FAKE bloody cuts, simulated fractures and burns as well as unconscious people were all part of an adrenaline-packed and unique first aid camp held in the desert yesterday.
The exercise was the culmination of a four-day ‘Spring First Aid Camp’ which featured multiple simulated drills in which 60 people had the experience of dealing with real-life emergencies.
Cinematic make-up was used to simulate bloody wounds and burns as trainees rushed to aid real people with commonly occurring injuries such as cuts, burns, fractures, cardiac arrest, smoke inhalation, and losing consciousness, amongst others.
The four-day course was patronised by Parliament’s second vice-chairman Ali Al Zayed who praised the unique event’s effectiveness in arming the youth with the necessary life-saving skills and confidence to respond in emergencies.
“The participants spent three days learning the theory behind first aid and the necessary skills but applying their knowledge in a simulated emergency situation prepares them for real-life situations,” he told the GDN while inspecting the scene and scenarios in Sakhir yesterday.
“Most of the youth haven’t experienced emergency situations and many of them, if exposed suddenly to an emergency, go into shock and can’t react appropriately.
“What we experienced in the desert will prepare the participants and arm them with the necessary skills and confidence to respond in emergency situations where they could save someone’s life.”
Meanwhile, camp’s general supervisor Jamal Al Aziz, who is also an Emergency First Response First Aid International Trainer and a paramedic, told the GDN that future plans are underway for a larger scale operation.
He praised the trainees’ enthusiasm and competitive nature as the 60 workshop participants were divided into teams and put through real-life scenarios complete with screaming actors and cinematic make-up adding to the adrenaline rush.
“We had various scenarios planned such as a reckless driver pulling stunts and driving recklessly causing a traffic accident and ending up with fractured bones and wounds,” he told the GDN.
“An actor fell out of the car and we simulated broken bones and wounds and his mother, who is also an actress, ran out of the tent to help him and fell unconscious from shock when she saw him. So an ambulance rushed to the scene along with officials from the Civil Defence.
“Other scenarios included a woman suffering a deep cut to her hand while preparing salad in the kitchen, and in another tent a short circuit was simulated in which a person suffered from smoke inhalation because of a fire that broke out while his mother also passed out from shock.”
Mr Al Aziz highlighted that he expected more mistakes from the trainees but was proud when overall they only committed two per cent mistakes in the entire exercise.
Meanwhile, 18-year-old participant and radiology student Sara Hamza highlighted that she joined the camp to expand her skills set and learn lifesaving skills.
“The most interesting thing we learned was the AB-CABS procedure and about the AED (automated external defibrillator) which is a device that is available almost everywhere and it teaches us how to keep the patient alive,” she told the GDN.
“It’s basically a device which when opened is voice automated and provides a step-by-step guide to keeping the patient alive and how to perform everything.
“It’s an amazing device because it’s almost as if we have a doctor with us telling us what to do.”
AB-CABS stands for:
(A) Airway open?
(B) Breathing normally?
(C) Chest Compressions
(A) Airway open
(B) Breathing for patient
(S) Serious bleeding, shock, spinal injury.
Two ambulances were also on the scene, provided by Al Hilal Hospital and the Bahrain Red Crescent Society, along with representatives from the Civil Defence and the Interior Ministry.
reem@gdn.com.bh
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