Do you know basic first aid?

Midrand residents are urged that it is important that there should be someone who knows basic first aid in every home.

The City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Management Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said their Public Information Education and Relations unit is responsible to provide life and fire safety educational programmes to residents. Mulaudzi said, “We have basic emergencies safety and fire education centres based within the fire stations around the City, where residents can go for free educational lessons like CPR.”

Woodmead-based Hayley Rosenthal, founder of 1st CPR and a CPR trainer, said basic family first aid is very important, especially being knowledgeable on topics that people experience a lot in households such as choking, stopping a bleed, tooth injuries, difficulty breathing, bystander CPR. She explained, “It is so important because if people standing by don’t start pushing the chest of the person in need of CPR straight away, chances of professionals having a good outcome, as soon as they arrive, get slimmer and could increase chances of brain injury.”

She added, “Always have a home emergency response plan so that in an emergency, everyone knows which numbers to call, the information to give and highlight that this should be displayed in their homes for nannies and other carers and a copy given to grandparents. Further to this, if someone is on medical aid, a copy of the medical aid card should also be on this emergency response plan.”

For more information about the City’s training centres, contact 011 758 5050.
Details: Midrand Fire Station public education, Esther Zwane 011 375 5911.