|
|
|
 News from Around Banderas Bay | March 2008 
Bomberos Complete Emergency English Course
 Harold Sokolove - PVNN
| | Sixteen emergency service personnel from the Bahía de Banderas Proteccion Civil y Bomberos recently completed a 10-week English class Drs. Richard and Karilee Shames created specifically for fire fighters, paramedics and emergency radio dispatchers. | | |
Puerto Vallarta - Drs. Richard and Karilee Shames have completed teaching a 10-week English class they created specifically for fire fighters, paramedics and emergency radio dispatchers.
There were 16 emergency service personnel from the Bahía de Banderas Proteccion Civil y Bomberos who took and passed the "final exam" at the central fire station in Jarretadera.
The idea for teaching English to the local paramedics and fire fighters was the result of concern expressed at an Amigos de Bucerías Civil Association meeting about the language barrier which existed between some emergency service workers and non-Spanish-speaking residents and tourists who call the 066 emergency phone number for help.
The Shameses, who were new members of the civil association, volunteered to "invent" the English classes and be the teachers, figuring their medical backgrounds would be helpful.
They have already indicated that they intend to have more English classes for additional emergency service personnel later this year. They're also planning to offer an "Emergency Spanish" class to non-Spanish-speaking residents of the Bucerias area.
Lastly, the Shameses are writing a series for the Amigos de Bucerias publication, Amigos y Vecinos, on emergency service "language for gringos."
Karilee Shames says, "It's basically an intro to the course we taught, reminding residents and visitors that it's partly up to us to keep ourselves safe. Each installment (4 I believe) will provide emergency terminology in Spanish, such as I need help, there's a fire, someone is hurt, etc."
Their emergency English curriculum consisted of 20 two-hour classes with several additional days of practice sessions. "Creating and implementing the course was a labor of love for this doctor-nurse team," said Karilee Shames.
"We worked to design a course that was uniquely relevant to the local bomberos and paramedics, including teaching specific instructions to help preserve life, limb and property in situations of fire, medical emergency or accidents at home, work or in vehicles," she said.
"We had to design the course to acknowledge the huge number of part-time non-Spanish speaking tourists who are totally unfamiliar with the emergency medical system, doctors, clinics and hospitals in this area," Dr. Richard Shames added.
The personnel learned to introduce themselves to victims, ask relevant questions to assess problems, words to reassure victims, names for parts of the body and how to explain what they are going to do to help.
The final exam required having the bomberos help "victims," played by the Shames. They were assisted by Harold Sokolove, the President of Amigos de Bucerias and his wife, Sue Fornoff, who have volunteered with the department for several years.
Only English was spoken as various emergency scenarios were employed.
The emergency workers plucked situation cards out of a bowl requiring them to respond to a fire, heart attack, epilepsy, childbirth, car accident, diabetic attack, or other role-played emergency event. The students worked in teams of two to work through the emergency situation they had been dealt.
On graduation day, Dr. Claudio Estrada, the Director of Proteccion Civil y Bomberos for the municipality, recognized the couple and the two volunteers for the important service they had provided and gave Certificates of Participation and a diploma to each of the students.
About Drs. Richard and Karilee Shames
Richard Shames is a Graduate of Harvard and University of Pennsylvania. He is a medical doctor (MD) with over 30 years medical practice. He has authored several books including Healing with Mind Power, Thyroid Power, and most recently, Feeling Fat, Fuzzy or Frazzled? (about Thyroid, Adrenal and Sex Gland Balance.) He currently maintains a medical and hormone coaching practice in San Rafael, CA.
Karilee Shames PhD, RN has been an Associate Professor of Nursing as well as in private practice with Rich Shames MD for 30 years, with expertise in counseling for women and Energy Healing. She has authored a number of health-related books, including Thyroid Power and Feeling Fat Fuzzy or Frazzled? (with Rich Shames MD.) |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us