First Aid News - April 2007

Essex Builder Gives First Aid to Stroke Victim
An un-named builder gave first aid treatment to a woman who suffered a stroke whilst driving her car in Newport. The lady in her early 60s suffered a stroke and crashed her car. The sound of the crash was heard by a nearby builder who raced to the scene to aid the woman.

Ambulance personnel congratulated the man for maintaining the woman's airway during the period that they were on their way to the scene. The woman was unconscious throughout and could have succumbed had the appropriate first aid not been given.

Whilst a stroke is clearly something for specialist hospital treatment, it can be seen above that it is vital to keep a patient's breathing going or it will simply not be an option to treat the main cause of the patient's condition.

Would you know how to keep someone's airway open? If not, check out ASTS's First Aid Training Courses and one day you may be the hero.