Category Archives: Education

MY INDIA -SAFE INDIA. NATIONAL SAFETY DAY.

Education, Life Saving Education, Live Life, Safety, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , , , , ,

Dear Readers, my last blog was posted in the month of November 2023. We are in 2024 and I have not published my blog since then. It has been a breakdown of sorts for which I would not like to give excuses. My readers have certain expectations and fulfilling them is what I should be focussing on. I apologise for the same and will be more regular hereinafter.

In this blog Maggie and Jaggy will continue their conversation on creating awareness on safety. They will be discussing on the National Safety Day theme for 2024 which is Focus on Safety Leadership for Environment, Social and Governance Excellence. It is a long theme and let us all trust Maggie and Jaggy will help us understand the same.

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy, Long time no see. All well?”

Jaggy: “Yes Maggie. Everything is just fine. Was caught up in a lot of work and other issues. Sorry for not meeting you often.”

Maggie: “It is OK Jaggy. It is just great to see you back. Let us get started!”

Jaggy: “Sure Maggie! Shoot.”

Maggie: “The theme for the National Safety Day seems to be too long. I am not able to say it fully.”

Jaggy: “To be honest yes, it is. But it talks about an important factor which is Safety Leadership. The theme itself says Focus on Safety Leadership for Environment, Social, Governance,(ESG) Excellence.”

Maggie: “Whatever it is it went way above my head like a bouncer.”

Jaggy: “It initially seems so but to understand it is not so complicated. Everyday there are new words and phrases and ESG and Safety Leadership are more often heard today by safety professionals.”

Maggie: “I understand but can you explain the theme better?”

Jaggy: “The theme says that the focus should be more on Safety leadership to create Excellence in the Environment, Social, Governance, (ESG). Just as we need leaders to make things better in organizations, workplaces, sports and even homes we need leaders to drive safety.”

Maggie: “I understand but can you elaborate on the good qualities of a leader first and then move to Safety Leadership.”

Jaggy: “To simply put it a leader is one Who Knows the Way, Shows the Way, and Goes the Way.”

Maggie: “A nice one Jaggy but how does this apply to Safety.”

Jaggy: “A Safety leader first and foremost should have knowledge on the safety process of his organization, show how safety is adopted and of course follow it himself at all times. A safety leader will always have 3 C’s of leadership.”

Maggie: “What are 3 C’s of leadership?”

Jaggy: “Credibility, Conviction and Clarity. These help safety leaders to establish the safety process, improve it and implement it. Without Credibility, Conviction and Clarity it is not possible.”

Maggie: “How can they do this?”

Jaggy: “By demonstrating Visible Commitment. It means that whatever the safety leaders do it should be visible to everyone just like the quote of Mahatma Gandhi.”

Maggie: “Be the Change you wish to see in others is it not what he said?”

Jaggy: “Exactly Maggie. He or she will do this by 1. Telling the truth. 2. Work Hard. 3. Never go back on their word and 4. Listen to hear vs Listen to speak.”

Maggie: “Superb Jaggy but can you tell me the process of Safety Leadership.”

Jaggy: “The first is all about Policies, Procedures, System, Forms which is more a stage of Compliance. These are tasks which are transactional. They are needed to establish the rules. The stage is about Raising Awareness. The next stage is the Personal Approach where leaders discover and share other ways of operating. Telling people why we are here today. This stage is more of Relationship building. The next stage is Inspire others to behave safely which is the stage of Transformation. Here the leadership is an ongoing journey.”

Maggie: “WOW Jaggy! The job of a safety leader is really difficult. To get everyone on the same page is really difficult. But how does this apply to ESG.”

Jaggy: “ESG. Let us deal with them one by one. Environment does not only mean the general definition, but it also implies the place where we work or stay. Safety leadership ensures the environment is accident free which is ensuring no unsafe conditions. Social means the society or community. They can mean anything and everything. When safety is an integral part of workplaces, homes become safer, thereby creating an impact on the society to be safe. Safety becomes social and community oriented which leads to safety culture across the nation. Governance is more about creating increased visibility to safety and ensuring it is followed by all and not just a few. Being transparent is the key here. Ethics and values in are a part of governance.”

Maggie: “Thank you, Jaggy. I may not fully understand what you say but I can do relate with it. One last question. How do leaders make this happen?”

Jaggy: “Simple by teaching. Leaders are teachers and safety leaders are safety teachers. Learning and teaching never stop.”

Maggie: “Thank you so much. Meet you soon.”

Jaggy: “Bye for now.”

I trust the readers would have understood the conversation. Never mind if you don’t. All my readers are safety leaders. Let us all lead everyone to be safe at all times. Jaggy and Maggie will continue to help us do it at all times.   

Live Life – Save Life.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

PS. If you want to have Safety Leadership sessions for your team, please email your request to me at seshadri.v@ushafire.in or to S. Janaki janaki.s@ushafire.in.

