->The show stopper of the 2024 Rescue Care Week –

Every year, September 9th marks the Rescue Care Day, and that week of the Rescue Care Day is called a Rescue Care Week. This year (2024), the last day (2024/09/14) of the Rescue Care Week also happened to be the World First Aid Day. From 12:00 to 18:00 on 2024/09/14, simultaneously at six (6) major MRT stations (namely Taipei 101/ World Trade Center Station, City Hall Station, Banqiao Station, Ximen Station, Zhongshan Station, and Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station), the event “Agile CPR Challenge” was rolled out by READY TO SAVE ANNEONE, a teaching platform dedicated to promoting and popularizing first aid education, along with Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC) in support of the Rescue Care Week activities. Passengers at the six major station during the event time were invited to participate in the Agile CPR Challenge, whereas fire service personnel, medical care personnel, and auxiliary firefighters from the National Fire Agency (NFA) and local communities were also present on-site to support the event. This event aimed to, with joint efforts, raise the public’s awareness of the importance of first aid.

In consideration of the large number of the population relying on the MRT system for commute, this event was specially planned to be conducted on the platform of the MRT stations, with the idea that “first aid” could be applied in our daily life. Under the premise of not interfering the passengers’ transportation plan, passengers on the platform waiting for the arrival of the train were invited to land a helping hand to assist a patient with cardiac arrest during the golden time, named Anne”, before the arrival of the ambulance. At the event scene, professional rescue care personnel were present to provide one-on-one guidance to participating passengers. Meanwhile, CPR teaching aids with instant feedback function were used, so that participating passengers could grasp the essence and quality of chest compressions in a short operation process, ensuring that every participating passenger could form correct CPR concepts through the operation In addition to the CPR challenge, booths were also set up next to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at three (3) MRT stations (namely Taipei 101/ World Trade Center Station, City Hall Station, and Banqiao Station) to allow passengers to practically experience simulated AED operations.

As per Director-General HSIAO Huan-Chang of the National Fire Agency (NFA), in Taiwan there are about 20,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients every year. In ten (10) years ago, only about 2% of the OHCA patients could recover. However, last year (2023), the OHCA recovery rate reached 6.6%, reaching a record high. With all thanks to the tightly interlocked life chain in the community. Starting from a reporting 119 call, to someone performing the CPR, or even with the use an AED deployed in public places to give electric shocks before the arrival of the ambulance, all these steps help boost the survival rate in multiple folds.

Lastly pointed out by Director-General HSIAO, first aid education groups in the civil society have been creative, who have not only integrated first aid teaching into our daily life, but also reached out to many special groups not easily reached through current first aid education, including the elderly, the disabled, etc. Moreover, there are many international tourists in the area of Taipei City and New Taipei City. The event this time not only demonstrated the new style and feature of the first aid education in Taiwan, but also demonstrate the most beautiful scenery in Taiwan from a different angle!

Group photo at the Opening Ceremony - Showing senior government officers (from left to right) - Section Chief JIAN Yu-Chun of the National Fire Agency (NFA) and Manager WU Hong-Ru of LAERDAL MEDICAL Taiwan Branch.

Passengers completed the CPR challenge

Senior government officers tried the CPR compressions (from left to right) - Manager WU Hong-Ru of LAERDAL MEDICAL Taiwan Branch and Director-General HSIAO Huan-Change of the National Fire Agency (NFA)

Automated external defibrillator (AED) site

The show stopper of the 2024 Rescue Care Week – "Agile CPR Challenge"