Red Cross assists 11,000 in election-day operations

• Source:http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/red-cross-assists-11000-in-election-day-operations/
• Wednesday, May 11, 2016

By Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

THE Philippine Red Cross (PRC) extended assistance to more than 11,000 people in the first- aid stations, ambulance units and welfare desks that were deployed to help ensure the safety and well-being of voters and the general public during election day on May 9.

“Beyond providing first aid and welfare services, our staff and volunteers in the field, likewise, assisted persons with disabilities [PWDs] and elderly voters who had difficulty finding or going to their polling precincts,” PRC Chairman Richard Gordon said.

PRC Operations Center reported that the humanitarian organization was able to assist a total of 11,817 people in its “Halalan 2016” operations. Aside from first-aid stations, PRC welfare stations were also put up and provided psycho-social support and referral service to some 202 individuals.

In Quezon City elderly and PWD voters asked for Red Cross assistance in going to the third floor of Don Alejandro Roces Sr. Science and Technology High School to find their voting precincts so they can cast their votes. A concerned individual personally called the Red Cross to send volunteers to assist the elderly and PWDs in the said school.

The national headquarters immediately asked assistance from the PRC Quezon City chapter, which deployed an ambulance team to the area. The team assisted elderly voters and PWDs in walking or going to the school grounds and even going up to the third floor voting precincts.

In Manila PRC volunteers aided PWDs and senior citizens in locating their voting precincts at the Ramon Magsaysay High School on España Street.

“As always, I am grateful to our staff and volunteers in the Red Cross who responded to the call of duty to serve during the elections. We would not have been able to assist all those people without our staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly to help those in need,” Gordon said.

The PRC put up first-aid stations near 360 polling precincts and along 23 highways nationwide for their election operation. Of the total number of people served by the PRC, the majority, or 11,395 persons, were assisted for blood-pressure monitoring.

Aside from monitoring blood pressure, Red Cross staff and volunteers manning the first-aid stations and ambulances provided immediate medical care to at least 153 patients who were seen for minor medical cases, like loose bowel movement, contusion, abrasion, dizziness, fainting, hyperventilation, hypertension, asthma, wounds, nose bleeding, hypoglycaemia, headache, fever and sprain.

There were also 25 people who were given first-aid treatment for major cases, like epileptic seizure, laceration, dog bite, loss of consciousness, fainting, slight vaginal bleeding and heat exhaustion.

PRC ambulances transported to hospitals 30 patients who suffered from hypertension, vomiting with fever, dizziness, fracture, difficulty of breathing, chest pain and fainting.

For the election, PRC set up 355 first-aid stations, 52 of which has ambulance units; 63 mobile or roving first-aid units; 192 welfare desks; 68 ambulances and 42 emergency vehicles stationed near major polling areas nationwide. The national headquarters located in Boni, Mandaluyong, also deployed 11 ambulances and five emergency vehicles within Metro Manila.

More than 300 PRC staff members and more than 2,000 volunteers were on duty to man the first aid stations, welfare desks, ambulance units and emergency vehicles for PRC’s election operation. Management and staff of the PRC national headquarters, as well as in all PRC chapters nationwide, also worked round the clock during the election to help monitor the situation in all territorial jurisdictions where PRC has a presence.