As part of my job, I frequently come into contact with people who have used first aid and been the difference between a life lost and a life saved. It's a regular reminder that first aid is not all about sticking on a plaster - it's about saving lives, every day. But it's all the more impressive when a young person takes control of a situation where most adults would have been completely helpless.
Recently we heard of the story of 16-year-old Naa Kai Laryea who came to the rescue of a distraught mother. Gianna Gudsell was rightly panicking when two-year-old Hector hit his head and stopped breathing. She stood in the street begging someone to help her when Naa Kai calmly took over and used her first aid skills to save the little boy's life. It doesn't bear thinking about what would happen if she hadn't been there.
Take another example; Brandon Flanighan who, at the age of 12, managed to stem the flow of blood from a serious wound to the head. The life he saved? His mother's, who was badly injured after a nasty fall at home.
Brandon learnt the first aid that would eventually save his mother's life along with his friends and classmates at Morpeth Newminster Middle School through the St John Ambulance Young First Aider course. The course is voluntary for schools to add to their curriculum. Had his school not taken part, his mother may not have been so lucky. She certainly believes Brandon saved her life.
St John Ambulance believes that every young person should have the chance to learn first aid. In fact, we believe that first aid training in schools should be just as important as learning the alphabet.
By teaching first aid, for instance in PSHE education lessons, teachers are not only providing their students with the skills to be the difference between a life lost and a life saved but are also giving them the tools to build their confidence, self-esteem, teamwork and communication.
Every year, up to 150,000 people die in situations where first aid could have given them a chance to live. As we've seen from Brandon's and Naa Kai's stories, emergencies happen at home, in the street, anywhere - so why shouldn't we use the opportunity we have within schools to reach an entire generation?
With first aid skills, children could be the difference between life and death. What better way to equip young people with the skills they need than to make it part of their education? We urge teachers, governors and LEAs to ensure first aid is taught in schools. If you're a parent, why don't you ask your child's school to teach first aid? It could be the most important lesson they learn.