There is more to first aid than just cleaning a cut and putting a band aid on. First aid has many methods to save lives and there are benefits to knowing how and when to use it. Some people might just think first aid is just rinsing a cut, dumping some hydrogen peroxide, wrapping it and calling it good. Basic first aid is that, and so much more. When someone gets cut deeply by falling on some glass, and a large piece is protruding out of his forearm, most people’s reactions would be to pull it out. That is probably the worst thing to do. The best thing to do would be not to touch the glass, and wrap around the wound by bracing extra gaze around the glass, then go straight to the hospital. By becoming trained in basic first aid, civilians can learn the skills to handle these types of wounds, but also other types too. Burns are another big part of the basic first aid. Burns can happen anywhere and spontaneously. It’s important that when someone becomes severely burned, someone in the household or around the scene knows basic first aid to care for them. Even having someone take control of the situation to nominate a person to call 911 is a huge help to any emergency situation.

In addition to basic first aid, CPR is a huge part of public safety in the world. CPR is used to give the patient more time until the paramedics arrive. The sad thing is, not a lot of Americans know or feel comfortable in performing the act in a dire situation. According to the American heart Association online CPR statistics, “…70 percent of Americans may feel helpless to act during a cardiac Emergency because they either do not know how to administer CPR or their training has significantly lapsed.” (CPR & Sudden Cardiac Arrest [SCA]). With such a high statistic the need for people to know CPR is in huge demand. Along to feeling helpless, the public might not know when CPR is necessary. Just because a person might faint in the middle of the sidewalk, doesn’t necessarily mean he or she needs CPR. By taking the classes, you can learn the signs of cardiac arrest and know how to administer CPR safely and successfully.

If Americans are feeling uneducated about CPR, then they probably don’t even know what an AED is. AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator. Knowing how to use an AED isn’t as common as knowing CPR, but is just as important. AED’s are used when someone is unconscious and doesn’t have a pulse; they are attached to the patient’s chest and back and then deliver shocks to restart their pulse. These machines are usually required in every heavily populated place, like malls and even schools. AED’s can be essential in someone’s survival in an emergency. Not a lot of people know or understand the benefits of learning first aid and CPR, or how 10 minutes could change everything.
Benefits of more people knowing first aid and CPR is a no brainer, its survival. The faster someone begins CPR, the better chance they’ll have at survival. An online source which was linked to the American Heart Association developed a chart called the Chain of survival, and this chart state, “After 10 minutes few attempts at resuscitation succeed.” (Phillips, “Timing is everything”) Timing in these sorts of situations is everything. Paramedics don’t always get there in time to save lives; more people need to be informed on how to deliver first aid and CPR.
Knowing CPR can give people a sense of responsibility. Once you take the classes and become CPR certified you are protected by the Good Samaritan laws. These laws help protect the general public from becoming liable in emergency situations. Michigan’s law states, “A person who is certified and performs physical aid on another person is not liable for damages.” ( Taryn Brodwater, Staff Writer) People who don’t respond to emergencies because of fear of harming the victim further and being sued, have nothing to fear because their protected by the law.
Survival statistics without CPR/first aid is pretty different from the statistics with CPR. Even a delay of care for 4-5 minutes can decrease survival by 40%. The brain begins to shut down at around 4 minutes without oxygen. So it’s critical that there are more people in the world who know how to deliver CPR and first aid. According to the heart.org’s CPR statistics, “Nearly 383,000 out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrests occur annually, and 88 percent of cardiac arrests occur at home…Four out of five cardiac arrests happen at home…Sadly less than eight percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of the hospital survive.” (Heart.org, “CPR Statistics”). These statistics provided by the Heart.org show how sudden cardiac arrests can happen at home and public places. It’s important that where ever you are, someone knows CPR.
Providing CPR can mean life and death for someone. With Sudden cardiac arrest being the leading death cause in America, it’s key that more and more people need to be taught first aid and CPR. If not attended to immediately the patient’s survival rate is drastically lowered. The journal of industrial health states, “If a heart attack victim collapsed and every part of the chain were readily available, the expected survival rate would be 67 percent.” (The Journal of Industrial health, occupational medicine and the surgery of trauma, “What is successful CPR?”) Even though 67 percent is not 100 percent, it’s still better than none at all. There would be even greater success percentages if more people knew. The best places to start would be in schools.
Not many people understand or even care about the importance of first aid and CPR. The need for CPR and first aid can strike at any time, like home, workplace and especially school. At Sagle Elementary in Idaho, 7 year old Payton Jackson fell from the monkey bars and broke her nose and arm. The child was handled without proper precautions, and placed into a position where she could breathe in blood. This was allowed to happen because no one around the