Building a Community of First Aiders.
Ronald Pascua, a Production Engineering Technician, regularly volunteers his precious weekend to give back to the society. Since 2017, he has been a steadfast First Aider on Wheels (FAOW) volunteer with the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) and is regularly deployed for first aid duties at East Coast Park and Pulau Ubin. When asked why he continues to volunteer with SRC, Ronald recounted his first day of duty and how that experience cemented his commitment to helping others. “I attended to a 60 year old lady who choked on a chicken nugget. Thankfully, I was first aid trained. I remembered learning about the Heimlich maneuver and administered it until the lady coughed out the nugget.”
Crediting his first aid knowledge for saving the lady, Ronald is now a firm advocate of first aid learning. “The situation may have ended very differently if I did not know first aid or if there were no other first aiders around to help. The sense of purpose and fulfilment that comes from helping someone avoid an otherwise fatal incident drives me to continue my FAOW journey.”
Being first-aid trained empowers an ordinary citizen to be in control during emergencies, where the first few minutes are critical to saving a person’s life. In the event of a sudden cardiac arrest, for example, providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) within 4 minutes and defibrillation within 6 minutes from the time of collapse can double or triple a casualty’s chance of survival. The provision of first aid can further increase a casualty’s chance of survival or prevent further deterioration.
Singapore is taking it seriously to achieve the national goal of having at least one first aider in every home – especially with the challenges that come with an aging population and the threats of civil emergencies. Singapore Red Cross supports the national goal through its learning institute, the Singapore Red Cross Academy (SRCA), offering a full suite of first aid courses to empower the community to save lives. The courses are designed to cater to various audiences and for different needs, such as first aid for caregivers of the elderly, first aid for stroke and diabetic patients, child / infant first aid, occupational first aid, and more.
Keen to learn first aid but not sure where to start? Take the below quiz to find out which course suits your needs!
Note the CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) & AED (automated external defibrillator) awareness workshop is offered free of charge to all Singaporeans and permanent residents! Designed for 6 to 99 years old, this two-hour workshop would be a great weekend family activity that is meaningful, useful and beneficial for all! Register now to learn how to perform CPR and use an AED machine! And snap a screenshot of this article to get a free mini first aid kit (limited to the first 100 redemptions @ 15 Penang Lane, S238486, T&C apply). Click here or call +65 6664 0500 for more information.
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