When Gill McCulloch’s son was five-years old, he nearly died while choking on a candy. “It was the most frightening moment of my life when he stopped breathing!”

That day, Gill was able to save her son’s life, thanks to her training with the Canadian Red Cross.

First aid can help someone in need and can save lives. Observed every year and led by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), World First Aid Day promotes awareness about the importance of first aid.

For more than 70 years, the Canadian Red Cross has empowered Canadians through first aid education. This training is delivered both directly and through Training Partners. The Red Cross free First Aid app also places life-saving advice in the hands of every Canadian. In British Columbia, one such Training Partner is Safe + Sound First Aid Training, which consistently provides Red Cross certified first aid and CPR training.

More than two decades later, Gill McCulloch, the Owner/Director for Safe + Sound First Aid Training, continues to call this collaboration one of her best decisions to date.

From Student to Red Cross Training Partner
Growing up in a family with a history in medicine, Gill enjoyed being trained in basic first aid and CPR for her role as a fitness director in England. Later in Canada, during her first pregnancy, she wanted to learn CPR for babies. A decision that was cemented when the babies of three of her friends had choking incidents.

Soon afterwards, in 1999, a class with the Canadian Red Cross inspired her to become a certified First Aid Instructor. This led to the foundation of Safe + Sound First Aid Training, where she was later joined by her husband Warren.

“I was extremely nervous the first time I was called to teach CPR for babies to a group of new mums! But the applause at the end of the class gave me great confidence. The host was so sweet and thoughtful. She even made Red Cross themed cupcakes for us!”

From new mothers and young children, to corporations, her team has taught them all.

The Red Cross Connection: A Tale of Three Generations

A few years into her training work, Gill’s mother handed her a box with medals and other items. This revealed a family legacy.

In 1918, after being severely wounded and blinded in the trenches during World War I, her British grandfather recovered in a Red Cross hospital. During World War II, the Red Cross awarded her Dutch grandfather for his contributions to the Dutch resistance across occupied Holland.

“I was shocked! Our connection with the Red Cross, almost a century later, feels destined!”

This year, Gill’s daughter Chris has become a Red Cross Youth Leader and recently conducted her first Babysitting course. She beams with pride, “That’s three generations with the Red Cross now, carrying this legacy forward!”

Moving with the times
From offering free Babysitting training to refugees in Canada, to managing Red Cross training contracts with more than 30 organizations, Safe + Sound continues to serve the community.

When no in-person training was possible during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Red Cross supported Safe + Sound’s ability to provide Youth First Aid courses virtually and to offer some first aid & CPR courses in a blended format, combining online training with in-person delivery.

Gill believes every form of First Aid can be valuable for helping when needed, “the Red Cross Psychological First Aid course reduces stigma around coping with stress, loss and grief, while the Opioid Harm Reduction initiative is changing the conversation around opioid poisoning.”

“Through the ages, the impact of the Red Cross as an international, well-respected humanitarian organization continues to grow,” she remarks.

Worth It All

Over the years, her team has heard back from clients whose lives have changed – while some saved a life, others got a big boost in their self-confidence. In 2011, Safe + Sound became the first Red Cross agency to receive the ‘Partners in Humanity Award’. Since 1999, Safe + Sound First Aid Training has offered Red Cross training to more than 50,000 students of all ages and backgrounds.

“It’s an honour collaborating with the Red Cross. First aid education is a lifelong process, and can be learned at any age. At the end of the day, even one life saved is worth it. You never know whose life you might save. It could be a loved one or the life of a stranger you’re yet to meet!”

Are you inspired to learn First Aid and CPR? Visit redcross.ca/training-and-certification to find training in your area.

Related stories:
Working together to save a life: how a work team switched gears in a first aid emergency
Transit trio apply critical first aid skills to save a life
What to do when a child is choking

Student: Dear Annie, I’ve signed up for a first aid class, but I’m nervous. Can you give me some tips on how to pass my course?

Annie: You’ve already done the hard part by registering and paying for the class! Here are some tips to help you complete your training successfully.

Register for the right class

Ensure you’ve registered for the correct class. If your school or employer requires you to get a first aid/CPR certificate, confirm the name of the course you are required to take. There are various types of first aid and CPR courses and certifications available. Schools and industries require different types of training.

To save money, time, and prevent frustration, ask your school or employer which certificate you need before registering. If they tell you to “just get a basic first aid certificate,” ask them for the certification’s exact name. For example, Red Cross Standard First Aid & CPR/AED Level C or Red Cross Emergency Child Care First Aid & CPR/AED Level B. Preferably, get this information in writing, so there are no misunderstandings.

Discuss any concerns before class

When you register for a first aid/CPR class, let the agency running the course know if you have any issues that would make it difficult for you to complete the training. For example, if English is not your first language, or if you have dyslexia or learning challenges, you may find it hard to understand the course material and do well on the multiple-choice test.

