First aid ignorance putting young lives at risk
| Following a number of recent stabbings in London, a British Red Cross survey shows young people are unaware of fundamental first aid techniques to help them tackle street violence. | | | 
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| When asked how to deal with a knife wound, 41 per cent of young people (11-14 years old) would have removed the knife from the wound, resulting in increased blood loss and six per cent would have pressed down on the knife in an effort to stem the bleeding. Less than half would have responded in the correct manner by leaving the object in the wound and pressing down on the surrounding skin to reduce bleeding.
Professor Matthew Cooke, professor of emergency medicine, Warwick Medical School said: "First aid is a basic life skill that everyone should learn. Taking action in the immediate aftermath of a serious wounding could help keep someone alive until the emergency services arrive.”
Vital life-saving skills
“These skills are easily taught and do not take long to learn. Saving a life is the most wonderful gift we can offer anyone. We all need this vital skill,” added Joe Mulligan, head of first aid at the Red Cross.
Currently, the Red Cross trains over 125,000 people, including 22,000 school children, in first aid every year. From September 2008, first aid will be introduced to the citizenship syllabus in secondary schools in England and Wales following the Red Cross’ Life. Live it. Campaign. The Red Cross is working with youth groups and Youth Offending Teams across the UK on programmes to reduce conflict and raise awareness of weapons.
How to deal with bleeding
More first aid tips
First aid training
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