Deliveroo riders to be trained in first aid by Singapore Red Cross
When Deliveroo rider Nur Khizlena Abas, 32, was out making a delivery, she saw a woman fall down some stairs and break her ankle.
She stopped to help, but all she could do was call for an ambulance and offer the woman some tissues to stop the bleeding.
Feeling so helpless was one of the reasons Ms Khizlena signed up for a series of first-aid training courses offered by Deliveroo, in collaboration with the Singapore Red Cross (SRC).
She told The New Paper yesterday: "I felt so bad I wasn't able to do anything and I imagined if this had happened to a loved one of mine, I would want someone to help them."
On April 11, Deliveroo, which has 6,000 riders here, sent the first batch of 20 riders, including Ms Khizlena and Mr Peter Yeo, for the course.
Mr Yeo, 47, wanted to refresh his skills as the last time he had gone for such a course was when he was 14 years old.
He told TNP: "It's very important to be first-aid trained.
"As a rider I'm always on the road and it makes me feel good that in case of an emergency I will be able to assist with the correct skills."
Mr Ambrose Lee, SRC's deputy head and principal trainer for first aid and life support, told TNP the first few minutes are crucial to saving a life.
And having a trained first-aider at the scene early can make or break a situation.
He said: "Deliveroo riders are on the go all the time, and having this valuable knowledge can be really important when it comes to such instances."
The two-hour essential first aid with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator session covered important aspects on emergencies involving bleeding, choking or unresponsiveness in adults.
Mr Siddharth Shanker, general manager of Deliveroo Singapore, said equipping the riders with such essential skills has the potential to make a huge difference in local communities.
He said: "They go above and beyond to deliver Singaporeans' favourite food, and we wanted to empower our riders with the necessary skills and confidence to step in and make a difference in the instance when members of the public need help the most."
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