Red Cross Youth - First Aid Training For The Youth Olympic Games

On July 10  2010,118 cadets from 18 cadet units of Red Cross Youth (RCY) inundated the Red Cross campsite at Jalan Khairuddin to train as a first aider at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in August 2010.   The training was conducted by volunteer Asst Youth Officer (AYO) Yeo Ren Jie – Red Cross Youth’s Chief First Aid/Evacuation Specialist, RCY, assisted by 10 RCY volunteer instructors.  Besides being a RCY volunteer, AYO Yeo Ren Jie is currently a paramedic with the Singapore Civil Defence Force.

The internal training conducted by Red Cross Youth strove to ;
(1)    Refresh cadets’ skills on Standard First Aid
(2)    Familiarise with the requirements as a RCY First Aider in support to YOG, during the YOG period
(3)    Reinforce skills in the training session- (a) Bandaging Skills, (b) CPR, (c) Usage of First Aid Bag (d) Casualty Evacuation skills

For the morning training session, there was a refresher on the basic First Aid skills with an emphasis on response mechanisms when there is a casualty with cardiac arrest. On this topic, AYO Yeo Ren Jie spoke of his own personal experience with the cadets and reminded them that as a First Aider, one ought to know what to do – and to carry out the duties calmly and professionally. While discussing the topic of the Chain of Survival, AYO Yeo Ren Jie gave a brief introduction to the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and also highlighted the difference between the AED and the Defibrillator used by doctors. After the First Aid refresher workshop, cadets were briefed on matters with regard to YOG.

The afternoon training session was a hands-on session in which cadets were split into groups. Conducted at four stations, the training focused on four key skill areas. The groups will then rotate among themselves for the practical session.
The first station was the First Aid Bag station, led by PCO Ng Jun Jie and ACO Low Yu Ping. The First Aid Bag station was where the cadets were introduced to the First Aid bags in which they will be using during the YOG period, and were provided some hands-on on the First aid Bags.

The second station was the Casualty Evacuation station, led by CO Calvin Poh and CO Jamie Lim. This station taught the cadets most of the 1-aider casualty methods as well as some 2-aiders methods which would be useful for the cadets during their deployment as first aiders at YOG.  Most of these skills had been part of the Red Cross Youth training curriculum which the volunteer instructors reminded the cadets to revise and practice what they had learnt.
The third station was the CPR station, led by CO Lim Jia Yuan and CO Lim Mei Zi.  Cadets were made to go through the CPR steps and also been given opportunities to practice on “Little Anne”.

The last station was the Bandaging station, led by CO Elijah Xu and ACO Nicholas Boon.  At this station, the cadets were given opportunities to have practice several kinds of bandaging on each other.
To round off the day’s training, the cadets were introduced to the stretcher that they might possibly be using as part of their role as a First Aider at YOG.
Volunteer Instructors, who conducted the Internal Training, were also part of the pool of volunteers from the various Divisions in Singapore Red Cross Society, who are involved in the First Aid coverage at the various competition venues during YOG.

Background Information
A total of 168 cadets from 22 cadet units had been selected for the YOG involvement as First Aiders (for venue spectators). All cadets have been awarded the Standard First Aid Certification, by Red Cross Training Centre. The pool of volunteers from the various divisions of the Singapore Red Cross Society (SRC) will act as chaperons to the cadets at the various competition venues during the YOG period.

Article by RCY Volunteer Instructor, CO Daniela Ong
Photos by RCY Volunteer Instructor, AYO Wan Chye Keong