Red Cross volunteers learn advanced C.P.R.

With our population scattered across remote locations or, more noticeably, stretched across a city filled with narrow streets and too many cars, medical history in Belize has shown that first aid skills are crucial to an injured person’s survival. This week, a group of Canadian trainers have been conducting advanced first aid workshops for Red Cross volunteers from all over Belize, as well as doctors and nurses from the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital. News Five’s Karla Vernon reports.

Karla Vernon, Reporting
These Belizean Red Cross volunteers are usually the ones conducting training sessions in CPR, but today the teachers became the students as international instructors are sharing the latest in first aid.

Advanced care paramedic Darryl Chickness of Bandage International is leading the two-day course.

Darryl Chickness, President of Bandage International
?There?s brand new standards for CPR and airway obstruction that?s just been released for 2006 by the American and Canadian Heart Associations. And we just received this information over the last couple of weeks and had the ability that we received that before we came. So after our training with the next couple of days, and the next two weeks that we?re in Belize, everybody that will train will be at the brand new 2006 standards as per the American and Canadian Heart Associations.?

Team members include two emergency physicians, three paramedics, and two emergency nurses. Among those learning the new skills is Edna Arnold, a Red Cross trainer from the Stann Creek Branch.

Edna Arnold, Branch Coord, Stann Creek Red Cross
?In Dangriga we do much. We do first aiding, we do disaster preparedness in the villages and also in town, in the schools; and we also provide help to the community in disaster, fire and so.?

?This is their second visit to Belize, encouraging us to be advanced with first aid since we are first aiders, and we also teach first aid to tour guides in this country.?

Darryl Chickness
?So Everybody here today is very eager to learn and very hands on, wanting to get up and actually take turns in doing things, which makes it a lot easier and fun for us to teach.?

Reporting for News Five I am Karla Vernon.

Bandage International is a non-profit organisation based in Nova Scotia. Their visit was at the invitation of the Belize Red Cross, but the group fundraised to finance the cost of the trip to Belize.