Bontoc, Mountain Province – The Bontoc Local Government Unit (LGU) through the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) initiated Basic Life Support (BLS) and Standard First Aid Training to 48 Bontoc LGU employees and 12 tour guides.
According to Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer I Meilynne Shalom Ayan, the activity aimed to further capacitate trained responders from the Bontoc LGU as well as to prepare and raise awareness among local tour guides.
“Our goal is to at least have one trained first-aid responder from each office so that we can have a more improved response in cases of emergency,” she added.
The trainers were Nurse III Harvey Ambas and Nurse II George Marrero who are both from Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital.
In compliance with the health protocols, the three-day training was divided into two batches and was held on November 22-24, 2021, and November 25-27, 2021.
The topics discussed during the training were: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for adults and infants, Update of BLS for COVID, Standard First Aid Lecture and Bandaging, Splinting, Use of Kendrick Extrication Device (KED), and Spine Board Management.
After the lectures and hands-on demonstrations, the participants had both individual and group evaluations during the last day of the training.
Recognizing the need for continued skills development and re-training of volunteer emergency responders, Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey who also chairs the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) supported the initiative of the MDRRMO.
“Preparedness is the only way we can minimize and prevent injuries and casualties in times of emergencies and natural disasters. Training like such would help develop and improve the skills of the participants,” he added.
The facilitators for the activity were personnel from the MDRRMO and Bontoc Emergency Response Team (BERT). // Christy Mae Che-es, Bontoc LGU