Skills to live by

Would you know what to do if your 8-month old baby started choking?
Until the weekend, I probably would have mumbled a vague "urmmm, not really" sort of a reply. But now I know. And I know what to do if my 1 year old chokes, too (it's different) And how to tie a sling effectively or bandage a burn or check the ABCs (airway, breathing and circulation) or, heaven forbid, administer CPR. I've done certification courses in First Aid before but it was a few years ago and I was getting decidedly rusty. A half-day course tailored to infants was just what I needed to refresh the basics. And because it was a small class, we got to ask as many questions as we needed to. I've made a pledge to take a refresher course every year.

Lifesaver course

Next weekend I've organized a St John Ambulance "Lifesaver" course for myself and a group of friends. I booked a half-day course (8 am til 2pm) tailored to infant first aid because we are all parents with young children. There are 10 of us attending so it worked out at $28.50 each -- a very small price to pay for some potentially life-saving skills. (If there are 8 or more of you, the instructor will even come to your home.)
I'll post some feedback and insights from the course at the beginning of February.
For more info, visit www.sja.ca