World First Aid Day: First respondent plays vital role

September 14, 2014 10:50 am | Updated 10:50 am IST - CHENNAI:

‘With the right training, anyone can save a life’ was the message various organisations tried to impart to the general public on the occasion of World First Aid Day on Saturday.

Highlighting the need for first-aid training, Kala Balasundaram, founder of the NGO Alert, said, “First respondents can play a vital role in saving lives, but they are not people with special qualities; just the right training for situations,” she said.

In the past eight years since starting Alert, which trains people to respond in emergencies, Ms. Balasundaram says there has been a huge rise in the level of awareness. “Now, with the 108 ambulance, there is medical care at hand. In many road accident cases, many members of the public come forward to help.” On Saturday, her organisation, along with the 108 ambulance, Chennai city traffic police and Stunt Union, conducted a mock drill on Marina beach on the ideal response to an emergency.

Survival Instincts, another NGO working in emergency response, conducted a similar programme at Express Avenue. They trained school and college students along with the traffic police, Tamil Nadu State Council FICCI and Fortis Malar Hospital.

When it comes to dealing with road accidents, knowing how to transport a person and understanding what to do can make a world of difference, said Anoop R. Madhavan, founder and lead trainer of Survival Instincts. “Before the ambulances arrive, what the general public do can help determine the quality of life of the victim,” he said.

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