“Every single person in the world has the capacity to save a life- it is an essential gesture of solidarity. First aid education should be accessible to all without discrimination.”
– Grace Lo
First aid refers to the initial help or treatment provided to someone who is injured typically before professional medical help arrives. It involves a range of essential actions aimed at stabilizing the individual’s condition, preventing further harm, and aiding in recovery. First aid can be administered by anyone with basic training, and its purpose is to address immediate medical concerns, such as stopping bleeding, treating burns, performing CPR, or managing a person’s airway.
First aid is a trained process and it is important for kids to learn the basics of it early on in their life. With this in mind, HAPI-Bulacan organized a Basic First Aid Education event facilitated by Ms. Anne Christine Valenzuela, RN.
The kids listened intently to the lecture, which discussed the importance of giving first aid and the power of first aid in various situations. They also related to the topic of identifying common childhood accidents, different kinds of burns, and the basics of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
“First aid is such a wonderful skill,” shared Ms Valenzuela. “Although proper training is needed before becoming a full-fledged first-aider, why not start introducing first aid to children so they can learn to help, [become] risk-aware, and [be] confident to practice basic care.” Ms Valenzuela showcased passion and patience when educating the little ones of HAPI-Bulacan. She also spoke about the importance of teaching, likening it to rings in old trees – whatever you teach them, it stays with them forever.
One of the kids who attended the event, Karlo, said it was very informative, particularly the part where they learned about CPR and giving first aid to people who need it.
To top the event, there was a short quiz to test what the children had absorbed during the lecture – and the Bulacan kids did not disappoint because they aced their quiz! The winners were given a prize by Ms. Valenzuela and a toy from HAPI’s gracious donor Aneem.
Klyde, another HAPI-Bulacan kid present during the lecture, described how delightful of an experience it was: “I learned about the various steps that I can do to save someone’s life.”
The HAPI-Bulacan members and volunteers are proud of the eagerness and desire to learn showed by the young learners during the event. Now, the kids are equipped with skills that would be useful not only to themselves and their families but also to their community. The kids and HAPI-Bulacan are grateful to Ms. Valenzuela who graciously lent her knowledge and made the lecture fun for everyone.
The importance of first aid cannot be overstated as it can spell the difference between life and death in critical situations. Early exposure to basic first aid can foster a life-long understanding of the importance of safety and health to younger generations.
