I became a first aider after my brother died on camera – why parents MUST save hotel addresses before their holiday
Kate Ball, who is now the powerhouse behind Mini First Aid, is now urging parents to get clued up on vital skills.
She shared her own heartbreaking story on Giovanni Fletcher's Parenting SOS podcast.
Kate's world was rocked when her brother, just 20 months her junior, passed away in a terrifying incident.
After finishing their respective degrees, her brother went out to celebrate his geography finals at Portsmouth University.
"He went out celebrating as students do, and he decided one they had done their celebrating to go and watch the sun come up on the beach in Portsmouth," Kate shared.
"They sat on the Portsmouth beach and he ran in front of one of his friends, and one of his friends was filming him, and he ran up to the camera and he went 'I'm knackered.' And then he laid down and he died.
'He literally laid down because his heart had been put under so much pressure with this run, acceleration and everything else, and he went into cardiac arrest.
'The young people on the scene didn't know what to do and they called the emergency services.
"They said he made a funny noise. One of them wrote in his memorial book, 'I'm sorry I couldn't save you'.
'We never hold any malice towards any of those young people because ultimately it wasn't their fault. It was his heart that wasn't working."
But the painful question remains: "The fact that there wasn't correct CPR until the paramedics arrived means that we will never know if the outcome could've been different."
What to do if your baby is drowning
It was this experience that sparked Kate's mission.
She said: "In my learning brain, I'm going, I'm teaching people to learn stuff all the time, all be it about chocolate at the time, how on earth can you not know how to save somebody's life and that's where Mini First Aid came from."
With summer upon us, Kate is now urging parents to be extra vigilant, whether you're off on a dream holiday or just enjoying the garden.
"Sometimes when you are distracted, especially because we are on our devices, and a lot of us are still trying to work while we do everything else, what we need to do is just do a little bit more," she advised. It's a "very unsexy phrase," but "we just need to do a risk assessment."
Safety first
She explained that this means thinking: "What could happen, what could I make safe before I do this."
These could be simple things like "making sure your kids put a helmet on before you go out on scooters or on a bike," or if you're visiting someone with a pond, "you go 'Oh okay, I need to make that safe before they go and play in the garden'."
Even ensuring they've got "their suncream on, that they are wearing hats, that they are wearing sunglasses, there's so many things."
She continued: "If you were just able before you start your day, or the night before, to just go 'I just need to consider what I have in place' because the prevention then means that you don't even have to do the first aid if it's not going to happen.
Kids are going to have bumps and scrapes, and that's where you need to make sure you've got a first aid kit with you
Kate BallMini First Aid Founder
'What we see in A&E in the UK and I imagine that this will reflect similarly globally, is there are so many young children going to hospital with accidents that could've been prevented.
'We see a rise of that in the summer, particularly water related incidents like drowning.
"So if you just take a moment to make sure that I've made it as safe as I can.
"I know that you can't wrap your kids up in cotton wool. Kids are going to have bumps and scrapes, and that's where you need to make sure you've got a first aid kit with you."
Swimming safety advice
Experts have revealed some of their top advice for both adults and kids heading to the water this summer:
How to stay safe at the beach
Gareth Morrison, Head of Water Safety at the RNLI said: "If you find yourself being swept out to sea in a rip, try to relax and float until you are free from the rip and you can then swim to safety.
"If you see someone else in danger, alert a lifeguard or call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard."
How to stay safe at the swimming pool
Tiny Hearts Education, former paramedic and CEO Nikki Jurcutz said: "Always put your little one in bright or contrasting colours that would be easy to find in an emergency.
"It only takes 20 seconds to drown, little tips like this could save a life".
An Auqabliss spokesperson added: ' Swimming toys such as noodles, dive rings, floaties and beach balls can be dangerous if left in the pool.
' Children may try to grab these from the pool's edge and fall in."
How to stay safe at a waterpark
Ali Beckman, Puddle Ducks Technical Director, said: "Never send a child down the slide on their own, not only are they going to be entering the slide pool area independently, they then have to exit the pool and wait for an adult.
"And wave pools should be avoided until your child is really confident with water going over their faces and you know they are able to regain their feet independently.
' Waterparks are often very busy places and it's easy to lose sight of a child in a split second."
