I haven’t always been a photographer. During the course of my work now I attend hundreds of weddings and events, and meet thousands of people every year, and travel tens of thousands of miles.
It is not unusual for me to be at a wedding or event and for a guest to be injured or collapse.
Not all venues have either the equipment or the trained staff to be able begin even basic resuscitation. At the most recent event, they did not have a defibrillator.
In
previous life, I was a British Army ‘Combat Medic’. I’ve also worked as an HCA in acute hospital emergency settings, And have participated in countless ‘arrests’. I was also a basic life-support instructor.
I have both the skills (which I maintain) and importantly the real world experience, in order to provide emergency care at the point of injury.
I certainly do not go looking for these situations, but I am aware they are happening increasingly often. Probably because I work in areas where people are doing things outside of their normal lives, which can lead to unexpected injury or illness.
Following a recent situation this weekend Where I requested the defibrillator to be brought to me, I received the reply “we don’t have one” (This is not the first time!). I have decided to crowd fund an AED.
It will live in my car, and travel with me to every event I attend.