Taking a RYA First Aid course should be right on top of any sailor’s priority list. Whether you’re a solo yachtsman, a crew member, or a skipper with a responsibility for his/her crew and/or passengers, it’s something every sailor should do.
Sailing is all about having fun, setting yourself new challenges and getting the most out of your sailing experience. No one wants to think about getting injured or falling ill when you’re bobbing around on the briny. But the fact of the matter is that accidents do happen, and people do become ill, and if help isn’t around on hand, it all comes down to good old you. So, as the old Boy Scouts’ motto goes – be prepared!
The RYA First Aid course is normally run every month at various locations across the UK. One of the easiest ways of finding these courses is by using The Boating Hub. It’s a new online portal that has been set up to make finding one of the many boating training courses that the Royal Yachting Association runs, as easy as possible. The useful thing about the new portal is that it showcases a wide range of training courses that can be taken, not just here in the UK, but in various locations around the world as well.
The next RYA First Aid course is due to be held in the Midlands on November the 4th. The next one after that is scheduled for 2nd of December. The courses last for one full day and attendees will learn all they need to know about administering emergency treatment for the typical sort of injuries that happen afloat.
It covers some of the more trivial incidents such as cuts, bumps, sprains, headaches and sunstroke, but also focuses on dealing with anyone who takes an unscheduled, involuntary dip in the water and needs treatment for hypothermia or full blown cardio-pulmanory resuscitation or CPR, as it is more commonly known.
Attendees will also learn about the most practical ways of summoning outside medical help, as well as dealing with the difficulty of administering treatment and CPR in the restricted space scenarios that are typical aboard most small vessels. You’ll also learn how to tie bandages to support damaged and injured limbs, and how to put anyone who has lost consciousness into the correct recovery position. Much of what you will learn is potentially life-saving stuff!
Here on the Boating Hub we make a conscious effort to promote the fact that anyone who sails should learn first aid. It’s all well and good if you are the sole first aider amongst the crew. At least they will be covered if anything untoward should happen to them – But what about you? – Who’s going to look after you, if it’s you that becomes unwell or who has an accident? Effective first aid is all about quick response. It’s when injuries or conditions aren’t dealt with quickly that they can become dangerous and even life threatening. At sea, the phrase ‘safety first‘ is one that all members on board should live by.
Knowing that you can help someone in need, or even save the life of a crewmate is reward in itself. You may even be able to help someone aboard another vessel if they are silly enough not to have a trained nautical first aider aboard.
When you look at it in the cold light of day, you know it makes good sense; in fact it’s tantamount to sheer stupidity to set sail without any first aid cover or knowledge. Check out our Boating Hub Portal page on RYA First Aid today and book your place.
Photo Credit: http://www.how-to-save-a-life.gr
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