"Welcome to the St Paul's First Aid course. My name is Brett and I'm your instructor for the day. So, how about a round of introductions? Your name, what you do and why you've enrolled in this course. How about we start from.. this gentleman over here ?"
"Huh? Oh, okay, um, hi, my name is Eddy, I'm a new teacher and I'm here because I need my first aid certificate to take students out on excursions."
"Great! Is this your first time or are you here for a refresher and reassessment ?"
"First time."
"Okay, I hope you enjoy the course!"
"Hey Eddy. How did you find the morning session?"
"Oh, hi Brett. Um.. there was a lot to take in."
"Yeah. Even after the 4 hour online study you do beforehand, there's still tonnes to get through before the assessment."
"Yep, my brain is fried."
"Would you like a coffee? We've got a coffee machine in our tea room."
"That would be great, thanks."
"Hey Eddy, welcome back. Did you have a nice lunch?"
"Hi Brett, yeah, that dumpling place you suggested was fantastic, thanks."
"You're back early, we still have about 15 minutes till we start the afternoon session."
"Yeah, I thought I'd practice my bandaging and slings, I really sucked at it."
Brett smiled.
"You're a model student Eddy, so keen. Oops, sorry, I just remembered you're actually a teacher."
"I suppose we make the best students."
Brett grinned.
"Hey Eddy, do you want a hand? I could give you a quick refresher on how to do the bandaging and slings?"
"Really? That would be great, thanks!"
"Welcome back to the afternoon session everyone, we're now going to do some CPR practice."
The students looked overwhelmed with the sight of the CPR mannequins in front of them.
"Look, it's not as bad as it looks, guys. So, do we remember what we need to do first ?"
Brett revised the steps of action when they encounter a situation that may require CPR. He then showed them how to place the face shield on top of the mannequin, how to place their hands on the sternum of the mannequin in preparation of giving 30 chest compressions. As the students kneeled down next to their respective mannequins, Brett started his compressions as he sang;
"Row row row your boat, gently down the stream.."
Eddy lifted an eyebrow as he listened to Brett's slightly off-tune singing. It did help Eddy stay on a steady rhythm for the compressions though. Eddy estimated that the tempo was meant to be at about 100 beats per minute. After 30 compressions, Brett told everyone to stop and give 2 breaths to their mannequin.
"OK, repeat what we just did!! I'm coming around to check on how everyone's going!"
Eddy started his chest compressions as he gently hummed a classical music piece with a tempo of 100 bpm.
Eddy didn't notice Brett was right in front of him until he kneeled down next to him.
"Eddy?"
Eddy stopped what he was doing and looked towards him.
"...yes..?"
"After your 30 compressions, you're supposed to do 2 breaths, remember ?"
Eddy ran his hand through his hair in frustration.
"Oh no, sorry, I forgot!"
"That's okay, in a real-life situation, you can actually get someone to do the breaths while you focus on the compressions if you can find someone to do CPR with."
"Okay."
"Btw, nice choice, Bach's Violin Concerto in E Major is spot on 100bpm! But the classical pieces are too long so you can end up doing more than 30 compressions if you're not mindful."
Eddy's eyes widened as he saw Brett wink at him as he moved on to the next student.
"OK, now that you guys know how to do CPR on an adult, let's try it on an infant. Everybody, please pick up your infant mannequins.. um.. Eddy, not by it's leg, let's pretend it's a real baby."
Eddy blushed as some people around him laughed.
"Make sure you also support the neck as you lift them up, like this."
Brett looked rather sweet holding the infant doll in his arms. He then somehow managed to hold the baby against his body with just one arm as he waved the other around pointing and explaining things. Unfortunately, Eddy was too flustered at the time to savour the moment. He was trying so hard to focus on the task at hand. He was already feeling quite bad about messing up bandaging, CPR and now children's first aid. He had to focus.
Eddy looked around the room and noticed that the handful of younger students looked just as unsure of how to hold the baby mannequin. The older people who may have already had their own children seemed so much more at ease holding the baby and when Brett said to "check for response by tickling their feet", Eddy was amazed to see how many knew how it was done. Eddy fumbled around with the baby's foot, mindful not to accidentally snap it off or drop the whole thing to the floor.
"Okay guys don't rush your assessment, you have 40 multiple choice questions to answer, you may start now."
