Every time I get into the car I think about safety. What mum doesn’t? But this morning I started thinking about everyone on the road, not just our family, after I read that around the world there are more than a million road deaths each year, and 1266 in Australia last year. Yikes. But the good news is that like everything, there is a way that I can personally do my bit in reducing this.
Law or not, we belt up for starters. And drive safely. Dad taught me to drive not only for me, but for all the others on the road too. But even if I’m not in it, what if I witness an accident?
According to Australian Red Cross, up to 15% of motor vehicle accident deaths could be prevented, if first aid was administered before the ambulance paramedics arrived. We already know we’re superheroes. Yup, just call us Supermums! And if we learn first aid, together over five years, we could save over 1,000 Australian lives.
So, I’ve checked out what we can do and for starters, I found these 7 steps to learn.
Preparation can be as simple as remembering the basic life support acronym DRSABCD:
- D - Check for Danger
- R - Check for Response
- S - Send for help. Call 000
- A - Open Airway
- B - Check for normal Breathing
- C - Start CPR (30 chest compressions: 2 breaths)
- D - Attach Defibrillator
And with #WorldFirstAidDay fast approaching on September 8, I’m calling all Supermums to be prepared and book into an Australian Red Cross First Aid course (1300 367 428 or online) and make sure you have a first aid kit redcross.org.au / first aid kits in your car. It’s 2018 so get with the program, of course there’s also an Australian Red Cross first aid app for us tech savvy girls.
Why the Australian Red Cross? I chose them not only because that’s what they do, and have always done, but any income generated through Red Cross training and products also supports ongoing humanitarian work.
Leave a Reply