Training for life
As a member of Hong Kong Red Cross, I am familiar with first aid and CPR. I was trained when I was younger. But the majority of Hong Kong people do not have such skills and don't seem to care about learning them.
Whenever there is an emergency, people rely on first aid workers and doctors. People are not aware that they can do something.
Non-profit organisations such as St John Ambulance and Red Cross can help us help ourselves. Some schools work with these groups to provide courses and talks. This may be the best way to promote life-saving skills, because teenagers can pick up new skills easily.
We should not only rely on emergency services. Life-saving skills are essential.
Mingkie Cheng, Kit Sam Lam Bing Yim Secondary School
From the Editor
Thank you for your letter, Mingkie. It has always surprised me that, while maths and PE lessons are compulsory almost throughout your school life, first aid is very rarely offered. While, of course, I recognise the importance of subjects like this, I believe that first aid is as important, if not more so, as algebra, the future tense and high jump.
Once you know the basics - for example, what to do about broken bones and severe burns, how to deal with someone who is choking, what the recovery position is and when you can use it - you can feel confident you will be able to help someone in trouble. You might even help to save a life.
Karly, Deputy Editor
