Give the gift of saving a life for Father’s Day

Jonny and Tommy

A Rochdale dad, Jonny Richardson, who learnt first aid with the British Red Cross after his son fell unconscious, is urging others to do so in time for Father’s Day.

Parents can book on a Red Cross training course to boost their skills and they can also download a new – and free – Baby and Child First Aid app, which can be used to learn lifesaving skills ahead of an emergency.

Jonny  said: “I had always wanted to learn first aid, especially since my little boy Tommy, now 15 months, was born. Unfortunately it took a scary incident for me to actually bite the bullet and book a course. Tommy often holds his breath but recently he stopped breathing completely and fell unconscious. I’d never felt so scared in my whole life and felt completely helpless. The ambulance came to whisk him off and it was so painful as his dad to not be able to help. Thankfully he made a full recovery but I vowed to myself that I would learn first aid so I would be able to do something if it happened again.”

Jonny booked on to a baby and child first aid course with the British Red Cross where he was taught important skills, such as how help a child or baby who is choking, with a temperature and how to deal with emergencies such as unconsciousness.

“The course was interactive and the trainer really instilled confidence from the get-go. In the weeks after the incident I felt worried and fearful it would happen again. However, since going on the course I feel so much more confident and know that I would be able to help my baby son if he was ever in danger again. I can’t stress highly enough how much I have benefitted from going on a course and the skills I’ve learned are priceless.

“I felt quite nervous before going into the training room but now I would definitely tell other dads to learn first aid. If you are hesitant, just give it a go as you’re bound to learn things you didn’t know before. I am determined to keep my skills refreshed and have already downloaded the baby and child first aid app which is brilliant!”

The British Red Cross created the Baby and Child First Aid app, as new figures showed that UK parents are poorly equipped to deliver potentially life-saving first aid to their own child in a medical emergency.

According to a British Red Cross survey, only 13 percent of UK mums and dads have attended a first aid course for babies and children in the past three years.

One of the app's most unique features is its Hospital Finder which allows the user to search for nearest emergency department from anywhere in the UK. The device also enables users to record children’s medication needs, family medical information and any other important details.

To download the British Red Cross Baby and Child app, visit redcross.org.uk/babyandchildapp or find it on iTunes AppStore or the Google Play store for all Android mobile devices.

To book onto a child and baby first aid course in Greater Manchester visit redcrossfirstaidtraining.co.uk or call 0844 412 2808.