http://www.stayingalive.training/

Staying Alive, 29 Balmoral Close, Stevenage (2026)

03/09/2026

This September marks an important change in allergy safety at school.

As children return, England’s new statutory guidance means allergy preparedness must be built into the whole school, rather than depending on one knowledgeable member of staff being nearby.

Schools should now have:

✅ A published allergy-safety policy

✅ Allergy-safety training for all staff

✅ Appropriate Individual Healthcare Plans

✅ Accessible emergency medication

✅ Clear records of training and medication

✅ A process for learning from incidents and near misses

But compliance must also work in real life.

Could a lunchtime supervisor recognise anaphylaxis? Could a teacher immediately find the correct medication? Would the response still work during PE, wraparound care or a school trip?

Possible anaphylaxis involving rapidly developing airway, breathing or circulation problems requires urgent action:

• Give the adrenaline auto-injector promptly
• Call 999 and say “anaphylaxis”
• Keep the child lying down unless breathing difficulty requires them to sit with their legs extended
• Do not allow them to stand or walk
• Give a second dose after five minutes if symptoms persist and another device is available

Please share this with anyone working in a school. Preparation must reach every part of the school day.

02/09/2026

The first day back after summer can look reassuringly busy.

More people are in the building, meetings have restarted and normal routines appear to have returned.

But does your first-aid cover still work in practice?

HSE says employers should consider work patterns, holiday cover, remote and lone workers, workforce distribution and changes to workplace risks.

Try this five-minute September check:

✅ Who is trained and present today?

✅ Is cover available across every shift and location?

✅ Have any certificates expired or reached renewal time?
✅ Can everyone locate the first-aid kit and AED?

✅ Are lone, remote and travelling workers included?

✅ Have new starters been told about the arrangements?

✅ Has used or expired equipment been replaced?

An appointed person may provide limited emergency cover when a first aider is unexpectedly absent, within their role and competence. Planned annual leave does not count as an unforeseen absence.

First-aid provision should reflect the workplace you have now, not the workplace you had when the assessment was last completed.

If your arrangements need reviewing, Staying Alive can help you identify practical training options for your organisation.

01/09/2026

September often feels like pressing “go” on everything at once.

Schools reopen, workplaces become busier and diaries rapidly fill. Before the routine restarts, here is one updated piece of first-aid knowledge worth sharing:

If an adult collapses and is unresponsive, call 999 immediately.

You no longer need to confirm that they are not breathing normally before making the call. Put the phone on speaker and check their breathing while you wait for the call to be answered.

If they are not breathing normally:

✅ Begin CPR
✅ Send someone to find an AED
✅ Switch it on and follow its instructions
✅ Continue until professional help takes over, the person becomes responsive or you are physically unable to continue

Occasional gasps, slow panting or laboured breathing are not normal breathing.

You do not need to diagnose cardiac arrest. You need to recognise unresponsiveness, call for help and follow the call handler’s instructions.

Please share this. It could help someone act more quickly when every second matters.

28/08/2026

Before the bank-holiday weekend begins, find out where your nearest defibrillator is.

Then ask a second question:

Could you actually access it in an emergency?

Resuscitation Council UK’s latest guidance reinforces that anyone can use an AED. The device analyses the heart rhythm and will only advise a shock when one is needed.

If someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally:

• Call 999 immediately and put the phone on loudspeaker
• Start chest compressions in the centre of the chest
• Push hard and fast, around twice per second
• Send someone to collect an AED
• Switch it on and follow its spoken instructions
• Continue until professional help takes over or the person shows clear signs of life

Occasional gasps are not normal breathing.

If your organisation has an AED, check that:

• People know where it is
• Access is not blocked
• Pads and batteries are in date
• Clear signage is displayed
• It remains accessible when the building is closed

Knowing that an AED exists is good. Being able to find and use it without delay is far better.

27/08/2026

Is your workplace first-aid cover quietly going on holiday too?

A list of trained names does not automatically mean you have reliable cover.

HSE guidance makes an important point: an appointed person may help during an unexpected absence, within their role and competence, but planned annual leave does not count as an unforeseen absence.

Try this five-minute check today:

• Who is trained and actually present?
• Is there cover across every working shift?
• What happens during breaks, meetings or off-site work?
• Are lone, remote and travelling workers considered?
• Do employees know who to contact?
• Are certificates current?
• Are kits accessible and appropriately stocked?
• Does everyone know where the nearest AED is?

Your first-aid arrangements should reflect how the organisation operates now, not how it worked when the assessment was last written.