THE WORLD NEEDS EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINERS.

Education, Fire & Life Safety Education, Innovation, Life Saving Education, Live Life, Safety, , , , , ,

Happy Independence to all my brothers and sisters of India. Let us celebrate the spirit of Independence in all splendor, fervor and vibration as we step forward into the 77th year. India to me has always been an emotion and a feeling which one can never really describe in words. Let us make our country India a great and safe nation by following safety at all times.

This will be the 5th year of writing blogs on my web site and I thank each and every reader who read them regularly and have made me improve every time by your critical assessment and by being lavish in your appreciation. I would have not come this far but for all of you. This year I will try to write more and the plan is to write at least 2 blogs a month.

My India Safe India will continue in the next blog as Jaggy and Maggie are busy elsewhere and will be back soon. In this blog I have decided to write about the need, of ERT- EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINERS and the impact they create to the society, country and the world in general. I dedicate this blog to my mentors Jagadish Adapa (JAGGY), Late Mr. Jayasheel Adapa and Late Mr. Moeiz Ahmed.

The world today is in a state of VUCA- Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. The only thing that is certain in this world is SAFETY. Safety can keep us stable, certain, simple and clear in terms of living life happily and to the fullest. But the problem is everyone talks of safety, wants safety but are not sure how to do it and it is where ERT make a big impact. The task of an ERT is to simulate apparently ordinary people to unusual effort. The tough problem is not in identifying winners, it is in making winners out of them.  They achieve this objective in 4 ways.

  1. Explaining the concept.
  2. Show the trainees how to do it.
  3. Make them to do it.
  4. Reconfirm.

Whether it is using a fire extinguisher, giving CPR, conducting a HIRA, doing a TBT or a Gemba walk the trainer first explains the concept has to be explained in clear and simple terms, to the level of understanding of the trainees. This is done by using audio visual presentations, demonstrations, skits and even an element of drama. Only then the trainees would understand the concept. To meet this objective the trainer must provide information that is current, accurate and specific.

Once the concept is explained the ERT needs to show the trainees how to do it. The pre use inspection, the correct method of operation, precautions to be taken, safety, procedures to be adopted all have to done by the trainers themselves. This can be scary at times when fire is created, rescue on ladders and confined spaces are carried out. Though the demonstrations are done in controlled atmospheres there is always an element of risk involved.

Once the trainers have done their part, the trainees are asked to demonstrate whatever they saw and learnt. Easy to say but, difficult to do as the trainer has to be in complete command. One lapse of concentration and all hell will break loose. The accountability factor is to provide a safe training environment where safety policies and practices are adhered, to fulfil the duties of an incident safety officer and teaching safe operational practices.

Having taught the trainees practically the trainer needs to reconfirm what has been taught. These are done by using methods like repetition, questionnaires, and even assessments. Only then a training can be considered complete.

Apart from imparting knowledge the ERT have to identify gaps in safety and bring it to the notice of the respective organisations, he should be aware of local and international standards and ensure the teaching methods are to the standards.  The ERT is also obligated to act in an ethical manner at all times. He should also be a good role model and mentor for his trainees to emulate. The basic of being an ERT is to be a good communicator, present skills and knowledge in a positive way.

Emergency Response Trainers through their teaching create Emergency Responders who go a long way in preventing loss of life and reducing accidents. ERT help the society and the country and are always unsung heroes. They are never in the spotlight but their teaching helps in save lives during any emergency.

As an ERT myself, for the past 17 years and on this day of Indian Independence salute all the trainers all over the world who teach and train in emergency response. May this community keep growing and continue to inspire people to save lives.

Do post your comments as this helps the community of ERT Emergency Response Trainers.

Live Life- Save Life

Seshadri Varadarajan.

MY INDIA SAFE INDIA VII.

Education, Fire & Life Safety Education, Innovation, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , , ,

Trust all my readers are safe and are on top of the world. The summer had been hot and it was certainly energy sapping. It says that we need to take care of our Planet better than what we are currently doing. Everyone has a role to play and safety professionals a greater role. Let us all together keep this planet of ours safe and sustainable for generations to come.

Continuing their conversation Maggie and Jaggy discuss the Gemba Walk to improve and implement safety in work places. Let us join and listen in.

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy!”

Jaggy: “Hello Maggie! Trust all is well with you.”

Maggie: “Yes Jaggy as usual on Top of the world.”

Jaggy: “Great to hear.”

Maggie: “In our last conversation you were talking about a Gemba walk right.”

Jaggy: “Yes I remember and now you want to know more about it.”

Maggie: “Absolutely!”

Jaggy: “To implement safety as a culture and to ensure all are on the same page certain systems have to be put in place. One such system is a Gemba Walk.”

Maggie: “Can you please explain more clearly?”

Jaggy: “First you need to understand what does Gemba mean?”

Maggie: “So what exactly does it mean?”

