Over the past two weeks, boys in Years 3 to 6 have received some fantastic, useful and informative first aid Training from KPM First Aid.
In week one, Years 5 and 6 learned the basic life support skills that could one day save a life – CPR and the recovery position. The boys were instructed on how to check for immediate danger, before looking for a response from the casualty. If the victim was unresponsive, they were to call for help before checking the casualty’s airway and looking, listening and feeling to see if they were breathing. If they were not, anyone else present would be told to call 999 and to get a defibrillator, before the boys learned and practised their CPR skills (not including rescue breaths for COVID-related reasons). They then practised the recovery position for if they were successful, and were told what information was vital to know to pass on when calling 999.
In week two, Years 3 and 4 boys learned the same things as the older boys had done the week before. Years 5 and 6 went on to learn more, looking at treatments for casualties with cuts (bandages and shock position) and practising abdominal thrusts and back blows for choking casualties. They also discussed some allergies and physical ailments.
Whilst this was organised as part of the Year 5 PSHE curriculum, boys in the School council had suggested that first aid was a vital skill for all boys to learn, and as such everyone at West Avenue was involved. Unlike most of what is taught at school, we love our boys having these skills but hope they never have to put them into practise.