Saving A Life:
A blocked airway can kill someone in three to four minutes, but it can take more than eight minutes for an ambulance to arrive. So a simple First Aid procedure such as opening someone's airway can save their life while they're waiting for emergency medical help.
The latest government figures, from 2002, estimate 2.7 million people in the UK went to A&E because of an accident in their home. Of these, 910,000 were aged under 16.
Sadly, almost 4,000 people in England and Wales died because of accidents in or around their home in 2004, according to the Office for National Statistics. This means you're more likely to give first aid to someone you know than a stranger. Knowing what to do will allow you to react rapidly if an accident does happen.
Top ten home accidents and injuries
- Falls (1,248,000)
- Strikes and collisions (530,000)
- Cuts and tears (230,000)
- Foreign bodies (128,000)
- Acute over exertion, for example moving furniture (90,000)
- Burns, scalds (84,000)
- Pinching or crushing injuries (79,000)
- Bites, stings (72,000)
- Puncture wounds (54,000)
- Suspected poisonings (33,000)
