The author of this column witnessed a male guest staying at a well-known hotel slipping on a tiled path during a rainstorm on Thursday afternoon. He fell backward, hitting his neck and the back of his head on the hard surface.
Knowing that this could be very damaging and easily cause concussions of varying degrees, the front desk was called. However, a prompt visible response remained forthcoming, perhaps because personnel did not feel comfortable dealing with a possible medical emergency.
If so that would be regrettable, as time can be of the essence in such cases. It is therefore recommended that businesses in the hospitality industry, and especially resorts, have at least one employee for every shift with first aid skills.
Even if these persons may not be able to directly deal with certain injuries due to their complexity, they should have the necessary basic knowledge to calm down and comfort the victim, putting them in a low-risk position pending professional treatment if necessary.
Windward Islands Emergency Medical Services (WIEMS) offers a solution. Their stated mission is to provide outstanding pre-hospital and emergency medical training to the community, in support of care providers, firefighters, police officers, schools, sports organisations and corporations. They also aim to provide the community with a team of volunteers that displays readiness to serve in the event of a disaster.
To become a member for just US $60 per year, people merely need to be 18 years of age and be trained as an emergency medical responder or at a higher level, enabling them to take part in practical training sessions and emergency drills, supplied with a uniform shirt/polo and liability insurance coverage. Emergency medical technicians will also be required to do 40 hours of ambulance training per year.
In addition, visitor accommodations ought to avoid slippery surfaces on their premises or at least place cautionary signage. While it does not rain that much on a sunny island, showers can be intense and turn these into dangerous slides.
Also, taking into account the advanced age of many tourists, these are important safeguards for a prime vacation destination like St. Maarten/St. Martin.
