Why I froze during an emergency even with first aid training

Straits Times

26-04-2025

Learning how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use an automated external defibrillator might help to save a person's life. PHOTO: ST FILE
Hear Me Out: I learnt first aid, but hesitated when it mattered
SINGAPORE – You sign up for spin class, try out yoga or power through a HIIT session – all in the name of self-improvement. But what if the most important skill you can learn is not about getting fitter, but saving a life?
A few months ago, I saw someone sitting on the floor of a mall. She had just fainted and was visibly unwell. A small crowd gathered around, fanning her and throwing out suggestions. No one seemed to know what to do, including me.
Here's the kicker: I'm one of 47,583 people in Singapore certified in first aid, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) use.
I had attended about 24 hours of training sessions in occupational first aid at the Singapore Red Cross Academy (SRCA) back in 2022. But at that moment, I just stood there frozen, having completely forgotten everything I learnt three years ago.
Instead of stepping up, I walked past, convincing myself someone else would handle it.
For days afterwards, I couldn't shake off the guilt. What was the point of that shiny certification if I couldn't even remember how to use what I had learnt?
I was impressed by 15-year-old Alva Wong, recently in the news for performing CPR when an elderly man collapsed outside Cedele bakery at Velocity @ Novena Square.
Alva Wong, a Secondary 4 student at Raffles Girls' School and Red Cross Youth cadet, overcame her self-doubt and applied cardiopulmonary resuscitation on a man at Velocity @ Novena Square on March 10.
ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO
Despite doubting herself, the student at Raffles Girls' School managed to keep him alive until the paramedics arrived. That kind of courage is something we can all aspire towards.
When I opened up about my experience to family and friends, I discovered I wasn't alone. Many of them had, like me, taken first aid and CPR-AED courses in a fit of self betterment at some point, and never bothered with a refresher.
We all knew it was an important skill to have and hone, but in the chaos of life, it had slipped through the cracks in terms of priorities.
And that is when it hit me. Learning first aid and CPR-AED isn't just a 'good to have' skill, but possibly the most important thing you will ever learn.
Singapore's Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Data Report (2011 to 2021), compiled by the Ministry of Health's Unit for Pre-hospital Emergency Care, shows that each year, more than 3,000 people suffer cardiac arrest outside of the hospital, with a survival rate of just 19.9 per cent in 2021.
Meanwhile, findings from the Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of CPR+AED Survey 2024 – conducted by the Singapore Heart Foundation (SHF) – revealed that 56 per cent of 1,001 residents aged 16 to 64 in Singapore had learnt CPR.
But only 36 per cent were equipped with the skills to use an AED, a portable medical device used to help people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.
Awareness of where to locate these life-saving devices was also relatively low at 58 per cent.
That is a step up from 2020, when just 50 per cent had learnt CPR and only 28 per cent knew how to use an AED.
When you think of CPR, maybe your brain conjures up images of Baywatch-style rescues or a scene from Grey's Anatomy. Cue dramatic music.
Real life is far more prosaic. Cardiac arrest can happen literally anywhere – at a concert, in the gym or on the MRT during rush hour. And survival rates drop by 7 to 10 per cent for every minute that passes without CPR or defibrillation.
If you are there and know what to do while the ambulance is en route, it could mean the difference between life and death.
Of course, the idea of performing CPR is terrifying. What if I push too hard? What if I break someone's ribs? What if I panic and freeze?
These are valid fears I have, too, but here's the thing: Doing something is almost always better than doing nothing. (Fun fact: Ribs are often broken during properly administered CPR.)
And AEDs? They're basically foolproof. Open the device, follow the voice instructions and let the machine do its thing. If Siri can guide you to the nearest bubble tea shop, an AED can guide you through a cardiac emergency.
Despite going for CPR training, some of my friends say they still wouldn't dare to step in. So, it's not just about knowledge. It is also about having the courage to act when it counts. It is easy to say, 'I'll call for help', but taking the first step to get involved – especially when someone's life is on the line – is a whole other ball game.
When I caught up with Mr Syafawi Ho recently – he was the senior adjunct trainer at SRCA who had conducted my first aid course in 2022 – he wasn't surprised by my hesitation at the mall.
'It's extremely common,' he says, adding that confidence and composure in emergencies cannot be taught in a classroom.
So, what can one do? His tip: Download the Singapore Civil Defence Force's myResponder app.
'When you receive an alert, go forward, regardless of whether you remember exactly what to do,' he says. The point, he explains, is that people do not encounter real-life emergencies often enough, so when they do happen, they feel foreign.
'Go to the location, observe and familiarise yourself with what happens,' he advises. 'Look at how things are done, ask if you can help in any way.' Even small actions such as clearing the path for paramedics or calling 995 can make a difference, he adds.
Some countries recognise that CPR is not just a useful skill, but also a necessity.
In Norway and Sweden, for instance, CPR training is a compulsory part of the school curriculum, ensuring that children learn life-saving skills from a young age. Similarly, the United Kingdom made CPR training mandatory in secondary schools in 2020.
Imagine if every household in Singapore had someone trained in CPR and AED use – we could become a nation of lifesavers.
Learning CPR-AED doesn't require months of training or a PhD in medicine. Many organisations, like the SHF and SRCA, offer short courses that fit into a single afternoon. By the end of it, you will know how to perform chest compressions, use an AED and have the confidence to handle one of life's scariest moments.
So, the next time you are scrolling through TikTok or refreshing your cart during a Shopee sale, maybe pause to book that first aid and CPR-AED class instead. As for me, I'm finally going to sign up for that refresher.
Hear Me Out is a new series where young journalists (over)share on topics ranging from navigating friendships to self-loathing, and the occasional intrusive thought.
Amrita Kaur is a journalist at The Straits Times, where she covers the evolving healthcare landscape in Singapore, including mental health and wellness.
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