First Aid + A Reminder

I participated in a three hour First Aid workshop offered by our county last night. There were five of us, three women who worked in day care, a deputy chief of a police department and yours truly who was volunteered by the instructor, a paramedic, to play victim the whole session. Toink! Toink!! Toink!!!

From my experience last year, EMS - Emergency Medical Services, are reliably quick. I  still thought to learn First Aid anyway because "Hey, you never know!" I'm now familiar with implied consent in the first aid context, the good samaritan law, deciding whether to help or not given some legalities, what to say to a victim, when to just step back for various reasons, how to perform the Heimlich Maneuver on others and myself, keep a person awake when they shouldn't be falling asleep let's say after a concussion, the best spots to apply pressure to curb bleeding, to always stabilize the head and spine, recognize symptoms of a heart attack, check for medical bracelets... etc. It was all very riveting because the instructor used his actual experiences as examples - gun shot wounds, delivering a baby - where he had two victims to deal with as the father fainted and hit his head upon seeing the blood, hit and runs, DUIs, overdoses, domestic violence, deep cuts, broken bones, accidents .... freaky unexpected stuff. 

I encourage taking First Aid. I've mentally filed the knowledge and never want to recall and use it. This post is not to dole out first aid to do's because that's best left to the experts. 

What I do want to remember is the takeaway. Here is a dude who faces life taken away or suspends death on a daily basis. I asked how he felt about that. He proceeded to tell everyone that of course because it is his job, it can be numbing but conscientiously offers each given day to God because he's seen how IT can end anytime and can't say it won't happen to you or someone you know. The cop then uttered a cliche, because life is waaay too short, we have to actually live it you know. No aura of preaching here. These guys ought to know a little bit better given their professions.

I'm reminding myself that simply put -- NO TOMORROWS ARE PROMISED! 

CPR next!