If you have joint problems or difficulties getting down onto the floor, you may find doing some of the required practical skills challenging. Your instructor may be able to make some accommodations to help you feel more comfortable during class and complete the training successfully. However, if you keep these issues to yourself, the instructor may not be aware of them and will be unable to help you.

Check your course details

After registering and paying for your class, you should receive a registration confirmation with course details and a payment receipt. If you’re taking a Red Cross blended course, you’ll also receive a link to your online training component.

If you don’t receive this information soon after registration, contact the company you registered with. If their office is closed, they won’t be able to help you, so don’t leave it until the night before the class.

Prepare for your class and complete prerequisites

Ensure you do what is required to prepare for your class. If you registered for a blended course that includes an online theory component and an in-person session, you might need to complete the online training before attending your classroom session.

If you leave this until the last minute and for some reason (e.g. a power outage) can’t complete the training before your in-person class, you may not be eligible to attend the session.

Set your alarm clock!

The day before your class, check if you’ve completed any course requirements and know the course location and start time. Remember to set your alarm clock.

Dress comfortably

During a first aid class, you will spend some time seated, listening to lectures, and perhaps watching videos or PowerPoint presentations. The instructor will also have you practice some skills on the floor. You may work with a partner or small group.

Wear comfortable, layered clothing and avoid short skirts, high heels, and tight jeans. Also, avoid heavy scents as some people are highly allergic to fragrances. The room may be air-conditioned, so bring an extra layer for comfort.

Show up at the right place and time

On the day of the course, arrive at the designated location 10 minutes before the course start time. The instructor may need to check your ID or ask you to fill in a form before the class begins.

Late arrivals disrupt the class and annoy instructors and other students. If you’re late, the instructor may turn you away as you may have missed too much material to catch up. In this case, it’s unlikely the company will offer a refund for your missed class. Agencies have different rules about attendance. Canadian Red Cross requires 100% participation for certification.

Participate fully

First aid training can be physically demanding. During class, participate as fully as you can. If you have any medical concerns or are worried about whether it’s safe to take a first aid class, chat with the first aid agency and your doctor.

Don’t take phone calls in class unless it’s an emergency. If you have to take a call, leave the room immediately and take it in the hallway. Return to class as soon as possible to avoid missing too much. Checking social media or texting in class is very distracting to others. Save this for your breaks.

If you don’t understand, ask questions

If you don’t understand something the instructor says, ask them to repeat it or explain it. If you don’t ask the question, you won’t know the answer, and there may be a test question on this topic. Remember, if you have a question, chances are someone else in the class has the same question. The only silly question is the one you don’t ask.

Understand how the test process works

When it’s time for the test, ensure you fully understand how it will be conducted and what you are required to do. You may be unfamiliar with multiple-choice tests. Your instructor should give clear instructions, but if you are confused, ask questions.

If you don’t understand a question, go to the instructor and ask them to explain. They can’t tell you the answer, but they can help you understand the question.

Check your answers

Mark your answer sheet clearly. If you miss a question and make a mistake on your answer sheet, ask for another one. When you’ve completed the test, check your answers. If you’re happy with your responses, hand in your exam and answer sheet to the instructor. They will mark your paper and let you know if you have achieved a passing grade.

The instructor will explain the next steps if you have not reached the required pass mark. They may ask you to contact the office in the morning to discuss your situation. Most people complete their training successfully.

So there you have it — Annie’s top tips for completing a first aid/CPR course and getting a Red Cross certificate! Many people are anxious about taking first aid and CPR training. Over the last 23 years as a Red Cross first aid agency owner, I’ve spoken with thousands of students and listened to their concerns. I hope these top tips from Annie will give people the information and confidence they need to take a first aid class and learn how to save a life.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact Safe + Sound First Aid Training, and we’ll be happy to help.

Gill McCulloch, Director, Safe + Sound First Aid Training Ltd.

© Gill McCulloch, July 2022

https://www.learnfirstaid.ca/

“I found my little grandson lying dead in his crib.”

I’ve listened to many sad and shocking stories over my 23 years running a Red Cross first aid training agency. Emotional accounts of an infant lost to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are the most heartbreaking. Finding a beloved baby lying dead in their crib is a parent or grandparent’s worst nightmare.

A person’s feelings of grief and guilt when an infant dies on their watch are extreme. They wrack their brains to figure out what they could have done or not done to prevent the baby’s death. Attending a first aid course is often on their long list of self-imposed safety precautions to help avoid future tragedy. This is how I come to hear their stories.

According to a UNICEF report, globally, an estimated 2.5 million newborns die each year in the first month of life — approximately 7,000 babies every day. SIDS remains the leading cause of infant mortality in Western countries.

Thanks to new research and a world-first breakthrough at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead (CHW), Australia, there is hope that SIDS may soon be a thing of the past.

