VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Do you know what to do in the case of an emergency? On this World First Aid Day, a new poll by the Canadian Red Cross shows an alarmingly low number of people in this province have First Aid training.

The numbers show 40 per cent of Canadians have been in an emergency situation. But Dave Adamson with the Red Cross says only 11 per cent of British Columbians are certified to perform First Aid; he calls that a dangerously low figure.

“Most people think they’re going to be walking down the street, somebody’s going to collapse, and they’re going to have to do CPR or First Aid or something. Most of the time, up to 60 per cent of the time, it’s somebody you know or somebody in your family,” he explains.

“People agree that it’s a good idea to have the training and realize it’s a good thing to have. The cost, accessibility and time commitment to actually take the training, people just aren’t prepared to invest in,” he tells us.

Adamson points out in reality, a First Aid course takes less than eight hours.