Please help J’cans to help others

THE EDITOR, Sir:

IT’S HUMAN nature to help someone who appears distressed and helpless. Certainly, it is in helping others that we show our true humanness. For years, persons with limited training but good hearts have tried desperately to assist victims of vehicular accidents, especially at some of those major crash hotspots around the island. One can recall the numerous times those at Flat Bridge have risked their lives to rescue others.

I am somehow concerned that, with the best of intentions, some of these untrained helpers may cause more harm than good. Vehicular parts are ripped apart without proper assessment, bodies are removed without following standard procedures, and citizens handle blood without knowledge of the (HIV) status of the victims. Continuous (media) public education would help greatly.

While we improve the Jamaican emergency services, I am appealing to the Government of Jamaica to mobilise training through the Jamaica Red Cross, Jamaica Fire Brigade, police, and other such training and emergency agencies, to make basic first aid available to all citizens, especially the nearby first responders. I am also suggesting that basic training be included in the schools’ curriculum.

I believe that if we take these bold steps, we can put more of our citizens in the know, take greater precautions and save more lives. Until we beef up our emergency services to more acceptable firstclass standards, let us help our citizens to reduce high risks, even while we help each other. EVERTON TYNDALE evat_78@hotmail.com