“The laid-back culture in Saudi homes is probably the root of this evil. You cannot rely on 997, because you might risk wasting a chance to save a life while waiting for them to arrive. Only if you know how to perform basic tools of first aid, you might help save a life or sustain it until help comes to you,” said Hanan Taher, 26 years old.

First aid is the stipulation of preliminary care of sickness and injury and can be performed by a non-professional to a sick person in case of emergency until definitive expert treatment can be accessed.

First aid intervention may limit or diminish the need for further medical care if the right measures are taken. It typically consists of a series of steps that involve life-saving techniques; something a person can be trained to perform with minimal equipment.

Mahmoud Abbas, 34 years old, said to Arab News, “I don’t need to learn how to practice cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to a mannequin. I would much rather watch football. It is a waste of time and not a fundamental need.”

However, the lack of a health law offering a professional certified course in the Kingdom on first aid does worry some citizens.

Mona Mustafa, 24 years old, said: “People do not realize the importance of first aid. We know families who refuse to do anything about it. Nevertheless, there should be free programs across the country, where you can register and learn the basics of first aid in case of a sudden emergency at home, at work or outside. People should be prepared for this. Many community organizations provide a commercial service as part of their community programs, but I have not come across one local company here that provides this for his employees and their families. Schools and universities should also have a mandatory first aid class and a certification process, in order to improve our children’s future. If you can save a life, then why not take the initiative to learn how to do so?”

Mona believes significant foreign tactics should be developed within local companies’ set up.

“The government should take this initiative serious: pass out flyers, educate people on the streets and at home. Once, my younger sister, who was suffering from high fever, experienced something we thought was a stroke, and we all panicked. No one could even think of calling an ambulance. Fortunately, one of my uncles is a doctor, and he was present at this occasion. It taught me the importance of learning the basics of first aid, because it could help preserve a life and promote recovery,” Saad Al Bashrawi, 29 years old, said.

Certain skills are fundamental to first aid and should be taught universally.  For instance, the ABC of first aid focuses on critical life-saving intervention. ABC stands for airway, breathing, and circulation. These life-saving intervention skills, however, require instruction and functional training, and should therefore be practiced before an actual emergency occurs.