Alarming new research released by the British Red Cross shows that there is just a 50:50 chance that someone would be confident enough to help you in a first aid emergency

Ahead of World First Aid Day on 8 September, the British Red Cross is empowering the nation to learn five simple skills that could help save a life. These include how to help someone who is: choking, bleeding heavily, unresponsive and breathing, unresponsive and not breathing and having a seizure.

Research conducted with a sample of 2,004 UK adults, found that there was a worrying lack of confidence amongst the British public when it comes to stepping in to help in a first aid emergency:

  • Whilst most of us (88%) would want someone to come to our aid, only half (50%) of UK adults would actually feel confident about helping.
  • The majority of those asked (70%) said that they would worry about making things worse or doing something wrong.
  • Most worryingly, just 4% of people knew the correct first aid skills, and said they were both confident and likely to help someone in three of the most life-threatening scenarios - if bleeding heavily, unresponsive and breathing or unresponsive and not breathing.

Yet, during a life-threatening emergency, it is the actions of the first person on the scene that can mean the difference between life and death.

This was certainly true for popstar Myleene Klass, who last month took to social media to warn parents about the importance of first aid training, having saved both of her daughters from choking. After preventing her youngest daughter from swallowing a small piece of plastic six years ago, Klass has since had to save her 11-year-old daughter, Ava, from a choking incident.

Joe Mulligan, Head of First Aid at the British Red Cross, said: “We would all want someone to come to our aid if we were injured or ill, but the fact that so few people feel they have the knowledge and confidence to step in and help in the most serious first aid scenarios is concerning.

“The actions of the first person on the scene of a life-threatening emergency are vital. In the same way that everyone knows to call 999, it’s so important that people have the skills to act before the ambulance arrives.

“It’s normal to feel worried about the prospect of an emergency like this, but doing something is always better than doing nothing. Taking five minutes to learn these five simple skills will give you the confidence to act calmly, and could save someone’s life.”

According to a 2016 study commissioned by the British Red Cross and conducted by the University of Manchester, up to 59% of deaths from injury may have been prevented, had first aid been carried out before the arrival of emergency medical services.

It’s these saddening and worrying statistics that make it clear - we should all be able to act in the case of an emergency, to prevent unnecessary fatalities.

The Government has announced draft plans to make first aid education mandatory for all primary and secondary schools but, in the meantime - and indeed for the adult population of the UK - self-education is vital.

So, for World First Aid Day the British Red Cross is calling on the nation to be ready and to learn the skills that could help save a life.

How to help someone who is bleeding heavily

  1. Put pressure on the wound with whatever is available to stop or slow down the flow of blood.
  2. Call 999 as soon as possible, or get someone else to do it.
  3. Keep pressure on the wound until help arrives.

How to help someone who is choking

Someone who is choking may be clutching at their chest or neck and won’t be able to speak, breathe or cough

  1. Hit them firmly on their back between their shoulder blades. This will help to dislodge the blockage.
  2. Call 999 if necessary.

How to help someone who is unresponsive and not breathing

If someone is not moving and does not respond when you call them or gently shake their shoulders, they are unresponsive.

  1. Check if they are breathing by tilting their head back and looking and feeling for breaths.
  2. If they are not breathing, call 999 as soon as possible, or get someone else to do it.
  3. Give chest compressions: Push firmly downwards in the middle of their chest and then release.
  4. Keep pushing firmly at a regular rate until help arrives.

How to help someone who is unresponsive and breathing

If someone is not moving and does not respond when you call them or gently shake their shoulders, they are unresponsive.

  1. Check if they are breathing by tilting their head back and looking and feeling for breaths.
  2. If they are breathing, move them onto their side and tilt their head back. This will help keep their airway open.
  3. Call 999 as soon as possible.

How to help someone who is having an epileptic seizure

The person has collapsed and is making sudden jerking movements. They may also have froth around their mouth.

  1. Make them safe and prevent injury. Use a blanket or clothing to protect their head. Do not restrain them.
  2. After the seizure, help the person to rest on their side with their head tilted back.
  3. Call 999 if necessary.

The person needs urgent medical attention if:

  • It is their first seizure
  • The seizure lasts longer than five minutes
  • They have hurt themselves
  • You are unsure as to the cause of the seizure

If you can’t call 999, get someone else to do it.

Show your kindness and spend five minutes of your time learning five simple skills that could save a life. Find out more at British Red Cross.

And remember, knowing how to save someone physically isn’t the only way you can help. Mental Health First Aid training is also available, allowing you to support someone who may be in a mental health crisis.

To find out if there's a Mental Health First Aid training session near you, take a look at our events page.