Katie Fisher, 38, Evans Head, NSW
Scanning the newspaper, my eyes stopped on an ad for paramedics. I could do that, I thought.
It was November 1996 and I'd been a nurse for five years. It was time for a change.
My application was successful.
By May I was out in the field, but a year later my training faced its biggest test at home.
We had stopped at a friend's for lunch when my three-year-old, Monique, came out of a bedroom holding a bottle of tablets. 'Monique, did you swallow those?' I asked, rushing over to her. The powdery white saliva on her face answered my question.
Running to the phone, I rang the poisons hotline. Knowing I could help if my daughter took a turn for the worse kept me calm.
'My three-year-old has just taken thyroid medication,' I explained to the operator.
While they searched for information on the drug, I checked Monique's vital signs.
'Your daughter should be fine,' the operator said eventually. 'The drug she's taken shouldn't have any adverse effects.'
I wondered what it would have felt like for a parent who didn't know what to do if their child was in trouble. Thank God I've had all the training, I thought.
In my job, I was shocked by the number of parents who didn't know how to treat burns, deal with asthma or do CPR. 'It's crazy,' I told my husband Ben, 39, who I'd met through work. 'Parents spend heaps on designer nurseries but they won't pay $100 to do a course that could save their child's life.'
Then late one night in 2003, I got a call from my neighbour, Michelle, 31. 'Eva's really sick,' she stammered. 'Can you come?'
Rushing to Michelle's, I found three-year-old Eva sitting in her lap, burning up. 'Have you given her anything?' I asked.
'Only Panadol. She had a temperature,' Michelle sobbed.
I called an ambulance as Eva's eyes started rolling back and her body stiffened up. 'Eva's fitting from having an extreme fever,' I told Michelle. 'The ambulance is on its way.'
In hospital, Eva was diagnosed with a kidney infection, which had led to the fever. 'Thank God we had you next door,' Michelle said, hugging me.
Back home, I told Dan what had happened. 'There's no-one telling parents what to do when their child is in an emergency,' I said. 'I want to help.'
'Someone should,' Dan agreed.
The following day I started researching first-aid courses for parents. 'The only option is for people to do an entire weekend course,' I huffed to Dan. 'And even then, they don't specialise in first aid for children.'
I mulled over the idea of starting my own information classes. By 2006 I'd done all my research and seen enough burns, poisonings and deaths to know I had to do something.
'I want to start an affordable and quick first-aid course for parents,' I told my sister Jenny, 41. 'That sounds great,' she said.
'And I want to do it with you,' I said, hoping she'd be interested. With a background in advertising I needed Jenny's knowledge to get my idea working. 'I'd love to,' she said, sounding excited.
In February 2007 I held my first three-hour first-aid session in Sydney, charging $55.
I covered the 10 most common incidents with kids, including asthma attacks and allergic reactions, and demonstrated what to do in an emergency.
Two years on I, and other paramedics, have educated over 3000 people. Companies hire us and we go to parents' houses for sessions.
The biggest reward of starting Kids First Aid has been the feedback from parents. So far, five people have used the skills we taught them to save a child.
'I could hear your voice telling me what to do,' one lady said, after her child choked on a toy.
While Dan and I still have many more parents to help, knowing I've helped at least one parent save a life is all the encouragement I need.
Visit www.kidsfirstaid.com.au for details, or call 1300 138 133. Classes are held in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
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