Practice what you preach

Practice what you preach – on the odd occasion, we have to put into practice what we teach.

Our MD and Head Instructor Chris Simmons had to do just that on a recent Jet2.com flight from Palma de Mallorca to East Midlands.

Duty of care

After he snoozed his way through the first hour of the flight, he happened to open his eyes and notice a pregnant young lady unconscious on the floor near the front exit.

Despite being surrounded by a few other people, being a qualified first aider as well as an instructor; it was necessary for Chris to provide a duty of care.  He introduced himself to the flight crew and asked the young woman’s partner if he could offer his assistance.  

Epilepsy

Chris was told that the pregnant woman suffered from epilepsy.  Therefore he helped her partner to follow the correct treatment e.g. allowing the seizures to happen and keep her protected.

It was a slightly unusual case as her second seizure lasted nearly 10 minutes, but this was not unusual for the young lady.

Also being 26 weeks pregnant, concerns are obviously greater.  However she regained consciousness, returned to her seat and reached her destination safely.

Keep it simple

As first aider’s, we should aim to keep it simple.  It’s easier said than done when you’re presented with what could be a life-threatening situation.  Our advice is: stay calm, be confident in your abilities and don’t be afraid to ask for assistance if it’s available when treating a casualty.