World First Aid Day

Nestled in the lush green hills of the Himachal was a quaint, secluded village where a few families lived away from the humdrum of any city. It was so small that every family knew each other and was always with each other, be it a celebration or emergency. A little girl named Aisha lives in the village, known for her smartness and kindness. A sudden accident with her brother showed everyone how basic knowledge about first aid can help prevent severe injuries from transforming into tragedies. 

Her brother, while playing hide and seek,  fell on a rotten wooden plank and cut himself on a rusted nail which stuck out at a weird angle. Her parents panicked as the nearest clinic was a mile away and for the hospital, they had to drive to the nearest city. They were surprised to see Aisha as she calmly took out her first aid kit, slowly cleaned the wound with an antiseptic, put a small cotton on the wound to stop the bleeding, applied some ointment to ease the pain and closed it with a sterile bandage, all the while comforting and assuring her brother with her kind words.

Steadily, she followed all the steps she had learnt in school required to prevent further infection for the health and safety of her brother. Later when her parents took her brother to a doctor, his surprised response made them happy. The doctor commented that the wound was almost healed and there was no chance of further infection or problem. He just prescribed some ointments to prevent scarring and congratulated them for their daughter's knowledge and presence of mind. He further explained how first aid helps emergency preparedness and should be taught to everyone, young or old. 

What is First Aid?

First aid is usually defined as the primary medical assistance you can give to someone physically hurt, injured, or mentally unstable until the patient can seek sustained medical help. It can help improve minor conditions without being aided by any physician. Still, in severe cases, first aid assistance must be continued until the injured can access advanced medical assistance in a clinic or hospital. 

There are seven basic steps required to be followed  by the first Aider : 

To be able to go through these steps, you need to be prepared with a basic first aid kit that should include these everyday items: 

1. Tapes and Bandages
2. Unopened Sterile Gauze  Packets
3. Wipes and Swabs, preferably antiseptic
4. Antibiotic Creams
5. Ointment for treating Burns
6. Masks for rescue breathers
7. Cold Pack
8. Eyewash or Eyeshield
9. Information about local emergency contact numbers with address
10. Ready reference guide for first aid. 
11. Pack of fresh cotton
12. Handwash
13. Disposable Gloves and Over-the-counter medicines.
14. Antiseptic liquid

The importance of first aid is quite underrated, and more awareness is needed about its contribution to saving lives. That is precisely why 14th September has been declared World First Aid Day. This year will highlight the importance of first aid in saving lives. 

World First Aid Day: Totally Buzz-Worthy

Yes, to Gen Z, this day should be seen as a super “cool”  and “lit” way to give back to society by contributing to awareness and making the concept of WFAD viral in the digital world.

Some basic facts about WFAD that are noteworthy: 

1. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies started this global event in 2000. 
2. Since then it has been celebrated every second Saturday of September every year. 
3. Friedrich Esmarch is the father of modern first aid and has significantly contributed to developing first aid methods.
4. Did you know what First Aid means First Investigation Relief Symptom Treatment Arrangement Immediately Disposal?
5. The Red Cross, on every First Aid box, symbolises first aid. It originated from the 1864 Geneva Convention, representing medical services in war zones.

World First Aid Day, 2024, celebrates themes involving technology's contribution to creating awareness about first aid's importance in daily life. 

With smartphones accompanying everyone and laptops replacing paper and pens, the theme for 2024 emphasises spreading awareness about first aid knowledge via digital apps, online platforms, and other technical tools. This will make first-aid knowledge more accessible even to the remotest parts of the world. It encourages everyone to take advantage of this access to learn basic first-aid skills, save lives, and be emergency-ready.

World First Aid Day: The Ultimate First Aid Fest

This annual observance day encompasses all geographical boundaries. Both local and international organisations come together to highlight the importance of knowing basic first aid skills and their vital role in any emergency. September 14th has become a yearly event when everyone is motivated to learn and practise first aid methods and techniques. All around the world, various activities and workshops are held to teach how to offer immediate help during an emergency that may ultimately save lives and reduce medical complications.  

The World First Aid Day activities involve the following: 

Life-Saving Know-Hows

People, irrespective of caste, colour, creed and gender, come together this day to teach and learn to handle emergencies with calm composure. Knowing the basics of first aid makes a huge difference in any emergency no matter how big or small. It not only prevents unwanted loss of life but can also aid in reducing complications in later treatments. Simple wound cleaning or bandaging skills and knowing how to conduct cardiopulmonary resuscitation may always come in handy for your own family or fellow humans.  

Fostering Community Engagement

First Aid training, local events and workshops are arranged to unite communities. It helps spread skills and knowledge and makes more and more people emergency-ready. This way all feel prepared to deal with any emergency in neighbourhoods and workplaces.

Raising Awareness Among Adults

This day highlights the need for first aid education across all social strata. It reminds everyone that knowledge sharing should not be restricted to classes and schoolchildren. It is imperative for all to be aware and access first aid knowledge to make themselves ready for crisis or disaster. It harbours confidence among youngsters and seniors who learn how to act and react in an urgent situation.

Be At the Top of Emergency Game: 

While celebrating WFAD, people are encouraged to update and upgrade their first aid kits, review safety plans, and stay up to date with current advancements in first aid practices. This ensures that everyone is equipped with the latest information to better handle any evolving critical situations. 

Wrapping Up!

Be it a day or a year, first aid knowledge always helps and keeps you on your toes to dive into an emergency with confidence and the right tools. This is only possible if you understand the long-term implications of immediate medical assistance and its far-reaching effects in saving lives. World First Aid Day plays a vital role in creating awareness and spreading the required knowledge that helps individuals and communities to come together and contribute to responding to crises even before the medical team arrives. It is not just having the first AID kit ready with you but also the essential information about hospitals and physicians and their contact details which helps the first responders to shorten treatment gaps. Checking for mediclaim cards when an injured person is unconscious can give out a lot of information about his pre-existing disease and swing the treatment in the right direction.

If you have health insurance, it may help you access information about hospitals and physicians available nearby. Care Health Insurance’s Care Genie App gives you this information anytime, anywhere. Just download it on your mobile and you are good to go. These basics can make you an informed and confident first aider by helping you make the right decision at the right time and save lives.

>> Also Read: Guide to provide First Aid for Heart Attack in an Emergency

Disclaimer: The above information is for reference purposes only. Kindly consult your general physician for verified medical advice. The health insurance benefits are subject to policy terms and conditions. Refer to your policy documents for more information.