First aid, at its core, is about two things: keeping blood circulating and keeping air moving in and out of the body. Everything else is secondary. New Zealand has a history of overcomplicating first aid training with splints, detailed scenarios, and procedures that cloud basic decision-making. If you can maintain circulation and an open airway until the ambulance arrives, you have done your job. First aid is pre-ambulance care — nothing more and nothing less. Keep it simple, stay focused on the basics, and don’t let complexity get in the way of action.
