Annual World First Aid Day

The second Saturday of September marks the annual World’s First Aid Day which happened this past Saturday September the 14^th. I must apologize as I hadn’t heard of this until scraping news feeds for my weekly newsletter for Responsible Distribution Canada. I remember earning my first aid merit badge as a Cub Scout when I was very young in the mid-1960’s and subsequently having to take first aid courses when I worked as a part-time student for the City of Pierrefonds Recreation Department in the 1970’s. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies celebrates 100 years of service this year, but I can’t seem to find anything on World’s First Aid Day prior to 2012. There is no mention of First Aid Day on the listing of United Nations International Days. When I searched on Days of The Year, September 14^th is “Eat a Hogie Day” “Gobstopper Day” “Cream Filled Doughnut Day”, and of course I would be remiss for not including “Drive Your Studebaker Day”.  October 16^th, 2019 is Restart a Heart Day, but I can’t find First Aid Day. If you know of the origins of World’s First Aid Day please let me know.

Regardless, first aid training saves lives, no doubt about it. All jurisdictions have established minimum training requirements for employees who work for small, medium and large size businesses. In Ontario, where I am based, workers working alone must be trained because workplaces must have at least one employee on site at all times that has a valid first aid certificate. This would include an office setting when someone is first to arrive or last to leave. It therefore makes a lot of sense to have as many employees trained as possible.

Thinking about having to self-administer first aid, I recall learning the technique of using the back of a chair to perform the Heimlich maneuver if chocking when being all alone and being grateful for not yet having do execute this because a normal persons reaction to chocking is to run.  

Dave Saucier,

President