Corporate Events Plus

Apart from helping crew on site with cut fingers / blisters / or fainting I have been lucky not to have to use my St John’s Ambulance first aid at work training until this month while travelling back from a site visit in Vienna airport.

Strolling through the terminal a young lady fell heavily in front of me and started to have a seizure, I was surprised that there were so many bystanders looking on but not actually helping.

I recognised the signals of the seizure, arching back, unresponsive, body shaking, I protected her head from the ground with my hand and made sure her airway was clear, for what seemed like an age but only a minute or so until she started to relax.

Luckily an airport staff worker called medical help while I placed the casualty into the recovery position and more airport workers brought a screen to give the young lady some privacy. A young man arrived who knew the lady and as she started to come to he took control and I left.

I am glad I was able to help, it would have been better if more people knew what to do – a day of your time to learn about some basic first aid can make a real difference to someone in need.

Seizure triggers

For many people with epilepsy, seizures seem to happen randomly.

But sometimes they can have a trigger, such as:

• stress
• a lack of sleep
• waking up
• drinking alcohol
• some medicines and illegal drugs
• in women, monthly