Jaggy: “Gemba in Japanese means real place, or the place where value is created. This actually means nothing but a work place be it a shop floor in a factory or any office for that matter.”

Maggie: “So in essence a Gemba walk means walk through the work place.”

Jaggy: “Yes that is correct. Walking through the workplace when everyone is working.”

Maggie: “But how does just walking about a work place or shop floor improve on the safety?”

Jaggy: “Gemba walks are not for safety alone but can be used in a number of ways. The walks when done with a purpose will not only increase productivity but can address a lot of other concerns too.”

Maggie: “Come to the point Jaggy! Let us talk only about Safety.”

Jaggy: “Gemba walks were developed in Toyota keeping view their policy of continuous improvement which in Japanese is called Kaizen.”

Maggie: “Sounds great. Even I have heard of Kaizen.”

Jaggy: “Safety Gemba walks have a 3 elements. 1. Go and See. 2. Ask questions. 3. Show respect.”

 Maggie: “Can you be more specific?”                

Jaggy: “The first thing any safety official will do is to go and see the place where work is being done. He will see whether the safety policy and compliances are being followed or not. He will observe if there are any violations, minor or major and make a note. 2. He or she will ask questions on the process, compliance and mistakes. Suggestions for improvement are also asked. 3. He or she will show respect by not insulting the employees at that place even if a violation is observed.”

Maggie: “How does this help?”

Jaggy: “This helps in 1. Compliance and standards are being followed. 2. Employees being a part of suggestions and improvements. 3. Correction of unsafe conditions on the spot. 4. Brain storming on how improvements can be made or maintaining the standards at all times. As the employees are involved throughout this helps the managements improve productivity as well as safety.”

Maggie: “Are there any checklists for the walks?”

Jaggy: “Yes there are checklists which are designed by the managements according to their standards and best work practice.”

Maggie: “What should be the frequency of such Gemba Walks?”

Jaggy: “The frequencies can be fixed. Walks can happen as per a fixed schedule or sometimes even impromptu. These walks are intended to catch people doing the right thing rather than the wrong ones.”

Maggie: “Thanks Jaggy on enlightening me. This was certainly a good discussion. We will catch up on more such safety aspects soon.”

Jaggy: “Sure Maggie stay safe, be safe.”

I would like to all my readers to share in the comments section whether Safety Gemba walks are done at your work place and when would you plan to do the same in your workplace. Please let me know how useful are all my blogs till date. Just stay safe and be safe till my next blog.

LIVE LIFE – SAVE LIFE.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

MY INDIA SAFE INDIA IV.

Education, Life Saving Education, Safety, Safety as a Responsibility, , , , , , ,

Happy New Year to all my readers and to everyone across the world. Trust all are Safe and living up your life. My resolution for this year is to make it the BEST YEAR OF MY LIFE. I do not know how to do it but will make it happen. I truly appreciate all who have read my last blog on HIRA and expressed their happiness over it. I was overwhelmed with the response I have received for the same. Continuing the conversation, Maggie and Jaggy take it a step forward by discussing about the ‘Incident, Accident and Disaster’. Let us enjoy the conversation.

Maggie: “Happy New Year Jaggy.”

Jaggy: “Wish you too the same Maggie. Trust all is well with you.”

Maggie: “Yes Jaggy, everything is just great and all the conversations with you, have been useful to me.”

Jaggy: “Thanks for the good wishes. The pleasure is always mine.”

Maggie: “One of the resolutions that my organisation has taken for this year is ZERO ACCIDENTS. I was very happy about it but did not know how we are going to achieve it.”

Jaggy: “That’s a great resolution to start the year. It can be achieved if you can minimize the incidents.”

Maggie: “Minimize incidents? Can you clarify the same?”

Jaggy: “Yes Maggie. It is quite simple. Every accident is preceded by an incident. If incidents are avoided, then accidents too can be prevented.”

Maggie: “Can you be more specific?”

Jaggy: “Sure. An incident is any occurrence, situation or happening which can result in injuries or even cause death. In an incident, a person may not necessarily be injured or hurt. In common language, it is termed as a ‘Near Miss’ or ‘Just Miss’.”

Maggie: “Examples please.”

Jaggy: “I will give them once I explain an Accident. An accident is an unexpected event or occurrence, in which a person is either hurt, or in a fatal state. The injury could even be major. For one accident to happen many incidents have to occur.”

Maggie: “You mean to say for one accident to occur we need many incidents to happen. Can you tell me the exact difference?”

Jaggy: “Slipping on a wet floor is an incident, falling is an accident. An object falling near you is an incident, falling on you is an accident. Stopping a vehicle suddenly is an incident, hitting the other vehicle is an accident. There are many examples and you are intelligent enough to understand.”

Maggie: “So how do we prevent accidents?”

Jaggy: “Every accident is preventable if all the incidents are reported. Every incident not reported can turn into an accident.”

