The Valley Anguilla- The Department of Disaster Management Anguilla has partnered with the Anguilla Social Security Board, The Anguilla Tourist Board and The Anguilla Air and Sea Ports Authority to conduct a series of cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid Certification Training. Plans are ongoing to have the Taxi Drivers of Anguilla participate in the training scheduled for March 15th and 16th, 2018. The training will consists of sessions on basic CPR and First Aid, which will be facilitated by instructors of the Anguilla Red Cross.
Coordinator of the initiative Mr. Alwyn Richardson Programme Officer Mitigation and Strategic Planning of the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) stated; “The primary objective of this training, is to give the members of the Anguilla Taxi Fraternity, the skills and training needed to be able to give basic medical assistance by stabilising the potential victim until emergency personnel arrive on the scene and in turn may save someone’s life. Mr. Richardson further commented that the Department of Disaster Management saw the need to partner with The Anguilla Social Security Board, The Anguilla Air & Sea Ports Authority (AASPA), and the Anguilla Tourist Board, not just improve customer service but to strengthen the realm of safety for tourists on Anguilla, to ensure that visitors receive the complete experience when they come to our island and in so doing make sure that their stay is pleasant and enjoyable and also make sure that if faced with an emergency situation they will be well taken care. As our country’s economy is driven by tourism and the taxi drivers our ambassadors, the taxi drivers are the first persons that our visitors see when they arrive, it is imperative that we further enhance the Anguilla Tourism product in unique ways.”
Mr. Timothy Hodge Director of the Anguilla Social Security Board highlighted that; “equipping taxi drivers with life-saving first aid skills is a great initiative and Social Security welcomes this and feels honored to be the platinum sponsor of the training. Mr. Hodge reiterated that taxi drivers are key members of the community who spend a considerable amount of time on Anguilla’s roads. They are therefore often the first on the scene of an emergency and providing them with sound knowledge of first aid, they will be in a better position to assist injured and sick people, thereby saving lives. Not only will this represent a valuable service to fellow Anguillans and road users in general but it will serve to enhance the overall perceptions of an industry which has often in the past been unfairly tainted.
Mr. Sherman Williams, acting Chief Executive Officer of the Anguilla Air & Sea Ports Authority (AASPA) commented that “On behalf of the Board, management and staff of the AASPA, it is an honour to be working alongside other key stakeholders in bringing this important initiative to fruition”. Further, Mr. Williams noted, “the AASPA is committed to being a strategic partner with all stakeholders in security, safety education and awareness, especially those stakeholders who service of our ports. I also would like to express my sincere gratitude to the DDM (Department of Disaster Management) for their forward thinking in conceptualizing such an initiative. This is a crucial first step for us in Anguilla that I am certain will pay dividends in the future. Again, thanks to the DDM.
The taxi drivers would be trained in first aid and CPR , to include areas such as head injuries, fractures, strains and sprains, unconsciousness, breathing, airway checks, unconsciousness, use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), choking,- heart attack and seizures.
The second phase of the initiative in support Action for Road Safety on Anguilla, will be held during the slow periods later in 2018, where there will be further First Aid Training and Fire Prevention and Safety Training. The training is voluntary.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
