The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) facilitated a First Aid and CPR training for nineteen (19) tour guides, tour operators, and employees of established hotels on August 31 and September 1, 2020.
Instructor Melissa Alstrom during the training – Photo Credit: (GTA)
Roraima Duke Lodge, Caribbean Inn, Trailmasters, Adventure Guianas, and the Jungle Bug were all participants, and GTA team members – Micheala Lindore, Shameza David, and Jumaine Stephens.
Melissa Alstrom, an instructor attached to the Guyana Training College for International Skills (GTCI), who is passionate about first response, health, and safety, facilitated both days of training at the Roraima Duke Lodge.
As part of the Authority’s licensing system, Tour Guides and Tourism Accommodation Establishments are required to have First Aid & CPR Certification before a licence can be issued.
According to the GTA, 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 First Aid and CPR care level in emergencies. For two days, the sessions aimed to ensure that the industry will be adequately prepared to host local and international travellers once travel restarts safely.
Over the two day sessions, participants were guided through practical, hands-on scenarios involving coaching each other to maximise individual skills and working as a team.
Through this and the mandatory practical examination at the end of day two, they will be able to implement a coordinated response in emergency scenarios, which will ultimately build confidence to respond to emergencies where time is of the essence, significantly reducing the potential for fatalities.
Some of the training session’s critical areas 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 travel and tourism industry workforce’s capacity.
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% subsidy for First Aid Training led by recognised training institutions until December 31, 2020.
For more information on the GTA’s training initiatives, visit www.guyanatourism.com or contact Chetnauth Persaud, Training & Tourism Development Officer at [email protected] or Shameza David, Manager of Training & Licensing, at [email protected] in the Travel Industry Development Division (TIDD) or call +(592) 219 0055.