Maggie: “You mean to say that even if I slip on a floor, I report it.”

Jaggy: “Yes, as it helps another person avoid falling. It is the old Banana skin on the floor story. There are people who on seeing the skin remove it, and put it in the trash can. Some others see it and just walk by it doing nothing. The attitude of doing nothing after seeing it can result in an accident.”

Maggie: “Now I understand. Our Safety Manager has given us formats to report the same. He calls it a Near Miss report and there are going to be rewards for people who report.”

Jaggy: “Yes exactly. He seems to know his responsibility and may there be many like him in all work places.”

Maggie: “Understood. Then what is a Disaster?”

Jaggy: “A disaster is nothing but the hardships created due to the accidents that occur. It may involve multiple loss of life, or even huge damage to property. That is why the damage caused by natural events like Earthquakes, floods are known as Natural Disasters.”

Maggie: “Oh now I understand.”

Jaggy: “As of now, look out and report the incidents so that accidents can be avoided. It is a responsibility for all.”

Jaggy and Maggie will be continuing to enlighten all of us with their conversations. Keep watching for the updates. As I had said earlier, accidents can be prevented if each one of us act responsibly to report any incidents. Let us aim for ZERO INCIDENTS so that accidents will never occur. Let us make incident or near miss reporting as one of the resolutions of the year.

Stay safe and be safe. Live Life Save Life.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

LIVE LIFE SAVE LIFE –ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK.

Allergy, BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, Education, First Aid, Life Saving Education, , , , ,

Hello readers! Trust all are safe and doing great in your lives. It has been a couple of months since my last blog. Was busy with training people and travelling. Hereinafter shall make sure I post blogs regularly every month. In this blog, Maggie and Jaggy discuss a medical emergency known as Anaphylactic shock, its symptoms and first aid.

Over to Jaggy and Maggie.

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy!”

Jaggy. “Hello Maggie! How was your trek and where did you go?”

Maggie: “It went well Jaggy. We went to the Queen of the Hills of South India.”

Jaggy: “Great! You had been to Ooty.”

Maggie: “Jaggy recently we had a situation in our office, and we did not know what to do at that time.”

Jaggy: “Oh, I see! What was the situation?”

Maggie: “One of our friends suddenly went sick when one of my friends brought a plate of peanuts to eat. The girl sitting next to him suddenly felt sick.”

Jaggy: “That must have been a bout of Anaphylactic shock.”

Maggie: “What?”

Jaggy: “No need for such a reaction. It is the word used to define the sickness associated with Allergies and the reaction to it.”

Maggie: “Can you explain it a bit more clearly?”

Jaggy: “Anaphylaxis is a severe potentially life- threatening allergic reaction. It can occur within minutes of exposure to something you are allergic to such as peanuts, bee or insect stings or even certain food items.”

Maggie: “Oh! Now I understand.”

Maggie: “What are the symptoms and how does one recognize this?”

Jaggy: “Symptoms usually start within minutes of exposure to the allergen. Sometimes the symptoms appear later. The symptoms are skin reactions including hives, itching, flushed or pale skin. Drop in blood pressure, constriction of airways, a week and rapid pulse, nausea, dizziness, or fainting are also common.”

Maggie: “Oh, I see!”

Maggie: “So, what does one do when said symptoms occur?”

Jaggy: “The first thing to be done is to take the victim to the hospital immediately in whatever possible way. In many countries, people with allergies carry an epinephrine autoinjector. If the person has one, take it and inject it midthigh and monitor the victim. In many countries epinephrine auto injectors are not in use. People who suffer such reactions if known carry the related medicines.”

Maggie: “What else can be done while taking the person to the hospital?”

Jaggy: “You can loosen tight clothing and cover him or her with a Blanket. If you find vomit or blood in the mouth, turn the victim to one side to prevent choking. Seek medical help quickly. The victim may have to spend a few hours of monitoring in the hospital.”

Maggie: “Do we give CPR?”

Jaggy: “No not if the victim is breathing.”

Maggie: “Any short way I can remember this?”

Jaggy: “Glad that you asked. The procedure is called AMPLE. A- ALLERGY M- MEDICATION P- PREVIOUS HISTORY L- LAST MEAL E- EVENT. You can ask these questions based on these words.”

Maggie: “Great Jaggy. It is a pleasure always talking to you. You really keep things simple.”

Maggie and Jaggy will be back to discuss many more such incidents and events. Till my next blog,

Stay Safe Be Safe. Live Life Save Life, and keep the comments, suggestions coming.

Seshadri Varadarajan

LIVE LIFE SAVE LIFE – HEAT STROKE/HYPERTHERMIA

BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, Education, First Aid, Heat Stroke, Life Saving Education, Live Life, ORS, , , , ,

Hello Readers!

