KEEN INTEREST IN FIRST AID

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32788, 13 December 1971, Page 6

KEEN INTEREST IN FIRST AID

The lack of interest in having children and adults trained in first aid in Britain, discussed in an article from London and published in “The Press” on December 7, does not apply to New Zealand.

The article, “Children and first aid,” quoted officials of the St John Ambulance Brigade and the Red Cross Society in London as agreeing that there was an urgent need for mor e children (and adults) to leam first aid to help reduce the number of tragedies among children. Parents did not bother to send their children to first aid classes available because they thought they were too young, the article said. Bott the St John Ambulance Brigade and the New Zealand Red Cross Society hold first aid classes for adults and children, and they are well attended.

Speaking for the North Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Red Cross Society, the chairman (Mr A. B.

Duncan) says in a statement that the five tutor sisters of the centre’s youth department gave first aid and health lectures in 125 schools, of which 17 were secondary schools, during the year ending March 31, 1971. Results of these lectures are summarised as follows:

Primary schools,—Health and hygiene, 2214 passes, 964 with honours: first aid, 583 passes, 119 with honours; care of the sick, 162 passes, 104 with honours, making a total of 2959 passes and 1187 with honours.

Secondary schools.—First aid, 83 passes, 23 with honours; home nursing, 112 passes, 20 with honours, making a total of 195 passes and 43 with honours, and a grand total of 3154 passes and 1230 with honours.

For tte year ended March 31, 1971, the cost* of this instruction to the Nortt Canterbury Centre was $8385. This first aid training in schools by the society is not only given in the North Canterbury area but throughout New Zealand, Mr Duncan said.