Alice worked as a first aid trainer for more than ten years before transitioning into product management and joining the senior leadership team at Red Cross Training.
Katie’s first aid story
“If I hadn’t taken that first aid at work course, I honestly don’t know if I would’ve been able to help my partner in that moment.’’
Find out how Katie helped her partner who was unresponsive and not breathing.
Katie had previously attended a British Red Cross First Aid at Work training course in Southampton. Katie was at home when her partner who was working from home, had gone outside for some fresh air.
Katie added, “I heard a low rumbling sound coming from the garden. I went outside and saw that my partner had collapsed at the side of the house.’’
Katie shouted her partner’s name, but they didn’t move or respond when Katie shook their shoulders. Katie also noticed that her partner’s skin had begun to turn blue.
Katie remained calm and called 999 and began chest compressions, whilst the emergency call handler remained on loudspeaker.
Katie added, “Part of me wanted to run away, but the training that I received on my first aid course kicked in. I knew that I had to keep giving chest compressions until the emergency services arrived.’’
The paramedics arrived shortly afterwards, and Katie’s partner was transferred to hospital where they made a good recovery.
Katie added, “If I hadn’t taken that first aid at work course, I honestly don’t know if I would’ve been able to help my partner in that moment. It just proves how unpredictable life can be - you never know when you will need to use your first aid skills.’’
How to help someone who is unresponsive and not breathing
1. Check for breathing by tilting their head back and looking, listening and feeling for breaths.
- When a person is unresponsive, their muscles relax, and their tongue can block their airway so they can no longer breathe. Tilting their head back opens the airway by pulling the tongue forward.
2. If they are not breathing normally, call 999 as soon as possible.
3. Give chest compressions, and if you are willing and able to, give rescue breaths.
- Push the chest hard and fast at a rate of 2 pushes per second. Continue to push in this way until help arrives.
- Chest compressions keep blood pumping around their body helping to keep the vital organs, including the brain, alive.
Katie’s story is a powerful reminder that when the need arises, it’s often a family member or friend who will rely on your first aid skills in an emergency. Whether you're the designated first aider at work or simply want to refresh your training, now’s the perfect time to book a First Aid at Work course with British Red Cross Training.