40 minutes later, Eddy stepped out of the building. He was one of the last ones to leave but he was relieved to know that he had completed the course successfully and that he should expect to receive his first-aid certificate in an email. He looked up into the grey sky and remembered he'd forgotten his umbrella in the classroom upstairs. He quickly rushed back.
"Hey Eddy, so was that your umbrella?"
"Hi Brett, yeah, thanks."
"No worries, I'll head out with you. Are you catching the train ?"
"Yeah."
When Brett and Eddy stepped out of the building, it had started to sprinkle. Eddy felt awkward using his umbrella if Brett didn't have one but he thought it would be a bit weird to share an umbrella with him for very light rain. So he decided to walk in the rain.
"..So what subject do you teach, Eddy?"
"I'm a high school music teacher."
"Oh I see. I love classical music, too. I used to play the violin."
"Really? That was my instrument too!"
What happened next happened too quickly.
Without any warning, Brett collapsed. There was no noise nor screaming. The streets were getting dark but Eddy noticed they were walking past a construction site. Eddy then heard some men yelling. Then a woman shrieked.
"He's been electrocuted!"
"Cut the power off!"
"Does anyone know first aid?!"
"Oh my god, is that guy okay?!"
Eddy remained frozen. He then raised his hand and voice.
"No!! Don't come near us yet!"
He stopped the bystanders from moving in on them.
"Where is the live cable?! Has the power been turned off?!"
One of the construction workers yelled back.
"Yes!! Yes, it has !! Do you know first aid?!"
Eddy went through the steps he was meant to go through. He'd checked for danger so now he could touch Brett and check for a response by squeezing his shoulders and calling out his name.
"Brett? Brett!!"
There was no response.
Eddy pointed at one of the pedestrians in the crowd who looked concerned.
"You!! Call an ambulance and let me know when you've made the call, okay?! Speak to the construction worker over there for the location and where to bring in the ambulance!!"
"Okay..!!"
Eddy next checked Brett's breathing. He was praying that Brett was still breathing on his own. He placed his ear close to Brett's mouth and tried to listen. Another well-meaning bystander spoke to him.
"Dude, shouldn't you be giving him CPR.."
"I am, I'm getting to that.."
Shit, he is not breathing.
"He's not breathing..."
"Mate, can I give you a hand?"
"Yeah!! Yes!! Can you start the chest compressions I'll get the face shield ready."
Eddy opened up his bag and frantically went through it to dig out the first-aid kit that he had just received that morning. It included a keyring with a face shield in it. He regretted not attaching it to his bag immediately, he could have saved time getting hold of it. Then, just when he thought things couldn't get any more stressful, in haste, he pulled the wrap too harshly and tore the mask.
"Oh sh*t!!"
I ruined it! I can't use this !!
Then he remembered what Brett said that morning.
"All good first aiders would have one of these on their bags."
Brett!! He might have one!!
Eddy looked over his shoulder to where Brett's bag had fallen to the ground. Sure enough, it had a red keyring attached to it, the same one as Eddy's with the facial shield. Eddy crawled over to Brett's bag and with trembling hands he opened the keyring and this time very carefully he pulled out the mask and hurried back to Brett. He knelt down on the opposite side of the man who was giving Brett chest compressions.
"..25, 26, 27.."
At 30 compressions, the man stopped and Eddy placed the face shield on Brett's face, held up his chin, pinched his nose and gave him a breath over the face shield. Eddy then turned his face towards Brett's chest and saw it fall, which was a good sign, at least his technique was correct. Eddy repeated his actions and gave Brett another breath. The man started the chest compressions again.
"1,2,3.."
Eddy thought he was going to pass out. He rang both his hands through his hair and clenched his fists in his messy hair. He was so frightened he felt ill.
"..25, 26, 27.."
He got ready to give Brett his next 2 breaths after the 30th compression.
As he gave Brett a breath and turned his head to check whether Brett's chest would fall, Eddy heard a faint gurgling sound. He turned his face back towards Brett's and noticed his eyes had opened.
"Brett ??"
Brett looked confused. Eddy grabbed his hand.
"Brett, it's Eddy. You were in an accident."
Brett looked frightened. He was very pale.
The ambulance arrived. Eddy started shaking. It must've been from the relief he felt. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly for a moment to hold in a sob then he looked into Brett's eyes.
"Brett, it's okay. You're going to be just fine. The ambulance is here. I'll come with you to the hospital if you want?"
Brett nodded.