The First Aid Team

28/11/2025

It’s hot water bottle weather again!❄️

Here are a few reminders for using a hot water bottle safely:
• Fill it with hot, not boiling, water
• Always pop a cover or towel around it
• Try not to sit or lie directly on it
• Give it a quick check for cracks or thinning rubber before you use it

21/11/2025

Did you know that 4 out of 5 cardiac arrests happen at home?

That means if you ever need to perform CPR, the life you save is most likely to be that of someone you love.

Learning first aid isn’t just a skill, it’s peace of mind, confidence, and the ability to act when every second counts.

Most people receive training through their workplace, but you can also join a course independently. The First Aid Team runs open courses in Hastings and near Maidstone, or they can come directly to your premises.

06/11/2025

RSV Awareness Week continues, and today we’re focusing on a group many people don’t realise are at risk: adults - especially older adults.

Most of us have had RSV without knowing it, because it’s often mistaken for a simple cold. But in adults aged 65+, and especially those with lung or heart conditions, diabetes, or weakened immunity, RSV can become severe and even life-threatening.

Common symptoms in adults include:
• Dry cough
• Fever or headache
• Sore throat
• Bronchitis or pneumonia
• Worsening asthma or COPD

For some, RSV can lead to complications like pneumonia, bronchiolitis, heart failure, and may require hospital care.

06/11/2025

05/11/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14KmrHrnnHq/

For RSV Awareness Week, we highlight the lasting impact of RSV on siblings.

Oliver shares his story of losing his brother Alexander 16 years ago to RSV, a loss that still deeply affects him today. Through his drawing and words, he reminds us that the impact of RSV doesn’t end after recovery or loss, it stays within the family.

By sharing these stories, we can help others understand the impact of RSV and the importance of protection.

03/11/2025

03/11/2025

03/11/2025

It’s the start of RSV Awareness Week.

RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) is a highly contagious seasonal virus that most children catch by age two. For many, it causes mild cold-like symptoms but for some babies and toddlers, it can become serious, leading to breathing difficulties or hospitalisation.

Early recognition saves lives. Awareness and education are the most powerful tools we have in protecting vulnerable infants.

While RSV is often associated with young children, adults aged 65+ are also at risk, and their symptoms can look very different. We’ll be covering this later in the week.

10/10/2025

This year’s World Mental Health Day theme is ‘Access to services. Mental health in catastrophes and emergencies’.

The theme highlights the importance of protecting our mental health in times of global instability. is focusing on the mental health impact of repeated exposure to news coverage of crises and conflicts. Even if you’re not directly affected by events, it can still feel like a lot to cope with.

We may not have the power to change everything happening in the world, but we can take steps to protect ourselves, and support others, from feeling overwhelmed and hopeless in the face of current events.

Boundaries help us stay grounded, preserve our wellbeing, and create space to recover.

🧠 Our Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace (Level 3) course teaches skills that do the same, from recognising signs of distress and starting supportive conversations, to knowing how and when to signpost someone to professional help.

If your workplace doesn’t yet have Mental Health First Aiders, training just one person can make a real difference in creating a culture of care, access, and understanding.

Visit https://www.thefirstaidteam.co.uk/courses/mental-health-first-aid/ to find out more about our Mental Health First Aid Training

01/10/2025

This month is Eye Injury Prevention month 👁️

Most people imagine factories or construction sites when it comes to eye injuries, but nearly half actually happen at home. DIY, gardening, cleaning can all put your sight at risk. With 2.5 million eye injuries every year (and 90% of them preventable), knowing what to do could save your vision.

22/08/2025

Check your first aid kit!

The UKHSA and MHRA have advised the public to stop using certain non-sterile alcohol-free wipes after they were linked to an outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis infections.

The affected products are:
ValueAid Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
Microsafe Moist Wipe Alcohol Free
Steroplast Sterowipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes
Reliwipe Alcohol Free Cleansing Wipes (different strain detected)

While the risk to the general public is low, these wipes should not be used on wounds, broken skin, or intravenous lines.

08/08/2025

Happy International Cat Day! 🐈

Cats are great but did you know cat allergies can, in very rare cases, cause a life-threatening reaction?

Most people just get a sniffly nose or itchy eyes, but for a small number, contact with a cat could trigger anaphylaxis, a serious medical emergency.