On islands where both ambulances and the nearest hospital are far away, what makes the difference in a critical moment is, in the end, the hands of a neighbor close by. Ongjin-gun County (Governor Moon Kyung-bok) said it carried out training on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillators (AED) for residents of Bukdo-myeon on June 30, in order to strengthen the emergency-response capabilities of residents in island areas, where access to emergency medical care is relatively limited.
 [The Korean Today] CPR and AED training for residents of Bukdo-myeon, Ongjin-gun © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
The training was pursued in partnership with the Korean Red Cross Incheon Chapter. So that residents can respond quickly and accurately without panicking when an emergency arises, it was conducted as an outreach, hands-on program that went beyond merely delivering theory.
The training was run as an experiential program in which participants handled practice mannequins and automated external defibrillators directly. Under the guidance of professional instructors, participating residents repeatedly practiced the correct method of chest compressions in CPR and the procedure for using an AED, committing first-aid techniques to muscle memory. In particular, taking into account the characteristics of island areas, where reaching an emergency medical institution can take considerable time due to maritime transport and weather conditions, the program focused on enabling residents themselves to develop the capacity for initial response.
After the training, the county conducted a satisfaction survey of participating residents to gather opinions on the content and overall operation of the program. The opinions collected in this way will be reflected in tailored emergency medical education and health policy for island areas going forward. In addition, to further solidify the emergency medical system, the county is steadily carrying out a range of safety-management projects, including inspections of emergency helicopter landing pads in island areas and publicity campaigns to eradicate acts that obstruct emergency medical care, devoting its efforts to building an emergency medical safety net suited to local conditions.
 [The Korean Today] Hands-on CPR and AED training using a practice mannequin © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
An official from the Ongjin-gun Public Health Center said, “In island areas, initial response is more important than anything when an emergency occurs, so raising residents’ first-aid capabilities is the first step in protecting lives,” adding, “We will continue to expand outreach first-aid training going forward, creating a safe community where any resident can respond quickly to an emergency.”
On islands where medical infrastructure is more limited than on the mainland, each and every resident becoming a first responder in first aid is, in itself, a way to raise the survival rate of the entire village. Attention is focused on how Ongjin-gun, by expanding outreach first-aid training to island areas, will weave together the ‘lifeline’ of its island villages ever more tightly.
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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