Certified First Aid personnel needed in high-traffic areas

Instructors at the Antigua & Barbuda Red Cross are encouraging corporate players to train staff in First Aid and CPR, following recent reports of delayed medical assistance to workers or clients who require emergency care.
High-traffic business places have developed the practice of waiting on first responders such as the Emergency Medical Services to administer urgent care although sick people may be near death.
First Aid Instructor for Antigua & Barbuda Red Cross Dothlyn Joseph said, “A lady who came here to learn do first aid [training] said her co-worker fell ill and nobody at her job knew what to do, so she took the initiative and learned first aid.”
Era Birk, also an instructor with Red Cross said the local office will further efforts with more aggressive advertising so that the community is aware of the First Aid and CPR training offered.
“We work with different business places; we try to be flexible so that we can accommodate anybody and everybody. We do provide training when there is a request and also we try to make contact to let them know training is available,” Birk said.
She told OBSERVER media that the practical training exercises encompass CPR, diabetic related emergencies, muscular and joint pain control and wound care for those suffering from burns or bruises.
“Many are skeptical providing the mouth-to-mouth part of CPR, but if they are not comfortable they can just do chest compressions and that will at least help with circulation,” Birk said.
 
(More in today’s Daily Observer)