Over 200 Children Celebrate EMS Week  

This week is International Emergency Medical Services Week, a time meant to bring together local communities and medical personnel to honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services of the medicine frontline. As part of the week’s festivities, emergency service providers from across the country gathered in Belmopan to introduce the practice to children in hopes of instilling an appreciation for the efforts made by the emergency service providers and potentially encourage students to pursue a career in the field. News Five’s Britney Gordon attended today’s event to learn more about the practice. Here’s that story. Gordon attended today’s event to learn more about the practice. Here’s that story.

 

Britney Gordon, reporting 

Across Belize, there are over one hundred fifty emergency medical technicians and while that may sound like a lot, there is still a need for more. EMT’s are responsible for providing lifesaving care at the scene of an incident and ensuring the safety of those patients while they are on their way to a hospital. To celebrate the efforts made every day to saving lives, this week is internationally recognized as Emergency Medical Service Week. Javier Canul, who has been an EMT since the practice was introduced in Belize twenty-five years ago, spoke with us about the significance of the celebration.

 

Javier Canul, Lead instructor, ABC Life Support

“Basically EMS started in 1988 in Belize where the Wagner Foundation came in and they did a brief assessment of what s happening in Belize and then they started training people. They sent Doctor Arana to the states to become the first paramedic and they started doing training all over the country.”

 

As part of the week’s festivities, several emergency service providers gathered in Belmopan to host an EMS Children’s Day, where the teams were able to educate children visiting from several schools about different practices, such as CPR and first aid. Lavinia Davis, coordinator of the event, explained why they thought it was necessary to welcome children into the activities.

 

Lavinia Davis, Coordinator 

 “For EMT Week we have a day that we take out to do a lot of different things. And today specifically is International Children’s Day. And here we want to teach the children how to take care of themselves, take care of their family, their colleagues and also show them that we care and assist them should anything ever happen.”

 

 

 

Of the two hundred children who attended the event, a few were willing to share what they learned. Nelson Cha, a standard three student from Our Lady of Fatima RC School in Roaring Creek, said that he enjoyed the simulated accident where a patient was placed into an ambulance.

 

 

 

 

Nelson Cha, Std 3 student, Our Lady of Fatima RC School

 “I learned how to rescue people and how to help people.”

 

Britney Gordon

“Did you get to see the ambulance? Did you like seeing the presentations.”

 

 

 

Nelson Cha

“Yes, I really loved it.” 

 

Cha’s classmate, Haniel Baptist, also wanted to share his experience. He said that it was particularly exciting for him as he already has an interest in entering the medical field.

 

 

 

 

 

Haniel Baptist, Std 3 student, Our Lady of Fatima RC School

 “I learned about how they do the rescuing and over there, I heard their speech.”

 

Britney Gordon

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

 

 

 

Haniel Baptist 

“A doctor like my father.”

 

Canul further stressed the importance of sharing this knowledge with children, as EMT’S are scarcely represented at career days. He hopes that by exposing youths to the practice, it will help to curve the shortage of EMTs Belize is experiencing.

 

Javier Canul

“Basically whenever there is a career day in school, they never invited EMT’s. And yes there is a shortage. Wherever career day you see everybody else, but you never see EMTs. And this is important because the job that we do is prehospital care. Without prehospital care that patient can never survive and get to the hospital alive. So it is important that we do career day in schools and yes there is a shortage.”

 

 

There will always be a need for emergency medical services in Belize. Annette Groutsche, an EMT of five years, said that she just wants to spread the importance of her work to others.

 

Annette Groutsche, EMT

“The importance of EMS is that we have people at any given moment to save. This is what we were trained for, to be there when someone is needed, when help is needed.”

 

Britney Gordon For News Five.