College students ready for first aid emergency

The students, from the Colleges Lisburn Campus, are hoping to either join a uniformed public service or progress to higher education when they finish their course in June.

In order to achieve their certificates, Red Cross Trainer, Jock McGowan, spent two days training and assessing the students in a variety of areas including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), hypothermia, breaks, burns, fractures and allergies.

Jock explains a little about the course: “The General First Aid certificate trains students to overcome any reluctance to act in emergency situations and to recognize and care for life-threatening respiratory or cardiac emergencies. It provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary in an emergency to help sustain life and to minimize pain until professional medical help arrives.”

Course lecturer Jayne Burns had this to say: “It’s a frightening feeling when confronted with a person who is injured and not knowing how you can help them. The course helped students to overcome that feeling by giving them the knowledge and confidence to apply first aid skills when necessary.

“Indeed, it also provided students with a skill that they can take with them beyond the College and into their lives.”

Paul Flack one of the students who attended the course had this to say: “I really enjoyed the class - and learned a lot! “Jock did a wonderful job throughout the two days that I had the training. Not only was he enthusiastic and engaged the class in activities, he conveyed the material in a way that made me confident in my skills and abilities as a first aider. It was really great to see someone so dedicated and passionate about their job and it made my experience more enjoyable.”