On Air Archive

A WORD ON...A KISS 4 LIFE


Our thanks to the Royal Life Saving Society UK for their help with this weeks report .

If someone collapsed in front of you, or fell into water and started to drown, or a baby started choking, what would you do? Whilst your first inclination might be to dial 999 if you don't have the first idea what to do whilst you wait anxiously for the emergency services to arrive you are not on your own, as Jane Cooper from the Royal Life Saving Society reminded us.

Research suggests the vast majority of us would not know what to do in an emergency. We apparently don't believe it's a priority to learn basic emergency skills or that we'll never be called up to use them, yet one person every 20 hours drowns in the UK, over 500 babies, children and adults die from choking every year and every 3 minutes someone dies from a heart attack.

Formed in 1891 The Royal Life Saving Society UK, is the governing body and leading provider of training and education in lifesaving, lifeguarding, water safety and life support skills in the UK. Each year its volunteers train approximately 1 million people in water safety, rescue techniques and life support, including 95 per cent of all pool and beach lifeguards. As a national charity, they rely on public support.

Log onto  www.lifesavers.org.uk to find out more about the organisation and locate a course near you to provide you with basic emergency skills.