First Aid Training for our team and teens
Volcán de Fuego, one of Guatemala’s most active volcanoes, has been very active recently, and there has also been increased seismic activity. As our Foster Program continues to grow and welcome more children, our team saw the need for more first aid training for our staff and older teens.
For Alejandra, our director, this was something she had been considering for some time. The training required an important investment, but she knew it was worth it. Now, our staff and five of our teens, Manuel, Abraham, Josué, Mario, and Gimena, are taking part in a six-week first aid course.
The course, taught by EFR Guatemala, covers practical skills such as CPR, basic bandaging, recognizing serious injuries, identifying dangerous areas during an earthquake or accident, and following evacuation procedures. The training doesn’t stop with the classroom. EFR Guatemala is also helping us create evacuation plans for each of our houses and our administrative area, including clear signs showing where people should go during an emergency.
The trainers have also reviewed our first aid kits and recommended additional supplies we should have on hand. Together with our social worker, they’re helping our team assign specific responsibilities for an emergency: Who calls 911? Who sounds the alarm? Who brings the first aid kit? Who helps the children evacuate?
These details matter. In an emergency, having a plan can make the difference between confusion and a clear response. “In any moment, an emergency can happen, so it’s important that we have basic first aid knowledge,” said Ingrid, our social worker. “The teens can help, for example, on a weekend when they’re only with the moms. If something happens, they’ll know how to respond to an emergency.”
The course is being taught by Jonathan, who has eight years of experience teaching first aid and also serves as a volunteer firefighter. He’s been encouraged by the teens’ attitude throughout the training. “It’s a pleasure to be here teaching the kids,” he said. “They were very attentive and engaged, and they’ve shown a clear interest in learning first aid.”
Jonathan also knows that emergencies don’t always go according to plan. Fear can make it difficult to remember what to do. That’s why teamwork is such an important part of the training. When everyone knows their role and the steps to follow, they can help one another respond instead of freezing in the moment.
Our children have practiced for emergencies before. Alejandra explained that our older teens already know what to do during an earthquake drill. They know to find a partner and leave together. But not every child in our Foster Program has had the same experience. Children join our homes at different times, and a younger child may not have been part of an emergency drill before. For them, the sound of an alarm or the shaking of an earthquake can be frightening. In that moment, having a calm adult or older teen nearby can make all the difference.
That’s what this training is really about. It’s about knowing how to respond when a child is hurt. It’s about knowing where to go when an evacuation is necessary. It’s about being prepared to help a frightened child feel safe. And it’s about giving our staff and older teens the confidence to step up when the people around them need help.
We can’t know when an emergency will happen. But we can choose how prepared we’ll be when it does. Your support helps us do that. When you stand with Forever Changed International, you’re helping us give our children more than a place to live. You’re helping us build homes where they’re protected, where the adults caring for them are prepared, and where older children are learning that they can help protect the little ones who look up to them.
Together, we can create a home where children don’t have to face the unexpected alone, a home where they can feel safe, cared for, and valued every day.