She also warns that "we see a huge number of incidents of it happening when you just arrive on holiday."
This is because "you've all got that new moment of excitement, where you are staying. Perhaps you are checking out the bedrooms, who is going to sleep where, and that's where the kids go and explore, and that's when can happen."
Royal Life Saving Society
Organisations like the RLSS (Royal Life Saving Society) "who are very focused on life saving and safety around water will talk about swimming pool safety."
"If you are going to a holiday place that has a pool, and you are checking out where everyone is going to sleep and the kids are walking towards the pool, because that looks cool," she said.
"Again just being on almost heightened alert when you have just arrived somewhere, so that if you can prevent an incident from happening."
For very young children, Kate suggests taking some safety products with you.
She said: "You can pack things like door jammers to stop doors slamming, corner protectors. You can pack them and take them with you.
"Sometimes you might see this beautiful holiday property that looks great and then you look at piece of furniture, and then you go 'I'd never have that at my house because it's got sharp edges'.
"You can challenge them and say what have you got in the way of baby safety.'
But when it comes to holidays, Kate has one major tip.
"Put the address (of your hotel) in your phone, so that you've got it on the notes page of your phone, so that if you have to ring the emergency services, that you can articulate where you are." she explains.
This is especially crucial "if English is not the first language spoken in that area." You can even send that information in a text.
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She also reminds parents to not forget about researching the area on Google maps to find the local pharmacy or medical center ahead of the trip.
"Google Translate is brilliant," she added. "It will tell you enough. If you speak into your phone, and you can say that to a pharmacist. Then they can help you and support you with that."
When it comes to water, Kate had some sobering facts.
"You can drown in less than 5cm of water. Pools have got to be covered and gated. The best pools are gated,' she explained.
'Really good hotels will have things like you have to scan your room key to get into the pool, but the key thing is supervising."
Another vital tip involves swimwear colours.
How to keep your kids safe in warm weather
Hot weather is fabulous, a wonderful trip to the beach or enjoying time in the garden! However, when temperatures skyrocket it can become dangerous. Save The Children have compiled 10 heat safety tips for keeping children safe in a heatwave.
1. Light clothing, heavy suncream
Choose lightweight, light-coloured, and breathable fabrics (such as cotton), and use lots of suncream to protect you and your child from the heat and potential sunburn.
2. Drink lots of fluids
Remember to drink plenty of liquids, regardless of your activity level. Check your baby's nappy for concentrated (dark in color) urine, which can indicate dehydration.
3. Get lots of rest
Try and limit activities. Make sure that children get lots of rest when they are active. NHS advises to 'try to keep out of the sun between 11am to 3pm'.
4. Keep children entertained
Children may become anxious or restless from being kept indoors. Plan for indoor activities and games.
5. Reassure children
Children may be stressed by the heat. Remember that children take their cues from their parents and caregivers, so try to keep calm and answer their questions openly and honestly. Also stick to regular bath and sleep times for your child.
6. House safety/cooling tips
During the day, keep rooms cool by closing blinds/curtains, especially in rooms facing the sun. Using a fan to circulate air in the room is beneficial.Review your child's school sun policy.
7. Never leave children unsupervised in parked cars
Even in less threatening temperatures, vehicles can rapidly heat up to dangerous temperatures. A child left inside a car is at risk of severe heat-related illness or death, even if the windows are cracked open.
8. Stay informed
Listen to local news and weather channels for health, safety and weather-related updates.
9. Know how to identify heat-related illnesses
Look for signs of heat-related illnesses/conditions such as heat stroke, exhaustion, cramps, and severe sunburn. If children show these symptoms, seek medical assistance. Refer to the NHS website for a complete list, and how to remedy them.
10. Read the NHS guidance for babies
The NHS advises giving your baby a cool bath before bedtime and keeping nightwear to a minimum. Your baby will sleep most comfortably at room temperature between 16C and 20C, a nursery thermometer will help you monitor the temperature of the baby's room.
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"This is all about putting your children in a really bright colour and avoiding those bluey, greeny colours," she revealed.
"When you go under the water it makes them much harder to spot. So if you are looking for a missing child around water then it's tricky."
And if you do lose your child near water, as well as shouting their name, "you shout what they are wearing because that means that the people around you can help you look."
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