Fleet officer Daphne De Smet attended first aid training: “Highly recommended for everyone!”

In Circet Alumni, a colleague tells the story of his or her training at the Circet Academy, in short and detail.

Who is Daphne?

• Professionally: As a fleet officer, Daphne is responsible for monitoring Circet’s entire fleet.
• Privately: Daphne lives with her partner in Hoboken. In her free time, you’ll find her in the gym or hiking in the Hoboken Polder’s nature reserve.  

IN SHORT

• Training? First aid training and refresher course

• Her take-away? “You must remain calm in a crisis situation. And your own safety always comes first.”

• Score? 11/10

   

• Tip for those who want to keep learning? “Just do it, you’re never too old to learn!”

IN DETAIL

Why did you follow this training?

“My job as a fleet officer puts me in Kontich every day. That’s why I wanted to volunteer as a first aider for the colleagues at the head office. I attended the four-day basic training a year ago. This is followed by a half-day refresher every year. I took the first one a few weeks ago. We repeated some basic techniques, regarding CPR for example: check whether the victim is still breathing, perform the heart massage correctly, stable side position... This keeps everything fresh in our memories.

By the way, I did not have to start from scratch for the first aid training. I had taught gymnastics to children twice a week for years. It was a hobby that got out of hand. But through the gymnastics club, I had taken a first aid course specifically aimed at children.”

“I wanted to volunteer as a first aider for the colleagues at the head office.”

What did you find most interesting about the first aid training?

“I liked that, in addition to resuscitation techniques (CPR), we covered so many different aspects of first aid extensively. For example, the care of burns and other wounds, electrocution and so on. This may be less applicable in the office environment where I work every day, but for our colleagues in the field, knowing those responses is a must.”

What did you find most challenging about the first aid training?

“In an emergency situation you run on adrenaline. However, you should always think about your own safety first. Otherwise, you may end up being the next victim. That thought was an eye-opener for me.

Not to mention that I always had exam stress at school: would I be able to do it? This was no different for the test at the end of this course. But everything went smoothly; I passed and now have my first aider certificate!”

“Always think about your own safety first. Otherwise, you may end up being the next victim.”

Who would benefit from this training most?

“Everyone, because it can help you save lives! That’s why I’m giving this training an eleven out of ten! I have already been able to put the course into practice a few times. When we were moving from Wilrijk to the new headquarters in Kontich, for example, I looked after a colleague. She had cut herself badly while taking things to the container.”

Is there another course on your wish list?

“I’m very busy at the moment. But I am certainly considering delving further into XPO Fleet, the new software we use to monitor and manage our fleet. And an occasional refresher in Excel or Word is always useful to continue working efficiently.”