Teachers learn first aid at Red Cross

Viewers of this newscast know that tragic accidents can happen anywhere at any time. But are you prepared to help when things go wrong? News 5’s Jacqueline Woods visited the Red Cross this morning, where a group of educators was learning that beyond the three R’s comes a fourth… that stands for rescue.

Jacqueline Woods, Reporting

Many people are afraid to respond to medical emergencies simply because they don’t know what to do to help an injured person.

Marylee Ellis, Deputy Director, Belize Red Cross

“Mostly I think it would be because we’re untrained and therefore don’t feel confident. They’re concerned that they would make the situation worse rather than make it better. In other countries, maybe not so much in Belize, but I suppose partly in Belize too, people are also worried about lawsuits or that family members will accuse them of causing a family member to either die or become more sick.”

To help people effectively respond to a casualty, the Belize Red Cross holds training sessions throughout the year. Today a first aid Course was conducted for primary school principals and teachers.

Marylee Ellis

“They are the persons that the community will turn to. And especially during the times of an incident or an accident or an emergency, or even a disaster, when there’s no one else in the community who knows what to do, everybody assumes a teacher knows what to do, and they will go to the teacher and the teacher will need to respond. And therefore, they more than anyone need to be trained. The Anglican schools are doing really well, they’ve seen the importance, they’re getting their teachers trained, they’re also ordering kits. So all their schools will be equipped with a first aid kit.”

The participants are learning how to do rescue breathing, treat severe cuts and wounds, burns, fractures and poisoning. Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.

Approximately thirty teachers and principals attended the course which was held to commemorate Red Cross Week.