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Joint Training Session in Basic Life Support Techniques is well underway

04th April 2016

Technicians from the Emergency Medical Services along with individuals from the Fire Department are currently undergoing an intense Basic Life Support Course in the Conference Room of the Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board.

The exercise which will last for one week is being supervised and facilitated by Head of the EMS Shawn Greenidge, Supervisor of Training Morvin Fiedtkou, Supervisor of Administration Vermalie Brodie, Advance Instructors Certified-Calvin Daley and Shellon Knowles and EMT's Advance Officer Tundae Bruce.

According to Greenidge, the clinic is basically a means of continued education for the Emergency Specialists and Operators and also serves as a mandatory refresher training program for all Emergency Technicians.

He said that courses such as the current BLS exercise are of utmost importance.

"This course is very, very important in the Emergency Service, especially for the public because when a patient goes into cardiac arrest, they need to have that quick attention and treatment in terms of BLS and having people trained in that area is very important", Greenidge remarked.

The EMS official explained that when someone goes into cardiac arrest, the brain usually shuts down in about four to six minutes and a person goes into clinical death and then what is called biological death within ten minutes.

Greenidge is optimistic that the training sessions will be effective and he is hoping that members of the public and other governmental departments will get onboard and become skilled in life saving techniques.

"We are starting presently with the EMS and Fire Department and we are hoping to extend this course to the public and any government institution that is interested in doing it in the future", Greenidge added.

So far, close to twenty individuals are involved in the training program and the number is expected to increase.

For More Information Contact:
Debbie Francis
Tel: (268) 464-8026