Thank you all for the support you all give me by reading my blogs. The bouquets inspire me and the brick bats make me aware the need for improvements. As I was wondering what to write, one of my training assistants came up with a suggestion. He told me that as summer was on in most parts of the world, I could write on the First aid measures for Hyperthermia commonly known as Heat Stroke. Jaggy and Maggie precisely discuss this and will offer you valuable tips on summer care.

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy!”

Jaggy: “Hi Maggie! Trust all is well with you.”

Maggie: “Yes, Jaggy I am fine and on top of the world.”

Jaggy: “Good to hear that.  I remember last time you had told that your friends and you were planning on a summer trek.”

Maggie: “Yes Jaggy. The planning has been done and we plan to do it in the month of May.”

Jaggy: “That’s good but May will be very hot. There is every chance of someone being affected by Hyperthermia.”

Maggie: “There you go again. What on earth is Hyperthermia?”

Jaggy: “The opposite of Hypothermia.”

Maggie: “Oh, I see. Now I understand. I think it is commonly known as Heat Stroke or Sun Stroke right.”

Jaggy: “Yes. During summer, due to the hot weather many people suffer from Heat Stress which if not attended also results in Heat Stroke.”

Maggie: “Do People die because of that too?”

Jaggy: “Yes. A lot of people die due to it. Hence, one should know the symptoms and first aid for the same.”

Maggie: “Can you explain in detail please?”

Jaggy: “Heat Stroke or Hyperthermia is an abnormally high body temperature which is the most serious and life threatening.”

Maggie: “Oh my God!”

Jaggy: “This happens due to increase in body temperature beyond 104 Deg Fahrenheit. It causes damage to your brain and other organs.”

Maggie: “How is it caused?”

Jaggy: “It is caused by strenuous physical activity in extreme conditions of heat.”

Maggie: “What are the symptoms and how to identify the same?”

Jaggy: “The symptoms are 1. Dry mouth. 2. Cramps in the muscles. 3. Dizziness. 4. Blurred Vision 5. Nausea and Vomiting. 6. Fainting 7. Red Hot skin.”

SYMPTOMS OF HYPERTHERMIA

Maggie: “What is the First aid for the same?”

Jaggy: “First get the person to a cool and ventilated place, an area where there is shade. Remove the upper clothing if you can. Cover him with a towel or a bed spread. Keep on pouring a lot of water over the person. Pour it till the temperature goes down. If the person is responsive and able to drink, give him any drink with electrolytes like Coconut water or ORS solution. If the person has still not recovered, rush him to the nearest hospital.” “If not responding and no breathing perform CPR.”

Maggie: “ORS? what is that?”

Jaggy: “ORS is Oral Re-hydration Solution. In India popularly known as Electral Powder.”

Maggie: “Can we give plain water”?

Jaggy: “Yes, but ORS will give the victim the important electrolytes like Salt and Sugar.”

Maggie: “Are sports drink useful in these situations?”

Jaggy: “They are if you have them. As a First aider I would prefer ORS.”

Maggie: “Thank you so much for your clear explanation. What other precautions can we take during the trek?”

Jaggy: “Wear Cotton clothes, keep drinking plenty of water, take breaks if the sun is too hot and avoid soft and hot drinks if you can. Carry ORS sachets or liquids and keep your medicines handy at all times.”

Maggie: “Can we prepare ORS ourselves at home?”

Jaggy: “Yes. The method is to take a glass of water add a tea spoon of sugar and a pinch of salt and stir it completely. Drink as soon as it is ready.”

Maggie: “Are there more heat related conditions?”

Jaggy: “There are. We will discuss later as summer has just started.”

Maggie and Jaggy will be covering more heat related conditions in the next conversation. Take care folks and make sure you are hydrated at all times. It has been extremely hot wherever in India I had been to in April. Keep sharing the blog with your loved ones and keep the comments coming.

Till then Stay Safe Be Safe.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

LIVE LIFE SAVE LIFE EPILEPSY

BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, Education, First Aid, Life Saving Education, , , ,

Maggie and Jaggy are back in this blog to discuss a first aid scenario for an often-misunderstood emergency known as an Epileptic Fit attack. They will not only tell the readers the correct first aid but debunk certain myths too. So, over to Maggie and Jaggy.

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy, how are you?”

Jaggy: “Excited to be alive Maggie!”

Maggie: “Excited to be alive? A new one from you.”

Jaggy: “Nothing new Maggie. I believe that Life is for Living.”

Maggie: “Saving it too if need be right!”

Jaggy: “Absolutely.”

Maggie: “Recently when I was going on the road, a young boy about 20 had an epileptic fit attack and people were standing around not knowing what to do. Can you tell me the correct first aid for an epileptic fit?”

Jaggy: “Sure. An Epileptic Seizure as it is called in medical terms, occurs to many people. It is usually more evident in Children and Young people though elderly persons too can experience seizures. It is commonly called an Epileptic Fit.”

Maggie: “Oh, I see!”

