As part of the continuing efforts to enhance the ability of the CNMI community to recover from disasters, the Cooperative Research, Extension, and Education Services of the Northern Marianas College (NMC-CREES) recently trained and certified 35 residents in Disaster Response Advanced First Aid (DRAFA).
The newly trained participants are now well equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to identify and respond to common first aid, emergency, and serious medical situations in a disaster, as well as other austere environments.
Dr. Todd Miner of the University of Colorado School of Medicine - Department of Emergency Medicine, Wilderness Medicine Section was the senior instructor of the event.
“It’s going to give people the confidence and the skills to be able to respond and to make a difference with somebody who’s having perhaps the worst day of their life," Miner said, referring to the training.
According to Miner, the eight-hour class on DRAFA is not complicated.
“It’s short and sweet and it gives you some really powerful hands-on tools that can make a huge difference when the next typhoon hits or when someone has an accident at a family picnic,” Miner said. “[With this training,] you’ll know how to respond and you’ll feel confident to do so.”
These training emphasized on preparation, prevention, assessment, and self treatment of illness and/or injury by providing lectures, discussions, and hands-on activities that focused on leadership, teamwork, injury scenarios, and trauma.
NMC student Ainah Chargualaf, a participant of the program, said that this training will equip our community with knowledge for future disasters.
“The CNMI is often hit with natural disasters, particularly typhoons, and this training would significantly benefit the community members as we lack enough resources to help those in need.” Chargualaf said.
Leo Mereb, a firefighter at the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Rota division shared the same sentiments.
“I would like to encourage all our community members to take part in DRAFA, because it’s very beneficial to learn first-aid.” Mereb said. “Having some basic knowledge in first-aid can make a difference in helping our community most especially during a disaster in our small tight knit community.”
“The Family, Community, and Youth Development team of NMC-CREES, through the leadership of Tayna Belyeu-Camacho and our partners at CNMI Homeland Security and DFEMS, continue to address community needs and build our CNMI capacity through this integrated research and training project,” Interim Dean for NMC-CREES Patricia Coleman said.
"At NMC, we believe that being prepared for emergencies is key to building a resilient community,” NMC President Galvin Deleon Guerrero said. “We are grateful to our partners for their support and collaboration in making this program possible, and we look forward to continuing to work together to enhance the health, safety, and well-being of all members of the CNMI community."
NMC-CREES thanks their partners at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM), CNMI Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services (DFEMS), American Red Cross-NMI Chapter and Rodgers Educational Consulting for helping make this training possible.
Northern Marianas College’s Cooperative Research, Extension, and Education Services provides research and technical advice in the fields of agriculture, aquaculture, natural resources, food science, community and youth development, health, and nutrition that is locally sustainable, environmentally safe, and economically feasible, in order to enhance the well-being and improve the quality of life of the people living in the CNMI.
For more information about the DRAFA Training program, please contact NMC-CREES State Program Leader, Tayna C. Belyeu-Camacho, at tayna.belyeu-camacho@marianas.
The first cohort of DRAFA-certified participants with instructors from the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, American Red Cross, CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Rodgers Educational Consulting, and head instructor Dr. Todd Miner of the University of Colorado School of Medicine – Department of Emergency Medicine, Wilderness Medicine Section.
The second cohort of DRAFA-certified participants with instructors from the Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management, and head instructor Dr. Todd Miner of the University of Colorado School of Medicine – Department of Emergency Medicine, Wilderness Medicine Section.