First Aid Courses

by Aless Bezum Consultant

Here is an expert advice choosing the first aid course or if you just want to know something more about life saving skills. Mat Walters is the founder of Siren Training here is his thoughts about first aid courses.

first aid training courses london

What are first aid courses like?

A first aid training is not only very interesting and relevant to everyone, it’s also very enjoyable. Although the subject is a serious one, the course itself can be a great team-bonding day. It’s certainly not a ‘death by powerpoint’ kind of day.

People get to work together on common practical first aid scenarios that will empower individuals to step in to help in real-life, if needed.

Are first aid courses hard?

As long as learners participate and get fully involved in the course, there is no reason why anyone would find it too hard. Yes, people have different abilities and strengths, but a good first aid instructor can use many different methods of assessing competency.

Verbal questioning, written questioning, group work, manuals, videos and practical elements mean that most people get the opportunity to gain the skills required. Some people do fail the course but most companies offer a free re-sit course.

Who must have first aid certification?

A first aid course is an invaluable life-skill that everyone would benefit from. Most people sit on a first aid course as part of a workplace requirement, but most of us spend time with family and friends each day. Learning life-saving skills and gaining important knowledge of first aid is open to everyone.

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) highly recommends that every workplace has provisions in place to be able to deal with an emergency.

Most common workplaces that require first aid trained staff:

Sports Industry
Hotels and Hospitality
Office Environments
Construction
Manufacturing
School Teachers
Nannies / Childcarers

paediatric first aid

What age is the best to start your first aid courses?

Technically, you cannot gain a first aid qualification until you’re 16. However, there is no reason why young adults and children can’t sit on shorter, introductory courses and gain a basic understanding of first aid.

Many schools run bespoke courses from year 7 and upwards. Not only do they gain the knowledge, but it also encourages youngsters to enrol on a full first aid course in the future.

You haven’t taken a first aid course, your friend is not breathing, you’ve called 999 but responders are 10 minutes away. What should you do?What are some useful things to know for first-aid situations that you’re not taught at a first-aid course?

If you’ve never sat on a first aid course and you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to realise that doing something is better than nothing.

If a casualty has stopped breathing, the cells of their body start to die after only 3 mins. Therefore, waiting around doing nothing isn’t going to help. After checking that it’s safe to do so, the first thing to do (after calling 999) is to shout for help. If you’re in a populated area, the chances are someone in the vicinity will know how to do basic CPR.

Stay on the phone to the operator- they are trained to guide and help in this situation. Place your phone on loud speaker to free up your hands.

Whilst shouting and waiting for help, start doing compression only CPR. Place both hands on the centre of the chest and compress 5-6 cm. Get into a rhythm and aim for 2 per second. Try to keep doing this and shouting for help until the Ambulance arrives.

It could make a huge difference.

Should I take a CPR and first aid certification course online or in person?

First aid is a hands-0n, practical subject, therefore it’s much more beneficial to attend in person for at least 1 day. You will gain far more from demonstrations and practical exercises than you would from an online course. However, there is plenty to be gained in terms of knowledge from an online course.

Where can I find good course about first aid?

There are plenty of options for first aid courses when looking through search engines online.

What is reasonable price for a first aid course?

Anything around £100 for a 1 day course and £200 for a 3 day course is reasonable. Group courses for up to 12 people can be the best option for companies’ and organisations. Group prices can range from £400-£600, which works out much cheaper per person.

How do you choose a first aid training provider?

Make sure that a certificate is issued for 3 years on completion of the course and ask who their awarding body is.

I.e First Aid Industry Body (FAIB), Qualsafe or Highfield. This isn’t essential but first aid training companies’ that have awarding bodies will be getting audited and checked for their performance, so you should get a better quality course.

Siren Training is a dedicated training company that was set up by a group of Firefighters in 2013. Our team have a wealth of knowledge and experience in First Aid Training Courses and Fire Safety. We deliver interesting, enjoyable, lifesaving skills to all sectors and industries. You can choose a course which suits to your needs. We provide paediatric first aid courses, emergency first aid at work course, which includes CPR training.

Try to find a reputable company that uses real-life emergency service staff as their instructors. They will have far more knowledge and experience and deliver a more interesting course.

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