Jaggy: “It is basically a disorder of the nervous system which results in increased electrical impulses in the brain and because of which the body of the person trembles violently. These attacks usually do not last for a long time.”

Maggie: “What is the first aid if one sees someone having an Epileptic attack?”

Jaggy: “First and foremost, do not touch the victim when he is trembling. They are difficult to handle during the seizure. Wait for the convulsions to stop.”

Maggie: “What next?”

Jaggy: “Once the trembling stops, the victim usually falls. The first aider must ease the fall and make the victim lie down on a flat surface.”

Maggie: “You are telling me that one needs to wait till the intensity subsides.”

Jaggy: “Exactly. Once the victim has been made to lie down, check the response of the victim. If the victim is not responding call the ambulance and check breathing. If the victim is breathing, you place him in Recovery Position.”

Maggie: “Recovery Position? What is that?”

Jaggy: “It is quite simple. All you need to do is make the person lie down on one side, either the left or the right. The left side is better than the right as the heart lies in the centre and slightly tilted to the left to prevent a medical term called Aspiration.”

RECOVERY POSITION

Maggie: “Can we give him water or liquids to drink?”

Jaggy: “Absolutely not. You never give water or liquids to a person who is not responding. The water will enter the lungs of the victim and can be fatal.”

Maggie: “Okay I understand. But I have seen people give iron rods or keys for such incidents from where I hail.”

Jaggy: “Yes, I know that. All that is a myth. It is neither scientific nor medically correct. In some places, they even make the victim smell leather shoes or onions. Medically, Recovery position is the correct first aid.”

Maggie: “Often I have seen froth coming out of the mouth. Is it dangerous?”

Jaggy: “It is not froth but saliva that comes out and it is harmless. There are occasions where victims bite their tongue too but that’s not so serious. Trained paramedics use a Hook shaped like the alphabet J to prevent a victim from biting their tongue.”

Maggie: “Do we do CPR for an Epileptic attack?”

Jaggy: “No. Usually the victim is not responsive but breathing. Only if there is no breathing, we begin CPR.”

Maggie: “Do people affected by Epilepsy wear any identification so that one can easily help during and attack and can also inform the Emergency services of the problem.”

Jaggy: “Thanks for asking the question. They usually wear a medical bracelet or band which informs others that they have a medical problem. Not only epilepsy but certain diabetics too wear them.”

WRIST BAND IDENTIFICATION

Maggie: “Thanks, Jaggy for the clear explanation.”

Jaggy: “Always a pleasure to share Lifesaving knowledge Maggie.”

Jaggy and Maggie will be having more conversations on various aspects of First aid. Till then Stay Safe, Be Safe. Keep the comments and suggestions flowing.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

THE EGALITARIAN LIFE!

Education, Innovation, Life Saving Education, , , , , , ,

WISH ALL MY READERS, FRIENDS AND WELL- WISHERS A HAPPY PROSPEROUS AND SAFE NEW YEAR 2022.

May this year be a Great and an Abundant one for all of us. Jaggy and Maggie are taking a break and will be back soon. All through the month of December I was thinking what to write and even before I could start writing, the month was over. After a long thought, the decision was to write a piece on ‘Motivation’ as thus far, I have been writing more on Saving Lives rather than Living life. In this blog, I want to pen a few lines which could motivate people during these tough times.

Aate hain log,

Jaate hain log,

Paani ke jaise rele,

Jaane ke baad,

Aathe hain yaad,

Guzre hue ho mele,

Yaadein Mita Rahi hai,

Yaadein Bana Rahi hai,

Gaadi Bula Rahi hai,

Seeti Baja Rahi Hai,

Chalna hi zindagi hai,

Chalthi hi jaa rahi hai.

These lines in Hindi are from a famous song of the 70s from a movie called ‘Dost’, released in the year 1974. This number was a chart buster for a long time and even today, listening to it just elevates tempo. The song in general teaches ‘Life through the journey of a Train’. The lines above are one among the several verses of the song.

It says that

Aate hain log, people will come.

Jaate hain log, people will go,

Paani ke jaise rele, like waves of water,

Jaane ke baad, after they go,

Aathe hain yaad, we remember,

Guzrey hue who mele, a lifetime of memories,

Yaadein mitta rahi hai, memories are erased,

Yaadein bana rahi hai, memories recreated.

The very lines say that there are people who have come and gone in our lives. A few have been with us for long and few for a short time. Many are still with us in this world, and some have left us for a better world. We as humans sometimes never bother to be in touch with people and that we are busy with our own lives. One fine day, the news comes that they are not going to be there with us forever and that is the time all the memories come flooding to our minds. We remember them, the time spent, the funny moments, the tears that rolled and just about everything. Here I would like to tell all my readers take time to visit people. They could be your friends, relatives and even colleagues and associates at work. Pandemic time visiting and meeting people may be tough. Can we not at least call them over the magical devices that we have, rather than posting on the social media. Your visit, or even a call of just how you are can make a lot of difference to people. Let us not remember them after they have moved on forever.

