maddave said:
CPR for example can be anything ... 15 compressions to 2 breaths, 5 to one, 20 to three. Starts to look like a bookies board at the races.
A bookies board .. that made me laugh! :rolmao: Very true (the current thinking is 15:2 - at least it was 6 months ago).
Yes, I am a trained first aider - originally for the purpose of working as a martial arts instructor (mainly dislocated fingers, mild concussion and such like!), though more recently I've been training with St John's for health and safety purposes at work. Definitely something I would recommend, and I wholly agree with comments made here that everyone should have some basic first aid knowledge - the idea of teaching it in schools (possibly as part of PE classes?) is spot on.
That said, I know a couple of mountain rescue people (based in The Peaks) who agree that successful CPR is virtually impossible 'off the beaten track' - it's never once been successful for either of my friends, put it that way.
However, first aid up a hill, on a mountainside or in the great outdoors in general is obviously VERY different to first aid at work, or on the street. The resources are different, the weather plays merry hell, the emergency services are likely to be miles away (literally), and as a consequence of all this, you're likely to be much more panicked by the situation. Certainly not something to learn about 'on the fly' ...
Funnily enough, I'm actually (over)due to sign up for a mounatin first aid course at Plas Y Brenin (Snowdonia) - I've had this particular course highly recommended by a number of friends, as apparently it's one of the best in the UK - thought I'd mention this in case anyone else is interested.
PS: not sure if this is scare-mongering, but I've been warned there's a notorious part of the mountain first aid course that involves the use of hypodermic needles - make sense, unless you're particularly squeemish!
PPS: I would also recommend St John Ambulance for up-to-date first aid training.
G