Western Region  red cross branch recently held a five day Training of Trainers (TOT) workshop on first aids for Area District Coordinators (ADC). The workshop, held at the red cross branch’s office in Brikama, was meant to equip the young Red Cross volunteers for any unforeseen situations of emergencies.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the training, Lamin fatty, Western Region Red Cross branch officer, outlined the essence of the training, noting that Red Cross encompasses humanitarian personnel who devote their time to rendering services during emergencies. He noted that the people who renders first aid services need to be capacitised to be able to respond to emergency situations. Mr Fatty urged the participants to disseminate the information learned from the training to their colleagues.

He further noted that the training would be a an ongoing activity so that by the end of 2010 each household in western region would have a trained first aide volunteer.

Lamin saidy, western region first aid instructor, also pointed out the vitalities of first aid in an emergency situation. He expounded that first aid was the initial help given to someone when an accident occured at the spot.

Mr Saidy added that the training involved both practical and theoretical component of first aid. He further narrated that first aid services in any emergency situation need total commitment and improvisation of available materials necessary for the operation with the aim to save life and to provide comfort for casualties of emergencies. He then called on Gambians, especially the private and government institutions that deal with human resource aspects, to train life saving skills as part of health and safety regulations for their various institutions.

He finally thanked the trainees for their cooperation during the five days session and urged them to make the best use of the knowledge gained.