In line with the celebration of World First Aid Day (WFAD) 2024, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) announced on Friday, Sept. 13, that it will launch its first-ever Nationwide First Aid Olympics.
With the theme, “First Aid and Sports,” this year’s WFAD aims to showcase the critical role first aid education plays in sports—an industry where injuries and medical emergencies often occur.
The event, to be held on Sept. 14, also intends to ensure and promote the safety and well-being of athletes, spectators, and communities in sporting environments worldwide.
“I envision that there will be a first aider in every home, school, and community,” said PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dick Gordon, as he reiterated the importance of first aid training.
“Time is of the essence in a medical emergency, and you might just be saved by a family member who is a trained first aider,” Gordon said. “Or, you never know when you’ll need to revive a loved one who is experiencing cardiac arrest, so it is always better to be prepared than sorry,” he added.
The PRC Safety Services explained that the First Aid Olympics aligns with the WFAD’s theme as it bolsters first aid knowledge and skills, particularly in sports-related emergencies.
The event has three levels: chapter, regional, and national, with four categories (Red Cross Youth Senior, Red Cross Youth College, Red Cross 143 Volunteer, and Emergency Response Team (ERT)).
Every participating PRC Chapter will hold a chapter-based Olympics.
Winners of the chapter-based Olympics will advance to the regional contest, and successful contestants will earn the right to represent their respective chapters in the national competition.
Participants' theoretical and practical first-aid knowledge and skills in solving various emergency scenarios will be tested as the competition progresses.
The recruitment process will kick off on the celebration of WFAD 2024 on Sept. 14 and will last until Sept. 30.
The chapter-level Olympics will begin on Oct. 16, while the regionals will commence on Nov. 9.
The much-anticipated championship will be held simultaneously on Dec. 5 at four strategic locations yet to be identified.
“We’re very excited to launch this meaningful endeavor of the PRC, and I hope that all our chapters will join to encourage more people to learn first aid,” PRC Secretary General Gwen Pang said.
“Besides, we will give away newly procured first aid kits and emergency supplies worth thousands of pesos to our winners,” Pang explained. “Magagamit nila ito sa pagpapalakas ng kanilang kapasidad na makapagsalba ng mas maraming buhay (They can use this to enhance their capacity to save more lives),” she added.
The PRC’s First Aid Olympics is a part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement’s (IFRC) Vision 2030, a framework that integrates first aid education and practice into all health and care activities of the Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies.
Individuals and teams interested in joining the first-ever First Aid Olympics may visit the nearest PRC Chapter to register.