SEVENTY-TWO ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) have been certified as basic first responders to scenes of emergencies on Wednesday.

Topics covered in the course include qualities of a first responder, purpose of the seminar, steps in life support, scene management, trauma, chest compression and how to assist a conscious or unconscious casualty.

There were also illustrations and demonstrations on Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), scene safety, removal of casualty and recovery position.

Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud said capacity-building is important for the force, especially in a changing environment where there is need to do constant reviews based on demands and operations.

“We respond to scenes of violence, we also respond to scenes of accidents, road accidents, industrial accidents — all kinds of accidents where people receive injuries,” Persaud said, adding: “We are in the practice that once we are on the scene, we identify injured persons and take them for further medical assistance.”

He said law-enforcement officers must be trained and equipped to respond to virtually any situation, while police officers will need to use a system of command to achieve a coordinated and effective incident response.

The commissioner said the newly trained ranks also have an obligation to teach their colleagues what they have learnt, even if they have to ask their supervisor for some separate time to conduct such an activity.

He lauded Dr Baux for his efforts to eventually have all ranks of the force trained in the basic first responders’ course.

Dr. Baux said it is a passion of his to collaborate and assist the GPF whenever necessary, since ill-prepared police ranks at the scene of an accident can also cause damage and trauma to an injured person if they are not knowledgeable on the techniques that can save a life.

He said the course can stand up to international standards, since colleagues from the Vanderbilt Medical Centre, USA, assisted with development of the programme.

“My goal is to get all officers in the GPF over time trained as first responders, so you’re not going to be looking at persons who are taking care of criminal issues, but you’re going to be looked at as life-savers,” Dr. Baux said, adding:
“We want a GPF filled with life-savers.”

Also in attendance at the closing ceremony were Force Training Officer (ag), Assistant Commissioner Maxine Graham; Assistant Commissioner (Administration) Clifton Hicken; and other senior ranks of the force.