Over the past week, various groups of taxi drivers were sitting astute as Red Cross Officer, Mr. Peter Quinn, instructed them during two-hour evening sessions in basic first-aid techniques at the Conference Room of the Disaster Preparedness facility.
Also sitting in on the classes was Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Cardigan Connor, with responsibility for Tourism. In his address at the opening of the session, Mr. Connor stated:
“When you are doing work, whether in a public or private capacity, there is a lot to learn. You must not just know the skills to control the equipment you’re operating safely and effectively, but you must also be equipped with life-saving skills should there be a critical failure in your equipment.
“Taxi drivers have a greater chance of witnessing traffic accidents, as they spend a considerable amount of time on the road. If they are well trained in first-aid techniques they can play a great role in pre-hospital emergency service.
“The Department of Disaster Management, with forward thinking, saw the need to partner with the Anguilla Tourist Board, the Anguilla Air & Sea Port Authority, and Social Security, to improve customer service as well as to strengthen the realm of safety for tourists in Anguilla. It is important to ensure that our visitors to the island are safe while they are here, and that they are well taken care of in case of an emergency.”
Overall, the training sessions were rewarding for the taxi drivers whom most of us consider as the Ambassadors of Anguilla, since they are the ones who make initial and direct contact with tourists upon their arrival. They are the ones who offer transportation services while the guest are on island, and they provide transportation upon the tourists’ departure.
Here is what a few of the taxi drivers had to say concerning the training seesion:
Mr. Charlie Vanterpool: “It was very informative and interesting. A lot has been learnt. So now we can go out and execute this training in case we need to.”
Mr. Preston Hughes: “This has been a very good crash course in first-aid. I wish we had more time to devote to more in-depth training. However, I think we all learnt a great deal about first-aid, though.”
Mr. Wilmoth Hodge: “It was very meaningful. Once you have this skill, no one can take it from you. I trust that the persons who attended this course will be ready to assist in case of an emergency, be it in their homes or on the street. Now we have some basic techniques that can be used to save a life. So, we are very grateful for this course.”
Parliamentary Secretary Cardigan Connor commented: “I think this has been of great importance. It was quite impressive. Peter did a great job. I think the Disaster Management team, along with the Tourist Board came up with a brilliant idea. Chances are that these taxi drivers are very likely after this training to have a positive influence on someone’s life. I was very much impressed with the interaction. I think all of the taxi-drivers were in tune with the several aspects of the training.”
Mr. Philmore Lake had this to say: “It was a very rewarding gesture. The training is very much needed. It was good for us to come out and participate in these sessions, because anything can happen at any given time, and we would need to respond effectively in case our guests are in danger. We have to be prepared. Nothing beats preparation. I hope we can come back and devote an entire day to this type of training so that we can be certified.”
These training sessions are to be continued indefinitely.
