Nothing is more tragic than a life lost needlessly. Every year above 200,000 people in the world die in situations where basic first aid may have given them a chance to live.

In East and Central Africa, less than 1 in every 10 people have basic life saving skills. Despite the fact that most people are kind, compassionate and want to help incase of an incident, they end up causing more harm to the casualties, some even accelerating the death of the injured. No one should die because they needed first aid and didn’t get it.

My 14 years as an Emergency First Responder having served with Kenya Redcross, The Good Samaritan, St John Ambulance, Eldoret Fire Brigade and Makinika Afrika has been one full of some insightful, fearful and tragic moments which has pushed me to be an Ambassador of safety and wellness specifically to train people and create awareness to reduce incidents, develop capacity for individuals to prevent incidents and respond as well as build a culture of safety. By December 2014 while working as The Training Manager for St John Ambulance Kenya, I had trained a minimum of 10,000 people in East and central Africa and responded to a minimum of 127 incidents in Kenya. My passion to have more people trained on this very crucial skill has been inspired by the fact that most people are willing to learn it but it is either not accessible or very expensive. Many incidents that I have responded to had challenges majorly from bystanders/well-wishers who had arrived earlier but didn’t have any lifesaving skills thus worsened the condition of the casualties.

In the vital few minutes before a paramedic arrives, basic first aid can be the difference between life and death. The five common causes of needless deaths from a lack of first aid skills are:-

• Choking
• Heart attack
• Severe bleeding
• Blocked airways
• Shock
• Loss of breath

Due to the sensitivity of the issue, I brought together the leading safety instructors and consultants from the leading training institutions and we started the Makinika Afrika initiative to work together in sharing safety tips and creating awareness around the country. I have reached out to many schools and workplaces through our program and also under the Inooro TV Ndagitari Show amongst other media stations. Makinika Afrika teaches people first aid, Fire Safety and other safety issues so that they can be the difference between a life lost and a life saved. We teach young people in schools and estates through the Makinika Afrika Youth Program. They go through a comprehensive wellness/lifeskills program which includes First aid, Fire safety, road safety, personal safety and security, peer education, leadership, character and integrity and personal wellness. We also teach employees at their workplace and different groups in the community focusing on prevention and response.

We provide information about how to respond to any emergency situation effectively and safely. It also contains guidelines about how to deal with many other injuries and conditions that you may encounter in your daily life as well as specific procedures and precautions you will need to manage an incident and the casualty. The First aid and fire safety charts that we design also comes in handy and are available for homes and schools.

The essential advice and practical information contained in our program help you act in an effective, safe and prompt way, ensuring that should an emergency occur, you can be the difference between a life lost and a life saved.

Anyone can be a first aider. The skills are not difficult to learn, and their value cannot be underestimated. Whether you are busy shopping, looking after children, driving, playing sport, out and about or providing first aid and as a volunteer or as part of your job, it is likely that at some point you will encounter someone who needs first aid. As a first aider, you may be :-

• Working in a small organization
• A child minder; Mother, nanny, Sunday school or kindergarten teacher or running a day care.
• Providing first aid in a public place e.g. church events
• One of several first aiders in a large company
• A teacher
• A driver

If you are providing first aid at work or as a volunteer, it is important that you receive appropriate training so you have the knowledge and skills for your role. First aid training is not a one-off process. It requires ongoing practice and regular refresher training to ensure your knowledge and skills are kept upto date.

As well as receiving first aid training, it is vital that your role is supported by clear policies and procedures. Whether you are a hotel receptionist or a graphic designer, it is important that you understand how the first aid role works in your setting.

Our training gives knowledge so you can:-

• Manage any incident that has occurred effectively, safely and promptly
• Take care of the ill or injured people carefully and professionally before help arrives
• Know what first aid equipment are needed for your role
• Understand how the setting can affect first aid needs i.e incident and casualty needs.
• Conduct a good risk assessment.
• Reporting and communication.
• Body substance isolation
• Aftermath

There is much more to being a first aider than patching up wounds. It is a diverse role that requires the skills and knowledge to provide effective, safe and prompt first aid as well as the ability to work and communicate effectively with a variety of people during an incident.

For any First aid, Fire safety, personal safety and security, school safety, church safety, home safety, wilderness first aid, pediatric first aid, food safety and nutrition awareness, Sports injuries management, or workplace safety sensitization/awareness, please contact Makinika Afrika through info@makinikaafrika.org/training@makinikaafrika.org, call 0204403040 or contact me directly through mbuguasteve84@gmail.com for safety advisory. You can also login to www.makinikaafrika.org for a detailed safety awareness programs. Makinika Afrika is accredited by Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health Services(DOSHS) to offer Safety training. Let us inculcate a culture of safety. Safety is not a job but a way of life. If you are not safety conscious you may become unconscious ,lose property or die. #BeInformed #SafetyFirst