The lines of the song meant the same. Spread love when people are there with us who create a Happy World. Let us erase the bad memories and create wonderful new ones.

Gaadi bula rahi hai, the train is calling, (beckoning)

Seeti baja rahi hai, it is blowing the horn,

Chalna hi zindagi hai, to keep moving, is life,

Chalthi hi jaa rahi hai, it just keeps on moving.

Just like a train, life keeps on moving and we too need to move on. From one success to another, from one thought to another, from unhappiness to happiness and from darkness to light. Let us keep moving. The character ‘Malcolm in the movie Jurassic Park’ says, ‘Life finds a way!’. We too can find a way in our life. Searching for it, is our job.

Towards the end of December, I had lost my Uncle who was an inspiration and motivation to me. He was a Sportsman and a Gentleman to the core and treated Life in the same way. I had visited him a couple of months back and he told me to keep reading books and writing whatever I can, as he felt that if I can make a difference even to one life, that would just be great. Wherever he may be, his spirit will continue to inspire me.

So let us make a difference to all, whom we come across. Till then Stay Safe, Get Vaccinated and as Vaccination in India is on for the teens, get them Vaccinated too.

Seshadri Varadarajan.

LIVE LIFE SAVE LIFE —–BURNS

BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, Diwali, Education, First Aid, , , , , , ,

Wishing all my readers across the world a Happy Diwali. Diwali or Deepavali is a festival of Lights celebrated by all in India no matter to what religion they belong. There is a lot of Happiness, bonhomie among everyone who celebrate the festival. This day is celebrated by wearing new clothes, meeting people, distributing sweets, and of course bursting a lot of Firecrackers. So, in this blog Maggie and Jaggy will discuss how to deal with Burns. Over to Maggie and Jaggy. 

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy! Happy Diwali to you and your family.”

Jaggy: “Thanks Maggie and wish you and your family too a Happy and Safe Diwali.” 

Maggie: “I was expecting you would use the word safe.”

Jaggy: “Yes. Safety is my passion and profession and I want everyone to be safe especially when using firecrackers.”

Maggie: “What precautions we need to take while bursting firecrackers?”

Jaggy: “Just a few precautions are enough like 

1. Wearing Cotton clothes and proper footwear. 

2.Having two buckets of water nearby. 

3. Elders supervising the Children when they burst the firecrackers. 

4. Ensuring the oil lamps lit are not near flammable material like clothing. 

5.As far as possible lighting the crackers in open spaces. In case of fire on clothing remember to STOP, DROP ROLL.” 

Maggie: “That’s nice. Simple precautions yet people do not follow them.” 

Jaggy: “Correct. That’s the reason why we see a lot of burn injuries during these times.” 

Maggie: “Can you tell me about the burns Jaggy and what is the first aid for Burns?”Jaggy: “Burns to the skin are based on the skin itself. The human skin has three layers the Epidermis, Dermis and Hypodermis. The burns are therefore called as First degree, Second degree and Third degree.”

Maggie: “Oh! Now I remember the biology lesson of the skin.”

Jaggy: “The first degree, burn affects the top layer of the skin and is usually superficial. There is pain, redness in the area and irritation for a few minutes and usually heals when given quick first aid. A second degree burn damages for the outer layer and penetrates to the middle layer and usually forms blisters at the burn site. The third degree, burn penetrates deeper into the inner most layer and can even cause damage to tissues and muscles. The area usually becomes black or grey in color and the damage is severe.”

Maggie: “You mean to say that if aid is not given on time the severity of the burn increases.” 

Jaggy: “Exactly. Hence quick first aid is imperative.”

Maggie: “What is the best first aid for a burn injury?”

Jaggy: “Burns to the skin can be through fire, chemicals, acids, hot water, steam and contact with any hot surface. Even an electrical injury can cause burns to the skin. The best first aid is to pour a lot of water on the affected areas for as long as you can. Pouring water cools the skin and water can penetrate to the deepest parts of the skin.” 

Maggie: “But many people say that water should never be used on a burn injury.”

Jaggy: “Those who say that are misguided. Water in fact has the best heat absorbing properties and is the best for any burn injury.” 

Maggie: “Now I get it. Is there other medication we can use like an ointment?” 

Jaggy: “Yes, you can if the area is sufficiently cooled with water.” 

Maggie: “What if blisters appear on the burn area?”

Jaggy: “Do not open the blisters. They will heal based on the treatment and time”. 

Maggie: “Do we need to take the victims to Hospital?” 

Jaggy: “Yes, that is always the best thing to do. Doctors are healers and they know better than first aiders like you and me.” 

Maggie: “There are lot of local treatments I have heard of like applying egg whites, using banana leaves and such is it correct?”

Jaggy: “They are not correct, and people do that in ignorance. These days there are burn gel liquids available in the market with sterile dressing and they can be used for the burn injuries.” 

