BURAIDAH: Saudi Arabia joined the rest of the globe in celebrating World First Aid Day — observed on Sept. 10 each year to raise awareness about the importance of first aid in saving lives. The Red Crescent Authority branch in the Qassim region hosted a range of events, awareness exhibitions and ambulance courses in the city of Buraidah to raise awareness and introduce visitors and citizens alike to ways of dealing with emergency cases. The campaign aims to make children familiar with Saudi Arabia’s 997 ambulance emergency contact number. An awareness bus was on hand at the Othaim Mall to inform citizens, residents and shoppers about ambulance medical equipment. The authority also organized the “Drop of Giving” initiative, which will last for five days, in conjunction with World First Aid Day, where a number of volunteers were at the center’s headquarters to receive blood donors from the employees of the authority and other volunteers. The Saudi Red Crescent Authority is keen to organize such events to raise the level of first aid culture among members of the community and teach citizens about ways of providing first aid services. The authority’s volunteer team, in cooperation with the Department of Academic Affairs and Training in Fayfa Governorate, also organized an awareness program on first aid. Specialists from the Red Crescent provided a theoretical explanation that included comprehensive information on ambulatory cases such as stroke, angina, loss of consciousness, asthma, resuscitation, epilepsy cases, ways of dealing with diabetes patients, ambulatory cases and diseases related to children, in addition to cases of fractures, near-drowning, burns, as well as the practical application of ambulatory skills on training dolls, and how to save those injured in accidents, as well as cardiopulmonary resuscitation before the arrival of the ambulance. Twenty Red Crescent volunteers participated in the awareness program, which saw the participation of more than 200 trainees from citizens and residents of different age groups. The Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Organization also took part in the celebration of World First Aid Day to emphasize the importance of first aid in reducing injuries and risks in emergencies, disasters and daily crises. The organization also highlighted risks and accidents in the home and how to deal with them. ARCO Secretary-General Dr. Saleh Al-Tuwaijri said that the provision of first aid was a humanitarian action that aims to make a difference to improve the chances of survival and eliminate human suffering.   “Celebrating this day is to ignite the spirit of giving and human solidarity and to motivate volunteers and employees of national bodies and societies of the Red Crescent and Red Cross to acquire first aid skills and raise awareness of its importance in strengthening the humanitarian response to heal the wounds of the injured and save lives.”