First aid true stories

Do you really need to learn first aid skills? How useful could they be in your day-to-day life? Read our true stories and see for yourself.

First aid true stories

First aid true stories

Even the simplest first aid skills can make a difference, but did you know only one in 20 people would know what to do in a first aid emergency?

Taking a first aid course and learning basic first aid skills means you could one day help someone in need. Here are just some of the incredible stories shared with us by people who have put their first aid skills to use in everyday life to help others.

Want to submit your own story? 

We love to hear how first aid skills have been used to help others. Your experience could inspire others to learn skills you've used in an emergency.

Share your story

Stephen’s story

“I remembered what to do because I had learned at first aid club.”

Because Stephen, aged eight, learned first aid at school, he was able to help a stranger who had collapsed on his street.

A close-up portrait of Stephen, who learned first aid in school from the British Red Cross and then used it to save a woman's life.

Leanne’s story

"How I helped my baby having a febrile seizure"

When Leanne spotted her baby having a febrile seizure, her first aid knowledge helped give her daughter the support she needed.

Lianne and her baby daughter Maia, who she helped during a febrile seizure thanks to British Red Cross first aid education.

Vikki’s story

"I never want to hear that sound again."

Mum Vikki describes the terrifying moment her baby daughter got burned.

First aid true stories

Tim’s story

"I knew I needed to remain calm."

Tim knew how to help when his colleague Tony was having a heart attack.

man-heart-attack-1084

Gemma’s story

"She wasn't making any noise at all"

When two-year-old Seven choked on a plastic toy brick, her mum Gemma remembered what she’d learned from a British Red Cross video on Facebook and acted quickly.

Mother looks fondly at her child.

Helen’s story

"Knowing first aid helped me save a motorcyclist’s life."

Helen' first aid knowledge saved a life when she helped a motorcyclist with a badly severed leg.

Helen Cowan, who helped a motorcyclist using first aid skills learned at a British Red Cross first aid course

Claire’s story

"I had to lean her forward, not back."

When it comes to nosebleeds, a lot of people aren't sure what to do. Luckily, Claire did and was able to help her daughter. 

An image of a mother holding her baby daughter, whose nosebleed she stopped using British Red Cross advice

Submit your own story

We love to hear from people who have helped in a first aid emergency. We share these stories in our first aid blog, on our social media channels, in our newsletters and sometimes in the media, as they help to spread the word about the importance of learning first aid. If you have a first aid story to share, please email us with the following details:

  • your name
  • telephone number
  • brief details about what happened

Consent and privacy


By emailing us your details you agree that a member of the British Red Cross team can contact you regarding your first aid story. Your contact details will be stored securely for as long as your story is used (with your consent) or until you request not to be contacted further, after which your details will be deleted. Your contact details will not be shared with any third parties. To find out more how we use your personal data, please look at our privacy policy.