Red Cross volunteer in Calixto García supports the evacuation of people threatened by a cyclone. Photo: Aleaga (archive)This May 8 was celebrated World Day of the Red Cross, in honor to the birth of Henry Dunant, founder of this humanitarian organization.
Regarding the date, members of the Red Cross in the Holguin municipality of Calixto García shared experiences and anecdotes with listeners of Radio Juvenil about their work as volunteers.
Yandy Bermúdez González, chief of help operations, noted the activities that are done with the population: "We offer courses for all educations, for workers, communities. We train them to save their lives, to secure their resources, to provide first aid, to avoid traffic accidents, to reduce disasters, and for people to know how to act before each event. "
Orialis Labrada Cisneros, General Secretary of the Red Cross in the municipality. Photo: Antonio Guerra.Orialis Labrada Cisneros, General Secretary of Red Cross in the municipality, lively as usual, is very happy. The reasons: "We dreamed of this and it came through a donation, two resources for training: a giant game called Hazardland, a species of Parcheesi; The child himself is the one who walks the different boxes, on a tarp on the floor, with a group of cards with questions. We premiered it at the Rubén Bravo school and was very well received.
The other means is a resuscitation simulator, a kind of silicone mannequin that looks like a person's head, chest and abdomen to give the mouth-to-mouth and cardiorespiratory resuscitation. The mannequin has sensors attached to a computer to evaluate whether these actions are done correctly. “We used it in the pre-university of Buenaventura and was able to train a group of young people in the knowledge of these techniques ".
Héctor Sánchez Sánchez, has been volunteer for 17 years in the Red Cross, recounted one of his unforgettable experiences: "On one occasion during a popular festival I met a young man lying on the floor, and when I approached his partner, se told me that he was fainting because he had drunk a lot, taking his pulse did not feel, I immediately gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and cardiorespiratory compressions and recovered. Then I took him to the hospital. Today that young man wherever he sees me embraces me and thanks me for that gesture. This was made possible by my training as a member of the Red Cross. "
René Avila shows his pride of being a member of the Red Cross in his right arm where he has tattooed the logo of the Cuban Red Cross. Photo: Edelvis RodríguezFounder of this organization is René Ávila Rojas, an experienced rescuer for whom responsibility and rigor in preparation are essential to be a capable volunteer: "You have to love this because when you receive a hard training many will crack. This is pure love, this is risk. If you are not prepared, do not dare to face the risks, do not assume any rescue action because you can harm another person or perish in the attempt.
Finally Orialis Labrada said: "I am proud of the group of wonderful people that make up the Red Cross in the municipality, for their values and commitment to work. I want to recognize the group of Mir and the one of San Agustín by the work developed with a lot of sense of belonging. Finally we tell people that we are a group of volunteers that we love what we do and we assume it with a lot of responsibility to serve society. "