What is SIDS?

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is also known as cot death or crib death. It is the sudden, unexplained death of a child under 12 months of age. For a diagnosis of SIDS to be given, the death must remain unexplained even after a thorough autopsy and detailed death scene investigation.

SIDS most often occurs during sleep, and typically, death occurs between midnight and 9:00 a.m. Usually, there is no noise or evidence of a struggle.

Public health campaigns such as the Back to Sleep program have significantly reduced deaths from SIDS. However, it is still responsible for half of all post-neonatal deaths.

Background to the research study

For years, medical experts have suspected that a defect in the part of the brain that controls arousal from sleeping and breathing is what causes SIDS. They theorized that if an infant stopped breathing while asleep, the defect would keep the child from waking up. Until recently, the arousal mechanism remained a mystery.

Researchers have now identified Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) in the blood of newborns. BChE is the first biochemical marker that could help detect babies more at risk of SIDS while they are alive.

What is BChE?

BChE plays a significant role in the brain’s arousal pathway. Researchers believe a BChE deficiency likely indicates an arousal deficit, which reduces an infant’s ability to wake or respond to the external environment, making them more vulnerable to SIDS.

BChE and smoking

Smoking during pregnancy is one of the risk factors for SIDS, along with family history, premature birth, room temperature, a baby’s sleeping position and other factors. The researchers noted that animal studies have shown a tie between secondhand smoke and lower BChE. However, many other changes in the first six months of life are also likely to affect these enzymes and the nervous system in general.

About the new SIDS study

The study was published on May 6, 2022, in the Lancet’s journal eBioMedicine. Doctor Carmel Harrington, study lead, Honorary Research Fellow at CHW, dedicated her career to researching Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) after her son Damien died from the condition in 1991.

“Twenty-eight years ago, I was a lawyer, who used to be a research biochemist and a mother of 3 gorgeous children, when one night my beautiful healthy baby son, Damien, died suddenly and without warning. I was told it was tragic and I was told to go home and enjoy my living babies and have more. I tried.”

You can read more of Dr. Harrington’s story here.

Study methods

The researchers measured levels of an enzyme called butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and total protein in blood samples taken at birth from 67 babies aged 1–104 weeks. These babies died of SIDS and other unknown causes between 2016 and 2020. Technicians measured BChE in both SIDS babies and infants dying from other causes and compared them to ten surviving infants with the same date of birth and gender.

Findings and conclusion

Researchers found that the children who died of SIDS had significantly lower BChE levels than living children or those who died of other causes. They concluded that abnormal BChE, present at birth in SIDS babies, represents a measurable, specific explanation for SIDS death. In babies with a “Non-SIDS death,” there was no association between BChE and death.

Study limitations

The study size was relatively small. Other limitations include that the blood samples were more than two years old, so the findings don’t reflect BChE activity in fresh blood. The researchers also used coroners’ diagnoses rather than autopsy findings. They included data on children between one and two years old, where SIDS is usually defined as involving a child under a year old.

Hope for the future with a spoonful of caution

The new information offers hope to grieving parents, but more research is needed. Though this study has identified a potential biomarker for SIDS, a test for it is a long way off. Experts say it’s just one piece of the puzzle.

First Candle, a national organization focused on eliminating sleep-related infant deaths and supporting families, welcomed the research but also urged caution.

“This is progress, and for that, we should be optimistic, but it’s not the entire answer,” CEO Alison Jacobson said in a statement. “Our concern with the development of a test for the vulnerability to SIDS is with parents having a false sense of security and adopting unsafe sleep practices.”

Final thoughts

Individual scientific studies rarely offer clear-cut answers, especially to complex problems like SIDS. Research builds on itself over time. Research on the more fundamental, biological reasons for devastating issues like SIDS is essential to remove the stigma from grieving parents and help offer potential solutions. New and promising findings are helpful.

There’s still a long way to go before a screening test for SIDS might be available. However, this latest research is a promising step forward in understanding a devastating condition. BChE is a potential biomarker that might be used in the future to design a test (perhaps at newborn screening) to identify babies that might be vulnerable. The results from this study will likely lead to a reduction in heartbreaking deaths from SIDS, and that is something to celebrate.

Whenever new research uncovers a possible cure or unveils the answer to a long pondered question, we need to pause and look past sensational headlines blinking their attractive messages. We need to dig deeper into study methods, question the results and consider the consequences of hastily drawn conclusions.

Having a little patience and conducting additional research, as well as duplicating studies on a larger scale, is wise. However, it doesn’t mean being so cautious we can’t celebrate legitimate advances in a particular field. It’s essential to acknowledge the tireless efforts of dedicated researchers, appreciate the significance of the study results for those affected, and hope for a brighter future.

In the case of the latest SIDS news, we need to keep an open mind, encourage and support research and hope for an end to SIDS in the very near future.

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