OCHO RIOS, St. Ann:

Signatius Wisdom, lay lecturer at the St. John Ambulance Brigade, is advising Jamaicans to be proactive in educating themselves about practical first-aid measures which can help to save lives, especially during the hurricane season.

Speaking at the Jamaica National Building Society/NEM Insurance Hurricane Preparedness Forum in Ocho Rios recently, Wisdom cited examples of persons who have fainted or lost consciousness, and said that contrary to popular practice, they should never be force-fed sugar and water or any other substance while unconscious.

He stated that the appropriate first-aid measure to use in this context is to position the unconscious person so that blood flow to the brain is increased.

"When the person is unconscious, place the person in the recovery position, on his/her side with one arm folded under the head; make sure the tongue is not blocking the airway. If the person has fainted, place the person in a sitting position with the head between the knees so that the oxygenated blood flows back to the brain," he said.

"More Jamaicans need to seek formal training in first- aid techniques. Knowledge can save lives! In today's technology-driven world, information is readily accessible. If formal first-aid training is not available, one can access tips from the Internet," the St. John lay lecturer stated.

The Ocho Rios JNBS/NEM Insurance Hurricane Preparedness Forum, which was the first in an islandwide series, also featured presentations from the Meteorological Service, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, and Jamaica National Building Society. The next forum is scheduled for the Montego Bay Civic Centre today at 5:00 p.m.

- Contributed