The Lanzarote Health Area, attached to the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, trained a total of 9,739 people in basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid techniques during 2023. A record number of participants since the launch of this training program for citizens. In fact, during the past year, participation increased by 66% compared to 2022.
The main objective of the workshops and courses, taught by the Area's training instructor, Benjamín Nieves, in collaboration with the Lanzarote Island Council's Security and Emergency Consortium, is to "raise awareness and promote certain first aid maneuvers" among the population over eight years of age and provide them with resources that allow them to "save a person's life until the arrival of emergency services."
This training program for citizens has been developed for years among students of educational centers, staff of health and social health centers, and members of groups, associations, non-governmental organizations, and sports entities, as well as among the state security forces.
Training contents
The initiative includes dozens of workshops and courses that are held continuously during the twelve months of the year. Thus, within the contents of 2023, the workshops called 'Learn to save a life, SOS breathe, Action in the event of choking, Gain time, gain life: all against stroke and various sessions of PAS Behavior (protect, alert and help)' were taught.
In addition, the instructors conducted other courses related to self-protection plans in schools, the operation of 1-1-2, and various training courses for the management of defibrillators and basic and advanced life support techniques.
On the other hand, during the summer season, several courses were held in coastal and beach areas focused on the prevention of accidents in the aquatic environment.
Increase survival in the event of cardiac arrest
The program works on the idea that increasing survival from cardiac arrest is possible if you know how to deal with such a situation and know the appropriate techniques and tools to deal with an emergency at any time.
Another objective is to inform about the chain of survival, alert emergency services, identify loss of consciousness, absence of breathing, obstruction of the upper airway and cardiorespiratory arrest, apply the necessary techniques in the latter case and know the rules for the prevention of sudden death. In short, it is about giving a quick and appropriate response.
The director of the Lanzarote Health Area, Esther Machín, is pleased with the "high participation" registered in the different activities carried out, while emphasizing the "importance of having people in the community who know how to act in the event of a cardiorespiratory arrest or drowning while waiting for emergency services."
