The Regional Secretariat for Science, Technology and Infrastructures, through the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service (SRPCBA), has concludes the training course for Basic Life Support (BLS) with Automated External Defibrillator training.

The BLS instructor training course, which was attended by doctors, nurses and SRPCBA technicians, aimed to provide future instruction with the knowledge required to teach the Basic Life Support courses of the American Heart Association (AHA).

The seven-hour training course was held at the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service Training Centre in Angra do Heroísmo and was taught by a member acknowledged by the AHA through an internationally validated programme.

The BLS Instructor Training Course will allow the SRPCBA to increase the range of courses available to health professionals and civilians, who might have to deal with a cardiac arrest situation. The training provided them with the knowledge on the necessary procedures to ensure the survival of the patient until the arrival of the advanced support team; participants received training to deal with cardiac arrest situations in adults, children and babies. Furthermore, future instructors have learned to how to use the automated external defibrillator (AED) as well as airway clearance techniques.

This initiative represents another major investment made by the Government in the regional Civil Protection through the promotion of training and qualification of human resources in order to improve the rescue and assistance to the population.