All staff of Indian Red Cross Society Odisha State Branch (IRCS OSB), including the honorary secretary and Youth and Junior Red Cross officers underwent a four-day, 16-hour first aid training called the Senior Professional Training (First Level) in December 2019.
The National Headquarters of the IRCS cleared their certificates recently.
The Red Cross State Branch staffs also completed the second level of training in First Aid — ‘Voucher’ — from September 1 to 4.
A few staff members who had completed the Voucher level (Third level) earlier took the Medallion level training alongside. The highest level is the Lay Lecturer (fourth level). The first aid training was headed by Dr Loknath Sahoo.
Dr Bikash Prasad joined in as examiner on the final day. The Red Cross Odisha State Branch is the only branch in the whole country which has ventured upon training all its staffs in first aid.
Road traffic injuries constitute a major public health and development crisis, and are predicted to increase if road safety is not addressed adequately. Near about 10,000 people die and some people become permanent disable due to the road accidents in Odisha.
First aid is the initial care given to an injured person. Mostly, this timely care prior to the arrival of the medical help means the difference between life and death.
The Red Cross has already taken an initiative to create Lay Lecturer in first Aid in all 314 blocks of Odisha so that life survival skills can be disseminated to students of the schools and colleges, villagers and people in communities to make them better prepared for emergencies. If wherever any emergency strikes, first aiders can reach quickly and provide first aid to save many lives. The Odisha Red Cross has the largest number of Lay Lecturers in First Aid (27) in the country.