at work, Murray being attended to successfully and being placed in the recovery position and Joerg likewise (but laughing at the same time).
Throughout the demonstration Tanya explained clearly the steps to be taken when first administering CPR, how to prepare a patient for defibrillation and how to assess if the patient is recovering.
After a break for much needed tea, coffee and a choice of delicious home made cakes from Sarah, Di and Anni, Tanya then discussed the kind of things that might be more likely to happen on a walk such as sprains, strains, fractures, bites, stings, ticks, Lyme’s Disease, tetanus and dehydration. Who would have thought that walking was potentially such a dangerous pastime?
Thanks were given to Tanya for presenting the course and to Sarah for booking the hall and organising the tea, coffee and cakes.
Martin Woodhead