We’re delighted to be working in partnership with The Dad Network, one of the fastest growing community of Dads in the UK. Al Ferguson set up The Dad Network and tells his own story about why he thinks learning first aid is so important for Dads and their partners.
It was the scariest day of my life. By a long way.
I remember thinking to myself once the ambulance had gone; how something so awful could happen so quickly and right under my nose.
We were playing in the bedroom when Ted walked around the outside of the bed, lost his balance and fell no more than 10cm into the chest of drawers. I was standing no more than a foot away from him when it happened. Hitting his head on the corner, he began to cry and walk out the room asking for Mummy.
As she went to pick him up, he collapsed. Completely floppy in her arms, his eyes then rolled to the back of his head and his breathing stopped.
A very long 10 seconds later, he gasped and regained some responsiveness. By this stage I had dialled 999 and the ambulance was already en route.
We took Ted outside to try and cool him down and also wait for the ambulance. Fortunately, the diagnosis was that he had temporarily lost consciousness and overheated due to the shock of knocking his head. He was fine in the end.
But supposing those never-ending 10 seconds had lasted longer? What would I have done? I like to think that I’d have known but truth be told, I wouldn’t know what to do at all.
It made me realise that even when I was supervising Ted so closely, something so bad could happen and I was powerless to do anything to help.
At the very least, I knew I needed some basic first aid training. Even the very basics could potentially save a life. My child’s life. Teddy’s life.
Both Jen and I BOTH needed to know what to do. Not just her, and not just me. We sat through hours of ante-natal classes covering all kinds of information but nothing on first aid. In my opinion, it should be mandatory for first aid classes to be available to all parents.
I’ve been running The Dad Network for nearly 3 years now, and frequently we have discussions on what to do if…
…your child gets a splinter or your baby has a temperature of 39 or advice on different skin rashes.
It’s clear to me that Dads would highly value first aid training. Yet, hardly any take it up.
Here at The Dad Network, we’re aiming to do something about it. After my personal experience, and the high level of interest Dads have in learning first aid skills and knowledge, we’ve teamed up with Mini First Aid to bring vital first aid training to dads.
Mini First Aid are not only a headline sponsor at our annual Dad Convention; The Dad Network Live in June, but they’re also delivering first aid training to the 100 Dads attending. That’s 100 more Dads who are more equipped than they were before to deal with accidents that their children will potentially have.
That’s a parenting win, right there.
Following the event, we’re planning on bring various first aid courses to The Dad Network Local Meet-ups scattered throughout the UK.
It is our goal to make sure that Dads (and their partners) know how to save their child’s life, should they be faced with that situation.
To find out more about The Dad Network, click here http://www.thedadnetwork.co.uk/
