You too can save a life. And for this you don’t need a medical degree. Simple knowledge about ‘Basic Life Support’ (BLS) techniques can go a long way in saving lives in emergency situations. Columbia Asia Hospital, Hebbal conducted the first session of BLS Training programme for Bangalore Traffic Police and School bus drivers at Traffic Training & Road Safety Institution. This was a part of a 5-day training program during which the hospital plans on training at least 500 people. Around 70 traffic police personnel and school bus 
drivers from the city took the first step in being Good Samaritans by learning the much needed basic life-saving steps in case of any road traffic accident or other emergencies.
The programme was organized by Traffic Training & Road Safety headed by Renuka Sukumar, DCP for traffic, North East Bangalore.
Speaking to the traffic policemen and school bus drivers during the training, Dr. Ceema, Casualty Medical Officer, Columbia Asia Hospital – Hebbal said, “Mostly the steps we take in haste while attending to an emergency, makes a deep-rooted impact in saving the life of the patient. Thus it is vital for all to learn the ‘Basic Life Support’ (BLS) techniques, so that we can take the right measures when required. These are simple steps like chest compression and for this you don’t need to be an expert in medicine to take these steps.”
This training will help them to learn special skills required to deal with emergencies faced by accident victims. Skills to perform Cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) through chest compressions, maintaining accident victims breathing by providing appropriate rescue breaths, relieving choking, etc can help increase chances of survival and hence save many lives. Trained doctors from the hospital will use videos, practice demos, presentations; etc. to impart these skills and the participants can get hands on experience as well.
Considering the road traffic accidents and other medical emergencies, ideally every citizen should be trained in BLS, added Dr. Ceema. Now, be it a road traffic accident, or a sudden cardiac arrest or stroke, the city is getting well prepared to help save a life.
