iPods can be different things to different people - music player, revision helper, fashion accessory - but we've never before thought of them (or any other MP3 player) as being lifesavers. That does now have to be added to the list, though, following Sussex NHS amulance service making available for download seven small MP3 files containing first-aid advice.
The files give guidance on, among other things, wounds, fits, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and how to put an injured person into the best position for recovery. And, says Sussex ambulance service, they're fully up to date and comply with Resuscitation Council guidelines.
The scheme - the brain-child of Stuart Rutland, a paramedic and emergency-care practitoner based at Hove ambulance station - is aimed mainly at the huge number of people who've never found time to take a first-aid course.
In case you're now firmly grasping the wrong end of the stick - no, Stuart and his Sussex colleagues aren't suggesting that you fast-forward to the relevant first-aid advice only when you happen to stumble on the scene of an accident!
Instead, the idea is for people to use the files to learn some basic first-aid - and to revisit them from time to time to refresh their knowledge - so they can be prepared when the need arises. And being prepared might turn out to be very important to you personally - the stats show that the person you're called upon to help is most likely be a relative, friend or colleague.
The files can't really be regarded as a substitute for proper training - though, hopefully, they might encourage people to consider signing up for first aid courses. If that appeals, here are links for the St. John's Ambulance and Red Cross.
To downloaded them, visit the Sussex NHS amulance service. Be aware, though, that the download site seems to be massively overstressed at the moment, so don't forget to check back later if you get a message about bandwidth problems or downloading being temporarily suspended - the Sussex ambulance service is, we believe, working right now to improve the capacity of its servers.
However, you can help out. The files are copyright-free and can be freely distributed in their original forms - so you might want to offer to email them to friends or upload them to your own web site to save the ambulance service's bandwidth or, maybe, add them to one of your peer-to-peer file-sharing directories.
Oh, and credit where credit's due - the files were created with the help of local radio station Southern FM, so don't forget to tune in to 102.4-103.5MHz when you're next down Sussex way.
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