Over 5,000 BEST drivers, conductors to be given training in CPR soon
The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST), in association with Jaslok hospital, will train its drivers and conductors in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). It is an emergency process performed on cardiac arrest victims to preserve brain function until any emergency medical service team arrives.
CPR is an essential life-saving skill that provides several benefits and saves golden hours for a person suffering cardiac arrest.
Lokesh Chandra, BEST General Manager, told The Indian Express that the training will be given by hospital experts in a phased manner. “Different age group people travel in BEST. The daily ridership of bus is nearly 35 lakh, and it is one of the prominent public transport, majorly used by office-goers, school & college students among others,” said Chandra.
Deputy Chief Minister’s wife Amrutha Fadnavis will be the brand ambassador of this CPR training campaign, according to the BEST.
Dr. Milind Khadke, Director General of Medical Services, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai said that one has to understand the importance of CPR and why this initiative has been taken up. “As everyone knows, cardiac arrest can happen any time and it can also happen at public places and in such situation many a times people don’t understand what to do when a person collapses. So, if a CPR is done within 2 minutes, it can actually save that person’s life. If CPR is done at right time, it can reverse the arrest,” said Khadke, adding that the whole objective of this campaign is to reach out to people where more awareness can be created and they can be trained.
Initially, under this campaign, the BEST bus conductors and drivers will be trained at its 26 bus depots starting from May 4. Thereafter, Mumbai Police, taxi & auto drivers among others will be given CPR training.
