St. Maarten Training Foundation students receiving training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
CAY HILL--St. Maarten Training Foundation (SMTF) students recently received training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), an important life-saving emergency technique developed to save a person’s life if their heart stops or if they stop breathing.
CPR combines two-handed chest compressions with either mouth-to-mouth breathing or mechanical ventilation to partially restore blood flow to the heart and brain, thereby delaying irreversible damage to those vital organs.
“The CPR training is one of those extra certification courses we provide to our students to give them added value in the job market and hopefully save someone’s life during an emergency,” explained SMTF Module Manager Deborah Canale.
The training was facilitated by Tiffani Burr of Samaritan’s Purse. This non-denominational Christian group is well-known in St. Maarten for being the first foreign relief organisation to provide relief supplies shortly after the passing of Hurricane Irma in September 2017 and for giving vouchers for building materials from a local hardware store to those most in need.
During the training students learned how and how often to apply chest compressions, the importance of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and the use of mechanical ventilation. They also learned how to administer CPR in pairs or individually.
SMTF runs the Emergency Income Support and Training Programme (EISTP) financed by the government of the Netherlands’ Trust Fund managed by the World Bank and implemented by the National Recovery Programme Bureau (NRPB). The programme is made possible by the devolution of monies from the Trust Fund and caters to persons who are unemployed or underemployed (working part-time, less than 20 hours per week).
All enrolled students receive financial support (a stipend) for attending classes and successfully completing the programme, as well as medical coverage through Social and Health Insurances SZV in addition to a small transportation allowance. They enrol in courses in Hospitality, Culinary, Construction, St. Maarten Culture and History (an integral part of Hospitality and Culinary), English as Second Language, and Basic Literacy.
SMTF partners with entities such as University of St. Martin (USM) and National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA) on some courses.
The goal of the programme is to provide (temporary) income support to the unemployed and underemployed while equipping them with the tools necessary to achieve full gainful employment.
