World First Aid Day: Rescue 1122 to raise awareness on life support training

LAHORE: Rescue 1122 will mark World First Aid Day by organising public awareness programmes on Saturday (today). Punjab Emergency Service Director General Arshad Zia told newsmen on Friday that World First Aid Day was observed across the world on the second Saturday of September.

“This was decided by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in 2000,” he said. The director general directed district emergency officers to organise walks and seminars to raise awareness on emergency aid.

“Rescue 1122 celebrates World First Aid Day to raise awareness on how first aid can prevent injuries and save lives in everyday crisis situations,” he said. “We also want to promote access to first aid.”

“The term ‘first aid’ refers to assistance provided to someone suffering from a sudden injury or illness. Its main goals are to preserve life and prevent the condition from deteriorating,” he said.

“First aid is not always provided by medical personnel. In emergency situations, ordinary people often have to provide first aid to save lives.”

He said first aid did not necessarily require prior knowledge and could involve improvisation. “However, if the person doesn’t know what they are doing, they might cause more harm than good. That is why Rescue 1122 encourages people to undergo basic life support training.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2016.