Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 19, 2023 (ZIZ Newsroom): Twenty students of the Newton Ground Primary School have received certificates after successfully completing training in first aid.
The training which took place on Thursday afternoons at the school, formed part of the Department of Community development’s capacity building initiative.
Principal of the Newton Ground Primary School Michelle Rochester-Woodley said she was pleased to have the students participate in the training and encouraged the department to extend the program to other schools across the federation.
“When I was approached about having this particular training in my school, I jumped at the occasion because I saw where our children can be used in the event of an emergency, especially on the playing field. From time to time, we will have persons getting injured or hurt outside there and the first responders would be you, the students. So I said, sure, bring it on. And since then, I must tell you, when we have injury occurring now, the students, they don’t panic. They just take their time be calm and they come because someone from the class usually come with them. And so it’s really good to have something like this. I hope this is just not a Newton Ground experience, but in all schools, because all students should know how to respond in the event of an emergency.”
Senior Community Development Officer Erslyn Bridgewater spoke of the importance of learning first aid, noting, “Learning first aid is an invaluable life skill. It helps you as children to become more risk aware and equips you with skills to keep yourselves safe and help you as well as others if they are involved in a medical emergency. Knowledge of first aid can save lives,” she said.
The training in basic first aid was offered to grades 5 and 6 of the Newton Ground Primary School.
The exercise, which was facilitated by Olivia Johnson covered topics including ‘What is first aid’, ‘Responsibility of the first aider’, ‘Principles of first aid’, First aid basics’ and ‘Administering CPR”.
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