On October 25, 2024, Unity College, in association with NGO Robinhood Army and Medanta Hospital, Lucknow, held a life-saving ‘Golden Hour’ awareness session for staff and students. The event was overseen by an expert team from Medanta, including Mr ShashankAgnihotri - Deputy Manager, Marketing, Mr Uma Shankar - Paramedic, Ms ShwetaDwivedi - Nursing Staff, Mr Manish Rawat - Assistant, and Ms Debopriya from Robinhood Army. The primary objective was to educate attendees on essential life-saving techniques applicable within the critical 'Golden Hour' following traumatic incidents.
In attendance were students from class IX, along with Principal Mr Deepak Mervyn Mathews, Vice Principal Mr Sachindra Bharti, and Headmistress Ms Kainaat Mansoor.
The session began with a warm welcome from Vice Principal Mr Bharti. Ms Debopriya shared insights into the services provided by Robinhood Army, highlighting their work in slums through medical camps and emergency first-aid workshops, which assist vulnerable individuals both at home and in schools.
Mr Uma Shankar then underscored the importance of immediate 'Golden Hour' treatment, emphasising that administering emergency care within the first one to four hours is crucial for trauma patients. He explained that, without timely interventions such as CT scans or specific treatments for strokes, snake bites, or dog bites, the risk of lifelong suffering, coma, or multi-organ failure escalates. He advised that emergency cases should be directed to well-equipped medical centres, given that delays can lead to severe health deterioration. He also explained that, in cases of cardiac failures, manual heart compressions should be initiated within five to ten minutes.
Mr Shankar outlined the six essential steps for performing CPR:
- Ensure a safe environment
- Assess consciousness by gently shaking the shoulders
- Call for help (contact 112 for police, ambulance, and fire services, or 102 & 108 for ambulance assistance)
- Check the carotid pulse for five to six seconds
- Look, listen, and feel for breathing and responsiveness
- Place the patient on a flat surface
He proceeded to demonstrate the CPR process on a dummy, showing how to interlock hands and compress the mid-chest area at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. He instructed that the pulse should be checked after two to three minutes, and if there is a heartbeat, the person should be taken to a medical facility without delay, continuing compressions en route. Ideally, two people should perform CPR, alternating every two minutes to maintain consistent compressions.
Mr Shankar further demonstrated the Heimlich manoeuvre to relieve choking in both adults and children. He advocated for including CPR training in school curricula, as the incidence of heart attacks is increasing and is no longer age-specific. Students and teachers were invited to practice CPR under supervision to ensure proper technique.
Towards conclusion, Mr Agnihotri shared Medanta Hospital’s emergency contact number (1068) and reinforced the critical role of timely emergency assistance in saving lives.
The session culminated with a vote of thanks from Headmistress Ms Mansoor, who appreciated the invaluable knowledge imparted by the team.
