Jointly reported by:
Eugene Wong Zane Shaun JR1Z(1)
Tham Yuanyi Sr2A
Wong Tze Sin Sr3ScA
Accidents can occur anywhere, ranging from a small cut to a car accident. Therefore, on the 10th of June 2021, the members of the St. John Ambulance (SJAM) Kuen Cheng Combined Cadet Division held a class aimed at providing accurate information for participants on how to properly deal with an accident. At the end of the class, the participants would take a First-Aid quiz to test their knowledge and understand what they have learnt during the class.
Before the speakers started their class, a video titled “How to keep a child from being poisoned” was shown to the participants. After the video, the two speakers introduced themselves as Swee Qian Ya and Lian Poh Yee. The first speaker, Lian Poh Yee started her segment by introducing participants to basic first-aid. She emphasised that the goal of applying first-aid is to alleviate the condition of the victim before an ambulance arrives. She split this class into four chapters.
The first chapter, “Managing a minor wound” was covered by Lian Poh Yee. Firstly, she listed out the types of wounds and explained the traits of each of them. Next, she explained how to distinguish between a laceration and an abrasion. She also taught the participants how to treat these wounds. Furthermore, she listed out the differences between a sprain and a strain and explained the treatment for each of them. She ended her segment with an explanation on how to bandage a sprained ankle.
Next, Poh Yee moved on to the second chapter, which covers CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). She explained the purpose of the procedure, when to perform it and how long one should carry it out. She then introduced participants to AEDs, or automated external defibrillators, which are used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. After that, she showed everyone a step-by-step guide on how to perform CPR on a patient, emphasising on the proper application of chest compressions. She wrapped the chapter up by stating various precautions one should take while performing CPR during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moving on, Swee Qian Ya continued the class by teaching everyone how to manage a choking casualty. She told the audience about the symptoms of choking and the five steps of treatment, namely identifying dangers, checking responsiveness, coughs, back slaps, and the Heimlich Maneuver. She taught participants the exact way to perform the last step before giving them a summary of the whole procedure.
Finally, Qian Ya talked about other emergencies that require immediate medical attention. She gave the attendees a breakdown on the signs and symptoms of asthma, as well as how to treat patients having asthma attacks. She went on to explain the occurrence of heat exhaustion and heart attacks, and detailed the appropriate treatments for the condition. She then explained the three different types of burns, before ending the class with some general do’s and don’ts while performing first aid.
After the class, the most anticipated section ushered in: the quiz based on the earlier teachings. Participants were required to finish 25 objective questions within 20 minutes through Google Forms. The contestant with the highest score wins. If the scores between contestants were equally matched, the winner would be decided based on the completion duration. The champion, runner-up, second runner-up, and five consolation prize winners would all be rewarded. After the competition, the organisers provided the correct answers so that participants could have a deeper impression on the knowledge taught. Lucas Weichen Too won first place with full marks, while Ng Yu Xuan placed second, and Chong Jia Yi third.
The extremely well-planned scheme to disseminate first aid knowledge to the public was actually from Swee Qian Ya, the President of SJAM Club. All the information was clearly outlined up to the way the quiz was implemented, managed and conducted. In order to achieve this level of perfection, Qian Ya shared that she has convened weekly meetings with the Committee and Officers since the start of May. They made sure the proposals, lessons, questionnaires and the PPT were completed on time. The preparation was time-consuming but it was worthwhile as Qian Ya was pleased with the outcome of the event. The number of attendees was more than expected and they all showed great results in the quiz, proving that they fully understood the event’s objective.
However, the one-and-a-half-hour event is far from a comprehensive First Aid course. Qian Ya hoped there will be more similar events to enlighten both students and the public and enhance their first aid awareness.
With the event coming to an end, a group photo session crowned the contest. Originally, it was supposed to end at 2:30pm, but the event ended 10 minutes late. Even so, it was a meaningful event abounded with a great deal of handy information.
