First- Aid in simple terms is the immediate help given to the victim of an incident before the arrival of medical personnel. There are many situations where first-aid is required. It helps reduce the number of fatalities. The materials on hand can be used as tools, and it is not mandatory to have training. How well the wound is treated in its early stage may determine how fast and easily it heals.
People carrying smartphones can contribute to helping the injured by using the apps. The first- aid applications found free of cost on the app stores can be of great help to the victim and the people determined to help the injured. The app works as a guide and can relay as a source of information. Volunteers and even the general public can make use of this app. The app named ‘First Aid- American Red Cross’ offered by the American Red Cross (ARC) is a handy app for emergencies.
Some of its features are:
- It can be downloaded for free on App stores of both iPhone and Android devices.
- It consists of a simple step-by-step process for some emergency cases.
- It contains videos, animations and interactive quizzes which makes learning the steps easier.
- It informs us about the preparatory advice for almost all the disasters such as an earthquake, hurricane, etc.
- Internet connection is not necessary to view the contents.
– It can be accessed even without an Internet connection.
This app is very informative and can be of great use in the work field. In the absence of medical assistance, volunteers and other rescue personnel can use it to provide aid to the people. Similar apps have been offered by ARC to help the people during tough times. There are many disaster-specific apps to provide related information.
ICM is a member of the British Polling Council. Research conducted by ICM, February 2010, using a sample of 2045 adults aged 18+ and it showed the following results:
- Nearly two-thirds (59%) would not feel confident trying to save a life.
- A quarter (24%) would do nothing and wait for an ambulance to arrive or hope that a passer-by knows first aid.
- Around a third (39%) would try and do first aid even though they are not sure what to do.
- Just over a quarter (28%) say they’d know what first aid to do – but sadly their confidence is misplaced, as the survey results show many would do the wrong thing and may even make the situation worse.
We can see from the results that a lack of awareness and confidence is an obstacle. Learning first- aid and trying to imply it is never too late. This app helps us do that. This app is just one of the several apps which help us take that one step ahead to help humanity.
