The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) this week facilitated a first aid and CPR training for 19 tour guides, tour operators and employees of established hotels, in strengthening efforts to protect travellers during their stay in the country.
The session saw participants of Roraima Duke Lodge, Caribbean Inn, Trailmasters, Adventure Guianas and the Jungle Bug, in addition to GTA members.
The CPR training in progress
Instructor attached to the Guyana Training College for International Skills (GTCI), Melissa Alstrom would have facilitated both days of training at Duke Lodge. As part of the Authority’s licensing system, tour guides and tourism accommodation establishments are required to have first aid and CPR certification before a licence can be issued. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown a greater need for such skills.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced how important it is for persons within the tourism industry to be very well trained in administering an above-average level of first aid and CPR care in emergency situations. For two days, these sessions aimed to ensure that once travel restarts, the industry will be adequately prepared to safely host local and international travellers,” the GTA insisted.
Over the two-day sessions, participants were guided through practical, hands-on scenarios involving coaching each other to maximise individual skills. Through this, and the mandatory practical examination, they will be able to implement a coordinated response in emergency scenarios which will ultimately build confidence to respond to emergency situations. This caters for time management and reducing the potential for fatalities.
Some of the critical areas of the training session included breathing and airway obstruction emergencies, cardiac emergencies and CPR chest compressions, soft tissue injuries, muscle, bone and joint injuries and positioning and moving a casualty, among others.
“The GTA remains committed to elevating the quality of service provided by the tourism sector and will be hosting a series of training programmes throughout 2020 to strengthen the capacity of the travel and tourism industry workforce. To support businesses and tour guides affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Authority has waived all training fees for GTA-led training programmes and is offering a 50 per cent subsidy for first aid training led by recognised training institutions.” This offer is open until December 31, 2020. (G12)
