For One Another Happenings

Last week we were asked to teach about CPR, First Aid and the importance of being hydrated to a nearby school.  The class was for the teachers of about 400 high risk children.  If I never get asked again "How much time do you have after an amputation and tourniquet application to get to the hospital?" by someone who lives way outside the city, I will be happy.

Other,  simpler topics were about drinking water to help avoid headaches and the heat.  The director stood up and said that was new information to him.  At times he had given a child a pill, then another, then another, not knowing what was causing the headache.  Another comment was made about giving out multivitamins for general pains...so, needless to say, we felt that the class was beneficial.  We also talked about emergency care for heat stroke, nose bleeds, burns, bleeding control and shock treatment.

CPR was interesting without mannequins but with a little imagination, we did quite well.  Carrie volunteered to be the "victim".


At the end of the class we gave them a Sawyer water filter and a CPR mask for the First Aid kit.  We were thanked over and over for coming.  Multiple parents and teachers came up to me after asking specific questions about experiences they have had.  One woman told me sometimes her home water comes out brown with dirt in it.  They wanted to know why the Sawyer filters were not available to buy in El Salvador and how they could get one for their house.  

The whole day went really well especially considering it was our first shot at teaching what we have just learned in the Emergency Medical Tech courses in the USA.  There are always challenges but that's how we learn and I just hope I have many more opportunities- to teach and be taught- in the future. - Steph