THE most common way most of us would help save a life would be by rolling up a sleeve and donating blood.
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However, as one very fortunate resident discovered recently, there are occasions when direct and decisive intervention can save a life in a medical emergency.
The rescued had an opportunity to meet and thank her rescuer yesterday and both were generous enough to share with our readers the moment and the bond they now have.
For the woman who had a heart attack in Mulberry Lane, the first aid she received ultimately gave her a second chance at life and that changed her perspective on a lot of things.
It was a rare gift indeed. On another night, in another location, perhaps without someone trained and prepared to undertake resuscitation, she may not have survived.
Her guardian angel’s actions were as much about instinct as intent, but without the relevant training would she have had the confidence to take control of the situation and let instinct kick in?
We will never know the answer, but what is clear is that with first aid training she was able to lend assistance that almost certainly saved another human being’s life.
The emergency raises obvious questions about what others would have done in her place and what responsibility we all have to learn the basic first aid skills that could save a life.
For people working in a field where there is a heightened risk, such as at a pool, there would be a workplace requirement as well as a moral responsibility to learn life-saving and first-aid skills.
A similar case could be made for people heavily involved in sport, or for those who own a backyard pool.
But there is also the wider question of what all of us should know about potentially life-saving first aid.
Not everyone has the cool head or at times the courage to step into an emergency, but neglecting any of the training needed to lend assistance is a very poor excuse.