Educating to save lives and help others

[ParamedicAndy]

Hi,

As a Dad to a 2 year-old daughter, as well as being a Paramedic and firefighter; I am becoming increasingly-aware that; although the fire service and what they do is very much in the conscience of children (through books, tv, and games); the opposite could be said for the ambulance service and its role.

I worry that we live in a society where children aren't taught cpr in schools, aren't given any first aid skills in schools, yet some will end up as carers to their parents, and the others will likely have to call on the ambulance service at some point; but have no point of reference through their childhood education as to what to do, or what to expect when my colleagues turn up.

Dr Raj is great, but he's only part of the story, that will involve either dealing with a medical emergency, or with the ambulance service at some point, and I want the fear of the unknown to be taken out of things.

My plan is to ask the likes of the BBC to see what they can do to address this issue, but I wanted to come here first: for thoughts and feedback. Do you want your children to know how to deal with serious medical emergencies? Do you want them to know about paramedics, the ambulance service and what they do, or are you happy with things the way they are?

Thanks in-advance,

Andy

Basic first aid - scalds, burns, bleeding etc. should be taught it schools.

It's shocking how many people think you should put butter on a burn, or that if you can wiggle your toes it shows you don't have a fractured leg.

If schools can't teach these things, then maybe TV and social media can.

Some schools do teach this in PSHE.

The issue is, there are so many things people think "should be taught in schools" - all worthy and all great if all dc could learn them, from First Aid to Budgeting to cooking to understanding interest rates / mortgages etc to Sign Language to Public Speaking to more physical exercise to more about politics etc etc etc

Yes, First Aid is a valuable skill - I'd agree with @MollyHuaCha that basic burns or cuts might be a better place to start. I think more 'information campaigns' through TV and social media (along the lines of the "Staying Alive" one recently, or the 'Stopo, Drop, Roll' one a few years back would be better.

Do you want your children to know how to deal with serious medical emergencies?
They do - through skills learned in Scouts. My dd2 recently received an award for her response in going to the aid of an elderly member of the public who fell in the High Street