Free emergency first aid course

Would you know what to do in the vital minutes before an ambulance arrived?

Have you been inspired by the TV series Helicopter Heroes? If so, we're giving you the opportunity to learn first aid with the St John Ambulance.

BBC1's Helicopter Heroes looks at the life saving work of an ambulance crew but would you know what to do in those first few vital minutes if someone you knew was injured? Immediate first aid can make a real difference.

An ambulance takes on average eight minutes to arrive and that can increase to around 20 minutes in rural areas, but you can die from a blocked airway within four minutes. Isn't it time we all learned some basic first aid skills?

The nation's leading first aid charity St John Ambulance in partnership with the BBC is offering you the opportunity to learn the skills needed on a free three hour first aid course.

Places are limited, so to book your free place on the St John Ambulance emergency skills course call 08700 10 49 50 and quote 'BBC'. Calls cost up to 8p/min from most landlines. Calls from some networks may vary; calls from mobiles may cost considerably more.

Or you can visit the St John Ambulance website to sign up for a St John Ambulance first aid course.