Disasters: NEMA trains staff on basic First AID in Niger

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the Nigeria Red Cross Society has begun training of its staff on basic First Aid and casualty handling during disasters.

The two-day training was declared open by AVM Muhammadu Muhammed (retired) the Director-General of NEMA in Minna on Monday.

According to him, the training is a First Aid certification/re-certification of staff of Minna Operations Office.

Muhammed, represented by Malam Ahmed Sani, Head of Finance and Account Unit, NEMA, Minna Operations Office, explained that the training was also to build the capacity of members of for effective response to emergencies.

“The idea is to update staff with the latest first aid skills that will be needed to save lives that may be threatened by any kind of disaster or emergency in the days ahead.

“Some of the staff already have the skills but still need advance training for recertification while others will be learning for the first time in order to be certified first riders,’’ he said.

He added that the training was to keep human resources ready for the noble task since the agency’s responsibility was centered on saving lives.

The director-general urged participants to take the training seriously in order to acquire the necessary skills to improve their knowledge in order to boost their work.

Also speaking, Malam Aliyu Kafinfangi, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, NEMA Headquarters, said the training was aimed at ensuring that the staff performed their duties effectively as first respondent to disasters and emergency.

“We are not only training them on how to save lives and property, but also how to ensure their own safety as staff while saving lives,” he said.

Keturah Usman, an official of the Nigeria Red Cross Society, trained the staff on security and safety, theory of first aid, Dr ABC (first-aid formula) and use of the automatic electronic device.

The participants were also trained on airway, breathing, bleeding, danger, comparison and defibrillator among others.