Heading into the festive and holiday season, bring with it ample opportunities to reflect and celebrate the end of the current year, and anticipate the year to come.
But, along with all of those fabulous parties and year-end functions, also comes with a rather horrible side-effect: hangovers, injuries, mental health concerns…no, we’re not being party poopers, quite the contrary. We want everyone to have the best possible holiday season, and while the first prize is not having to use any of the advice in this post, information sharing saves lives, so whether you’re traveling abroad this holiday season, or enjoying a staycation, we’ve found some solid advice for you, that can help you and your loved ones navigate this holiday season safely.
CPR
Cracking the top of every first aid and life-saving skills list anywhere in the world, is CPR. This tried and tested method has saved countless lives since the Paris Academy of Sciences first recommended mouth-to-mouth back in 1740.
Knowing how to administer CPR effectively can buy the victim precious minutes while help arrives.
MyCPR Now certifications offer various training and courses to teach you effective life-saving skills.
KEEPING AN EYE ON MEDICATIONS
While we’re out and about living large, we can at times forget to take chronic or other forms of ongoing medication and when this happens, we could be at risk of illness and or injury. So it’s always a good idea to know who is taking what in your party, and how these medications need to be administered.
Not everyone can handle taking tablets or pills or at times it may not be possible, so check out these first aid shots.
SUNBURN PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
Always an issue, especially amongst the young who may be escaping snow-capped mountains in the northern hemisphere, for the sun-kissed beaches of the islands of the Pacific or the Indian Ocean. It’s all too easy to forget to apply sunscreen when cocktails and white sands beckon, but the after-effects could present more than just physical discomfort. Skin cancer is an ever-present risk especially amongst our young.
If you’re applying sunscreen when you arrive on the beach, it’s too late. Sunscreen should be applied at least 30 – 45 minutes before sun exposure and the higher the SPF factor, the better.
KEEP YOUR FOOD SAFE
Especially true when taking road trips or spending some time exploring our gorgeous national parks. Winter presents some awesome road trip opportunities in America, but if you are going camping, hiking, or exploring snowy adventures, be sure and keep your food safe and fresh. You don’t want to be caught with food poisoning far from potential help and then becoming dehydrated or worse.
On that note, remember to keep your first aid kit stocked and up to date, and remember to include rehydration sachets.
LEARN HOW TO STOP BLEEDS, MAKE SPLINTS AND PREVENT HYPOTHERMIA
Between these three skills, you can cover many potential pitfalls during your holiday. If you’re going to be skiing or hiking snowy mountains, it will be especially useful to learn about hypothermia, how to prevent it and how to treat it.
Staying safe starts with you and remember – information saves lives, so share your skills and plans with everyone traveling in your party.