If changes to staffing, working patterns or risks have created gaps, review your first-aid needs assessment and arrange appropriate training.

We provide workplace first-aid training at your premises, helping reduce disruption while building genuine confidence.

26/08/2026

Bank-holiday barbecues, fire pits and camping stoves bring an increased risk of burns, but would everyone nearby know what to do?

Remember: COOL, CALL, COVER.

COOL
Cool the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes. Remove jewellery and clothing near the burn if they are not stuck to the skin.

CALL
Seek appropriate medical advice. Call 999 for a severe burn or other life-threatening concerns.

COVER
After cooling, loosely cover the burn with cling film laid over it, or use a clean, non-fluffy dressing.

Do not:

• Apply ice
• Use butter, toothpaste or creams
• Burst any blisters
• Pull away clothing stuck to the skin
• Wrap cling film tightly around a limb

Keep the rest of the person warm while cooling the injury, particularly babies, children and older people.

Twenty minutes can feel like a long time during an emergency, but effective cooling can make a significant difference.

Save this post before the weekend and share it with anyone planning a barbecue, camping trip or outdoor event.

25/08/2026

As schools prepare for September, allergy safety needs to be about more than completing a policy.

The new statutory expectations for schools include allergy-safety training, Individual Healthcare Plans, clear emergency arrangements and learning from incidents and near misses.

But the most important question is practical:

Would the first person present know what to do?

Anaphylaxis may involve rapidly developing problems with the airway, breathing or circulation. Skin changes may occur, but they are not always present.

If anaphylaxis is suspected:

• Use the available adrenaline auto-injector without delay
• Call 999 and clearly say “anaphylaxis”
• Keep the person lying down, with their legs raised if appropriate
• If breathing is difficult, allow them to raise their shoulders or sit up slowly
• Do not let them stand or walk
• Give a second dose after five minutes if symptoms persist and another device is available
• Be prepared to begin CPR if they become unresponsive and are not breathing normally

Effective preparedness includes teachers, administrators, lunchtime teams, coaches, caretakers and everyone who may be present when a reaction begins.

We provide practical anaphylaxis and adrenaline auto-injector awareness training for education settings.

24/08/2026

If you remember only one piece of water-safety advice this bank-holiday week, make it this:

FLOAT TO LIVE.

The RNLI is bringing this lifesaving message to millions of people across the UK this summer, and it is something children and adults should know.

If you unexpectedly find yourself in difficulty in the water:
• Tilt your head back with your ears submerged
• Relax and try to control your breathing
• Move your hands and legs gently to help you float
• Do not worry if your legs sink, everyone floats differently
• Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety if you can

If you see someone else in difficulty, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Avoid entering the water yourself unless you are trained and equipped to do so.

First aid is not only about what happens after an emergency. It is also about knowing the simple actions that can prevent an emergency from becoming a tragedy.

Please share this. It could reach someone just before they need it.

21/08/2026

🗓️ Your first-aid arrangements should not disappear when your usual first aider goes on holiday.

This Friday, try a simple check:

“If an emergency happened right now, who would respond?”

Then check:

• Is a trained person actually on site?
• Does cover extend across every shift?
• Do colleagues know who to contact?
• Are remote, lone and travelling workers considered?
• Are kits accessible and appropriately stocked?
• Are certificates still valid?
• Does anyone know where the nearest AED is located?

A list of trained names is not the same as reliable cover.

First-aid arrangements need to reflect how your organisation operates today, including annual leave, hybrid working, shift changes and staff turnover.

A five-minute check today could reveal a gap before an emergency does.

20/08/2026

🏫 Allergy safety cannot depend on whether one particular first aider is nearby.

A reaction could begin in the classroom, playground, dining hall, minibus or during an off-site activity.

With new statutory allergy-safety guidance taking effect in England from September, schools should now be checking:
✅ Is the allergy policy published and understood?
✅ Have staff received appropriate training?
✅ Are Individual Healthcare Plans current?
✅ Can prescribed medication be reached quickly?
✅ Are spare adrenaline auto-injectors available and in date?
✅ Do staff know what to do on trips and during clubs?

If anaphylaxis is suspected:
• Give the adrenaline auto-injector promptly
• Call 999 and say “anaphylaxis”
• Keep the person lying down, unless breathing difficulty means they need to sit with their legs extended
• Give a second dose after five minutes if symptoms persist and another device is available

Policies matter, but people need the confidence to put them into action.

Staying Alive

03/09/2026

02/09/2026

01/09/2026

28/08/2026

27/08/2026

26/08/2026

25/08/2026

24/08/2026

21/08/2026

20/08/2026

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