A QUICK-THINKING Solihull shop assistant who saved the life of a 15-month-old baby is urging parents to get behind a new first aid initiative.
Matt Tranter was working in Boots on the Sears retail park when he rushed to the aid of a baby who was having a seizure.
Remembering first aid skills he had learnt as a St John Ambulance volunteer, the 24-year-old sprung into action.
“It was a standard Sunday in the store and I was in the office talking to the manager when an announcement went out asking for a first aider,” Matt explained.
“When I got into the baby changing room I saw a baby girl lying on the floor having a fit.
“She had turned blue.”
Faced with a difficult situation, Matt kept his cool and calmly set at clearing the tiny girl’s airways while an ambulance was called for.
“It was the scariest thing I have ever dealt with as a first aider.
“We’re trained to give first aid to people of all ages, but seeing this 15 month old girl lying there I became suddenly aware of how small she was.”
Matt, who volunteers with St John Ambulance in Tamworth, told The Observer that knowing he could help someone in need was a great feeling and encouraged others to learn vital first aid skills.
He added: “You’ll never know when you’ll need it – I certainly didn’t expect to go into work that day and need to do what I did.
“First aid is a skill you never want to have to use, but when you have to you’re grateful for knowing it.”
A few days after the incident, the mother returned to Boots to thank Matt and let him know the little girl was doing well thanks to his fast thinking.
Now Matt is urging Silhillians to learn first aid skills too, with the help of St John Ambulance’s latest campaign – Nursery Rhymes Inc.
The advert features beloved nursery rhyme characters, who have joined forces to create a memorable rhyme to help teach parents and the public what to do to help a baby who has stopped breathing.
Concluding in a catchy two-minute song the campaign aims to make baby CPR unforgettable.
New research shows choking is the first aid emergency West Midlands parents are most worried about – with less than one in three knowing how to help.
Sue Killen, CEO at St John Ambulance, said: “The Chokeables was a real step forward for us and the response was amazing.
“We’ve listened to parents and we know that they want to learn first aid skills in a way that’s easy and memorable. That’s what inspired us to create Nursery Rhymes Inc.
“We know that a major barrier to parents learning is that baby CPR frightens them, so we’ve removed the fear factor and made it reassuring and as easy as possible to learn. We hope the song will stick in everyone’s heads.”
St John Ambulance is also hosting a special baby first aid course for parents, parents-to-be and carers in Coventry on March 5, from 10am to 1pm.
Visit www.sja.org.uk/NurseryRhymesInc for more information.
