Hey everybody!
Short blog posts concerning Wednesday and Thursday’s events.
Wednesday 12th April 2017:
Today we started planning for our pitch on Tuesday after our long Easter weekend. We spoke about the potential hazards of the project, the tasks we’ll need to do and the benefits of doing such a project to the community. I intend to write a future blog post with links to newspaper articles and news items on here where you can find out more about what we did. Out of respect for my Team Leaders and our team, I’ll ask them for their blessing/permission.
Are we going to complete it? Of course we will. Everyone will have to be 100% committed to it 100% of the time to finish it on schedule. Providing everything goes well with the donations and the progress of the project, I can’t see any reason why we can’t.
In the afternoon, Rob and Karen came from Counter Terrorism. In light of recent attacks, we discussed the reasons why someone might be drawn into dodgy groups. I voiced my concern about how close I lived in relation to the individual involved. These days, most of us don’t know who lives in our communities either because we’re too busy or for some other reason. We watched a twenty-minute film concerning this topic and dealing with extremists on both sides. I don’t subscribe to this way of thinking at all and neither do those that I know and love. The film was good but the people portrayed (apart from one) really irked me.
Whilst it’s difficult to determine who looks like a terrorist or who looks like they’re about to cross the line, we have to look at their behaviour and the things that we could overhear. It’s good to be cautious and careful rather than fearful and panicking. Should my family, friends or local community ever be in danger, I would be the first to help. That’s a promise you can hold me to (yes, I am being serious Mum).
Thursday 13th April 2017:
Today we spent the entire morning learning about First Aid in order to become fully qualified First Aiders.
As First-Aiders, there’s only one thing we are qualified to do and it’s to prevent the airway from getting blocked. We can administer CPR (30 chest compressions with flat palm of hand to centre of the chest, locked elbows and other hand for support – it’s a cardiovascular workout for us – followed by two rescue breaths; repeat until help arrives to takeover). The rescue breaths gives the individual who needs it up to 75% chance of surival. We cannot adminster drugs but we can apply dressings to wounds. If person has broken bones but are unconscious, the main focus is getting them breathing, then deal with the injury afterwards. Pregnant unconscious women must always be laid on their left in the recovery position because there is an artery which if applied pressure kills both mother and unborn child. We can prevent serious injury due to choking by administering back blows (not punches) and abdominal thrusts (flat part of a clenched fist placed just above belly button, other hand flat on clenched fist, get subject to bend over and then with hands around abdominals push hands into stomach and upwards) up to five times. As precaution with abdominal thrusts get them to hospital immediately afterwards to prevent infection or further internal damage. To give any injured party the best chance of survival, a First Aider’s main priority is to keep the airway clear.
Now you know who to ask for help, if you see anybody in danger.
I do hope I never have to administer First Aid, but in this day and age, you never know when you might need it.
Right now, my priority is to see how far we can get with donations from companies to help with our Community Project. I’m not entirely sure how much I can tell you about the project for obvious reasons, but I’ve done my research and now I’m in for a hectic weekend.
No chocolate overdoses for me then.
Happy Easter everybody (to those of you who celebrate it)! Happy long weekend to everybody else and whatever it is you might be celebrating.
Speak to you on Tuesday after a long weekend of frying my own brain (hard work, in other words),
LexC
X
The British Storyteller's Blog 