On 3/20 (Monday), 13 IB students participated in the Standard First Aid Course I. They worked together in groups to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the proper use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). After the 3-hour course, a practical test was conducted, and all 13 students were able to obtain their certification for completing the Standard First Aid Course I.

From the students who participated in the course, some of their comments included, “We were taught by Mr. Kuwae about the key points of chest compressions, which are ‘strong, fast, and continuous.’ However, I realized that it requires more physical strength than I imagined to continue for two minutes,” and “I want to challenge the next level.”

Mr. Kuwae has obtained the qualification of “Emergency First Aid Instructor” and conducts activities to promote AEDs and first aid courses within the school. Based on his firsthand experience of providing emergency care, he spoke to the students about the importance of AED dissemination, saying, “We never know when or where a cardiac arrest might occur. Each and every one of you may encounter such a situation. In the approximately eight minutes from calling emergency services to the arrival of an ambulance, the emergency care we can provide individually makes a difference. It is said that by performing CPR and using an AED as part of first aid within 2 minutes, the survival rate is approximately 90%. I expect IB students to respond to emergency situations in English as well.”