Maggie: “One last question. I have heard that doctors treat based on percentages of burns. Can you throw some light on that?”

Jaggie: “Sure. It is calculated by the rule of nine. The front and back of the body is taken as 18% each. The legs are taken as 18% each. The arms including hands are 9% each. The head and neck as 9% and the genital area as 1%.” 

Maggie: “Thank you so much Jaggy. As usual you have given me the clear picture. See you soon. Stay Safe.” 

Jaggy: “Sure Maggie.” 

Festival times call for celebrations. Let us all celebrate but the pandemic is still not over, and we should still be careful. Stay Safe, Be Safe. 

Jaggy and Maggie will be back with more conversations.

Seshadri Varadarajan

LIVE LIFE SAVE LIFE HYPOTHERMIA

BASIC LIFE SUPPORT, CPR, Education, Life Saving Education, , , , , ,

Thank you, readers, and my friends for all your support and comments on my last blog An Ode to Teachers. Trust all are safe out there and continuing to be safe. The surge of the pandemic seems to have slowed yet it is imperative on our part not to let our guard down. Jaggy and Maggie are back in this blog to discuss another situation on first aid which is HYPOTHERMIA. 

Maggie: “Hello Jaggy! Trust you are fine.”

Jaggy: “Yes, Maggie as always on top of the world.”

Maggie: “On top of the world as always. Good to hear that every time from you.”

Jaggy:” So, how was your trekking trip and did you encounter any Snakes?”

Maggie: “The trek went off very smoothly and we did not encounter any snakes thank God for that.” 

Jaggy: “Good to hear that and the trek seems to have refreshed you.” 

Maggie: “Yes, Jaggy it has refreshed me. I feel energised.” 

Jaggy: “Any situation you had encountered other than the aches and pains?”

Maggie: “There was one situation where we all got wet due to a sudden downpour. Most of us were ok but one of the guys was shivering very badly for a lot of time.” 

Jaggy: “Well, it must have been an attack of Hypothermia.”

Maggie: “Hypothermia what does that mean?”

Jaggy: “It is a medical condition for dropping of body temperature below normal.”

Maggie: “I know about body temperature, but could you explain a little more.”

Jaggy: “Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. Normal body temperature is around 98.6 F (37 C). Hypothermia (hi-poe-THUR-me-uh) occurs as your body temperature falls below 95 F (35 C).”

Maggie: “How and when does this happen?”

Jaggy: “It happens when the body is exposed to extremely cold conditions like Wind, getting wet in cold water, and freezing temperatures whether indoors or outdoors. The person may be affected even if living in a home which does not have heating equipment in cold environs.” 

Maggie: “What are the symptoms and how do we recognise it?”

Jaggy: “It starts first with shivering, and then the skin becomes cold followed by mumbling or slurred speech and shallow breathing. The victim is usually confused as he is disoriented and there will be lack of energy and he may become drowsy. If not treated immediately it could lead to complications.” 

Maggie: “What do we do?”

Jaggy: “First get the person to a place of shelter out of the cold.  Remove wet clothing and pat the person dry. Put dry clothes on the person cover the body and head but not the face with blankets towels or even newspapers. Call for the local emergency services remained with the person until someone with more advanced training arrives if the person becomes unresponsive and he’s not breathing normally, or gasping give CPR.”

Maggie: “I remember now. One of our friends who is trained did exactly what you told and after some time, the guy recovered. We did not need the services of the ambulance or Hospital. It was scary though.” 

Jaggy: “Good Maggie. Your friend has done well. He might have even given him Hot Coffee to drink after a few minutes.” 

Maggie: “Correct but one of my other friends suggested to give him some brandy.” 

Jaggy: “Brandy or alcohol should not be given as it dilutes the superficial blood vessels and allows heat to escape making it even worse. The idea is to try and warm him up and in doing so never take him near places of radiant heat like a fireplace or hot water bottles as it causes burns to the skin.” 

Maggie: “Can we give him anything to eat if he is conscious.”

Jaggy: “Chocolates help as they are a high on energy.” 

Maggie: “What if it happens indoors?”

Jaggy: “Wrap up the person in a blanket. Give him hot soup or coffee or tea to sip slowly to regain warmth in the body. Minor Hypothermia can always be reversed but if severity increases it can be fatal.” 

Maggie: “What else can we carry apart from a first aid kit while trekking?”

Jaggy: “An extra sleeping bag, aluminium foils or wrappers can also be taken along, and oral rehydrating salts can be added too.”

Maggie: “Oral rehydrating salts what for?”

Jaggy: “In case you trek in summer. Nice talking to you Maggie.”

Maggie: “Thanks, Jaggy for all the inputs. Useful and lifesaving.” 

Maggie and Jaggy will be back with more in the next blog. Till then read, share, and teach so that we all can save a Life. See you all in my next blog.

Seshadri Varadarajan.