JEDDAH — What scientific studies have shown is one of the main steps in emergencies is the management of the first responder who is next to the case and provides care until the medical teams arrive.



The first responder has to be prepared for any medical emergency and this preparedness requires attending short training courses not exceeding a few hours, capable to save patients. Hence, various international courses on how to respond and deal with emergency situations were adopted, one of them being



King Saud University (KSU), which became a pioneer in the Middle East in life saving training.



It was the brainchild of Professor Dr. Khalid Bin Fouda, dean of Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz College for EMS, to launch the project “KSU save a life.”



“We at King Saud University believe in shouldering the responsibility toward society, and have prepared an ambitious plan at Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz College for EMS, aimed at raising the ambulatory skills in the community.



“Hence, the idea of King Saud University’s Project “KSU Save a life” has been initiated,” he said, adding that the process began for integrating the course in the curriculum began more than two years ago after which, it was approved by the Council of Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz College for EMS.



“It was then presented to our colleagues in the deanship of the preparatory year. Later, the project was discussed in the preparing committee for emergencies at the university, and approved during this academic year.”



The objectives of this project are basic principles for providing first aid; how the paramedic can protect himself and others; the first link in the chain of survival and how to get the medical help; and the method of assessing the victim whether he is responsive, responsive but lethargic, or unresponsive.



In the six-hour training program, students receive accredited lectures, video presentation and hands-on application on mannequins to learn how to use the devices in case of an emergency.



Fouda said the most challenging difficulties was finding the best methods to introduce in this course within the curriculum before the approved course became part of the Fitness and Performance Work course for preparatory year students.



The project’s mission is to train and increase the awareness among students, faculty members and staff of KSU on life saving techniques. “And we have appointed a project director to implement it,” he said.



Project Director Dr. Abdulmajeed Mohammed Al Mobrad, head of the Emergency Medical Services in Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz College for EMS, said that the project was launched initially on trial basis at the end of the last academic year 1434-1435 AH, when around 200 male and female students underwent training which served as a preliminary and indicative study.



The general project will be launched this academic year 1435-1436 AH, and the group will now comprise 5,000 students.



The project is considered as one of the objectives of the strategic plan for the university to be a pioneer in serving the community.



The project is sponsored directly by the rector of the university with full cooperation between the College of Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz for EMS and the dean of the preparatory year. After this, the dean of Faculty and Personnel Affairs will have a significant role in training the faculty and staff of the university.



Al Mobrad said in the first phase training will take place on campus, which will be considered as a prerequisite course for the Fitness and Performance Work)  course.



Dean of the preparatory year Dr. Nami Bin Mufarrej and vice dean of the preparatory year for female students affairs Dr. Asma Bint Ahmed Fadden have key roles in this project.



Al Mobrad said students of Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz College for EMS will take over training of their colleagues and students of the university. Therefore, the instructors have to be qualified for training and meet the requirements of training through the Life Support Unit in Prince Sultan College for EMS under the supervision of the Senior Regional Faculty of American Heart Association.



In addition, the instructors have to be supervised throughout the training course to ensure quality of training that is subject to a number of international standards in methods of conducting the course.



The project, he said, will enable the students to develop skills of the first responder as well as dissemination of the culture of first aid in the community and to remember the words of God, “If someone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind,” and ensure its mastery to serve both the citizens and the residents of this country.



Ahed Al Najjar, head of Life Support Unit in Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz College for EMS and AHA Fellow Basic Cardiovascular Sciences and Senior Regional Faculty of the American Heart Association (AHA) for Middle East, Africa and Indonesia and India, is the academic technical project manager, who lauded the idea.



He said: “Currently, there is no clear idea of the size of such operation in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia in terms of the level and kind of training. It is included as part of the college educational curriculum for the preparatory year as a mandatory course and before graduation they are to participate actively in the chain of survival.”



“In Nigeria in 2009, the same idea was applied in collaboration with FIFA on sport activity in terms of stadiums and sport facility. The athletes had specialty doctors nearby trained by EMS personnel. Each event included staff capable of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation, but overall it was within a narrow range and the number is not exceeding few trainees. So, the project in Saudi Arabia is considered as milestone in the region because it holds three stages which will lead us to continue to the next step in the chain of survival,” he said.



He added that the American Heart Association had given the authorization and international accreditation for Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz College for EMS in 2012 as an international training center.



The trainee receives a certificate of international accreditation, valid for 2 years, making him eligible to participate in the first aid and CPR saving life response. The courses of the American Heart Association hold a high credibility in the medical field worldwide.



On the mechanism of training and the number of training hours, he said: “Courses are given on a weekly basis throughout the year, where the trainees receive training according to the standards agreed upon. An instructor teaches with ratio of 6:1 in the first phase and the number will increases to 9 trainees, taking in consideration the experience of the basic instructor.”



He added: “The trainees are given first aid courses, how to deal with medical and trauma injuries, training on Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for adults and children for male students, and with infant for female students; and how to use the Automated external defibrillator (AED) or Public Access Defibrillator (PAD). When the trainee completes the required hours of training according to AHA standards, the trainees will receive his AHA card and Prince Sultan College for EMS Wall certificate.” — SG