What is First Aid?

Knowing how to save the life of a colleague, service user, friend or family member who is sick or injured is a skill everyone should know.

First aid is the initial treatment given to someone prior to professional assistance arriving and taking over from you.

Your prompt calm actions could literally be the difference between life and death.

Aims as a First Aider

  • PRESERVE your’s / casualties life
  • ALLEVIATE any suffering
  • PREVENT the condition from getting worse
  • PROMOTE recovery
first aid at work requalification training course skills shop

Examples of this would be:

  • Preserve life: performing CPR on a casualty not breathing normally.
  • Alleviate pain: Placing a casualty into a recognised recovery position.
  • Prevent the condition from worsening: Administering an inhaler for an asthmatic.
  • Promote recovery: Calling the emergency services on 999 / 112.
Created: 18 October 2024
Last Modified: 19 September 2025
Author: Phil Newton

Version: Version: 1.00