Find advice on first aid and local courses for the public.
Accidents and First Aid
Many deaths resulting from accidents could be prevented if first aid was given at the scene, before emergency services arrive.
Emergency first aid is the treatment of any injury or sudden illness, before professional medical help can be provided. The aim is to prevent the condition worsening, protect from further harm, aid recovery and preserve life.
First aid is not medical treatment and cannot be compared with what a doctor would do. It simply involves making common sense decisions in an injured persons best interest.
For advice on basic first aid, go to the NHS Direct website. The St. John Ambulance First Aid Online website has both written advice to view online, or spoken tips to download to your computer as audio files for MP3 or AAC, or play the files in Real Player, or subscribe to podcasts.
Save a Life Classes and First Aid Courses
In the Eastbourne area, there are free two hour Save a Life classes taught by trained Sussex Ambulance Paramedics.
Save a Life classes are designed to encourage confidence and understanding of basic life saving techniques and ways to cope with heart failure, drowning and choking.
For details of other first aid courses for the public see the British Red Cross and St. John Ambulance websites.
First Aid at Work
For guidance and leaflets on first aid in the workplace and employers duties to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel, go to our First Aid at Work section under Related Pages.
