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Five years keeping our children safe
Teaching children the importance of first aid is vital for keeping them safe, an experienced tutor said today.
Cheryl Bulman is the longest-serving trainer with the Hull Injury Minimisation Programme For Schools (Imps).She started teaching when the scheme was a pilot in summer 2001.
Five years later, Mrs Bulman and her colleagues have taught more than 10,000 children how to stay safe. She said: "Our programme aims to reduce death and disability as a result of accidents and makes children aware of the risks they may encounter in everyday life and how to avoid them.
"We target 10 and 11-year-olds because they are statistically most at risk and one in four will attend A &E in the coming year."
Accidental death is a leading cause of death among children and 35,000 youngsters attend Hull Royal Infirmary's A &E department each year.
Mrs Bulman said: "Taking simple steps such as keeping hot drinks away from edges of tables or wearing a cycle helmet may seem like small measures but such precautions can make a difference.
"If we can get children to think about how to avoid accidents and what to do if they, or someone they know, is injured, that has to be good."
Youngsters from primary schools across Hull are given a tour of Hull Royal Infirmary's A &E department, taught first aid including resuscitation and the recovery position, and taught how to avoid injury.
Mrs Bulman said some children had already put their training into practice.
She said: "Shortly after her training, a pupil from Fifth Avenue Primary School suffered a severe cut to her arm, but knew exactly what to do."Her prompt actions in applying clean bandages and raising the arm minimised the bleeding and prevented infection before she came to hospital. Doctors in our A &E department always know which kids have been through Imps training."
Dr Jeremy Osman, consultant in paediatric A &E medicine at Hull Royal Infirmary, said: "The success of this innovative programme is mainly due to the hard work and dedication of the Imps team."Cheryl has been a loyal, hardworking member of this team since the outset and her work both as an Imps trainer and A &E secretary is greatly valued and recognised."
Pupils from Spring Cottage Primary School in east Hull were among those learning first aid this week.
Charlotte Hall, 10, said: "I enjoyed practising what you do in case there's an emergency and you have to help someone
Posted by: Debbie Lock
Date Posted: 22/02/2007