Tobago’s Visually Impaired Trained In First Aid And CPR

Blind and visually impaired persons in Tobago are now better equipped to respond to medical emergencies.

This comes as the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), in collaboration with the Trinidad and Tobago Blind Welfare Association, is hosting a two-day first aid training session at the Scarborough Library.

On the first day of training, held on Monday, blind and visually impaired participants engaged fully in the hands-on sessions, including one child among them.

Administrative Assistant of the T&T Blind Welfare Association, Tobago Branch, Ornella Mendoza, said the training is necessary to educate and empower their clients.

“To make sure that in case of an emergency, they can be able and capable of doing any kind of first response. In this initiative, we are able to teach them, and they are able to teach us how they would be able to operate in an emergency situation.”

Facilitator and TEMA’s Assistant CERT Supervisor, Stephan Mills, explained that participants are benefitting from first aid and CPR training.

“The purpose of it is, of course, to expose them to the different skills within first aid, the different knowledge, the different medical emergencies they may come across in the public. Also, the use of AEDs and CPR to decrease mortality rates among the public.”

Mr. Mills said this type of training for Tobago’s blind and visually impaired community fosters inclusivity.

“The aim really is to have persons, in this case with disabilities, able to adjust to society and be included in plans and understand how things should work, you know, if something happen, if there is a disaster, or an emergency, even though they have a disability, they could still help in a very meaningful way.”

Ms. Mendoza said representatives from the Blind Welfare Association and TEMA have already seen the positive impact of the training.

“The questions that they’re asking, they want to know everyday questions. What happens if I don’t have all the equipment, proper sanitary gauze or gloves? What they can do in case of that. So just that they are prepared in case of anything. Just the knowledge will help them be more equipped.”

This initiative also forms part of TEMA’s commitment to building community resilience by ensuring that vulnerable groups are empowered with lifesaving knowledge.

The training continues on Wednesday.

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