The aroma of food fills the air as people rush to the counter to queue to buy their meals. The array of savory meals lined up beyond the show glass water the appetite of the customers as they impatiently attempt to get the attention of servers, a seemingly typical day in the city of Lagos.

As early as 6:45am, while rushing to work some try to ensure they have their bellies settled by stopping by this strategic restaurant to purchase something tasty for breakfast. Just like everyone, Fatimah stands in the queue waiting for her turn, she can see the steam from the smoky jollof rice ahead and has concluded what her breakfast will be; jollof rice, plantain, and beef. She imagines this with a smile on her face. 

 

Suddenly, her eyes caught a glimpse of a guy in the corner, he looked frantic as he searched his backpack for something. He appeared to be breathing fast with some level of distress. Everyone else was focused on their meals, but Fatimah felt the need to walk up to him to confirm he was alright. 

 

As she gets closer, she hears a wheezing sound and immediately concludes that he is struggling to breathe. Are you okay? She asks, now he looks like he might be struggling to stay awake. Her instincts kick in. He is experiencing an asthmatic attack! 

 

‘’You’ll be fine; I am a first responder and have some training to help in situations like this.” She says. She gets him in the half-sitting position with his head leaning against the table and tells him to try to breathe in slowly from his nose and breathe out from his mouth while she tries to help him find his inhaler. He nods to affirm he understood her instructions and begins to breathe slowly as a tear runs down his face. 

 

Now, there is an audience, everyone at the restaurant watching to see how it ends. Thank God! Fatimah found his inhaler in a small purse and passed it to him. Another life saved! 

 

Our First Responders are trained on how to identify signs of common emergencies and to promptly take decisive actions that preserve lives. This is an opportunity to join our network of First Responders. 

 

To sign up as a first responder, please visit www.traumacareinternational.org/frn Or enrol to take the first responder course via the TCERA app today. Available on the Loveworld App Store: https://web.lwappstore.com/share/appid-209842854854850

 

For Android Users: https://bit.ly/tceraAndroid For IOS Users: https://bit.ly/tcera-IOS

 

…Every Life Counts. 

#tcif#everylifecounts TCERApp #firstresponder#childsafety#firstaid#volunteer