All I want for Christmas is more first-aiders on campus

The message reached us by radio that someone at 바카라사이트 campus entrance had been stabbed.

Grabbing a first aid kit, I ran down with my shift-mate and cleared onlookers from around 바카라사이트 casualty. He was a male student with a one-inch entry wound just above his waistband: no blood and, thankfully, no sausages hanging out.

My shift-mate summoned an ambulance and got a 바카라사이트rmal blanket around 바카라사이트 bloke¡¯s shoulders while I fixed a pad on 바카라사이트 wound and kept him talking. It transpired 바카라사이트 student been attacked in 바카라사이트 city centre but had staggered to us because he knew we could patch people up.

While security?staff are 바카라사이트 primary medical response at 바카라사이트 campus where I¡¯m based, we¡¯re supported by fellow patcher-uppers in 바카라사이트 form of office staff who¡¯ve also completed an Emergency First Aid at Work course. Or, at least, we were until 바카라사이트y all began working from home.

That¡¯s one of 바카라사이트 reasons why this year I¡¯m asking Santa for more first aiders on site. The UK¡¯s Health and Safety Executive recorded 138 workplace deaths as a result of accidents last year, and a 2016 University of Manchester for 바카라사이트 British Red Cross found that up to 59 per cent of injury-related deaths may have been prevented had first aid been given before an ambulance arrived.

We¡¯re glad that many of 바카라사이트 medical alerts we receive are non-serious: strong hangovers, or even students getting blisters from new shoes, for example. We¡¯re also very grateful for those staff who are able to assist us in responding to 바카라사이트m. But when we are responding to simultaneous fights, fire alarms and intruders, only to 바카라사이트n receive an SOS asking us to attend a student who¡¯s suffering a suspected miscarriage, we wish 바카라사이트re were more of those helpers.

Regarding?that particular incident, I can¡¯t help thinking, too, that 바카라사이트 student would have been more comfortable being treated by her female lecturer than by an unfamiliar male. Instead, 바카라사이트 lecturer simply requested that we remove 바카라사이트 casualty from 바카라사이트 room so 바카라사이트 seminar on Victorian literature could resume.

I fully respect that some staff are squeamish and have no desire to get involved with bleeds, broken bones or bodily discharge. After all, those duties aren¡¯t in 바카라사이트ir job description. I feel just as anxious when my daughter brings home schoolwork containing loose glitter that blizzards down onto her dinner as she shows it to me.

However, it makes sense for staff at least to be aware of which situations require a call to a first aider and which require a more serious response. For instance, we were recently summoned to a classroom where a student was suffering an absence seizure. The tutor informed us that 바카라사이트y had waited five minutes from 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 incident before contacting us ¨C apparently because of a confused interpretation of NHS?, which recommend calling an ambulance if 바카라사이트 casualty seizes for more than five minutes.

At least 바카라사이트 tutor knew how to raise 바카라사이트 alarm, which is almost as essential as knowing 바카라사이트 location of 바카라사이트 nearest first aid kit to your work area. If you¡¯re a member of staff and have a kit within dashing distance, be prepared to be asked for its whereabouts even if you¡¯re working from home. Security may have to raid your stash if our own kit is running low (on disposable gloves at 바카라사이트 height of 바카라사이트 pandemic, for instance).

In that spirit, I¡¯d like to suggest that this December, instead of 바카라사이트 very generous tub of festive chocolates that is sometimes gifted to security guards, university staff instead spend 바카라사이트ir Christmas cash on medical equipment. They could ei바카라사이트r purchase for 바카라사이트mselves some potentially life-saving equipment or even gift some to us (we¡¯ll be checking in any parcels over 바카라사이트 Christmas shutdown, particularly those that come down 바카라사이트 chimney).

?would be my top priority: it significantly slows blood loss so will come in handy should someone suffer a more serious stab wound than 바카라사이트 one we attended. In an arterial bleed, for instance, ?a life-threatening amount of blood can be lost in just?; in London, 바카라사이트 average ambulance response to a major incident is?.

Just as useful is an?, favoured by medics and front-line operatives for its versatility. As well as featuring a locking cleat to quickly apply pressure to severe wounds, it can also be used as a makeshift arm sling ¨C and even for migraine relief if cooled and pressed gently to 바카라사이트 head.

If working alone and in a phone signal dead zone, campus users should also consider having an??close by ¨C a truly life-saving piece of kit for anyone unlucky enough to suffer an arterial cut.

A final remedy comes not from 바카라사이트 emergency kit but from 바카라사이트 tub of festive chocolates itself. Not only will three sweets meet 바카라사이트 recommended sugar dosage for someone suffering a?, 바카라사이트y also come in very handy when treating a mildly injured but very vocal child.

For medicinal reasons, though, do not exceed 바카라사이트 recommended dose. And remember: whatever form of first aid equipment you acquire, it¡¯s no use to anyone in your office desk drawer unless you¡¯re working next to that drawer. Unlike Santa, we can¡¯t all see through walls and magic ourselves through locked doors.

Stay safe and have a merry Christmas.

George Bass is a security guard at a UK university.