The Beijing Red Cross (BRC) has only three years left to train 110,000 first aiders if it is to meet its own target.

The BRC's aim was for there to be one trained first aider in every 80 people in Beijing by 2008 to narrow the gap with developed countries, in which every 20-30 people have first aid skills.

"Only 70,000 Beijingers have got primary first aid certificates since the training center was set up in 1997," said Li Fuxing, director of the BRC's Training Center.

"At least 110,000 first aiders are needed according to the scheduled plan, which estimates that the city population will grow to about 15 million by 2008," Li said, "Considering the present rate of progress, it will really be a great challenge to reach the target in the next three years, especially in a city with a poor awareness of first aiding."

Those trained so far have usually been from large-scale state-owned or foreign enterprises. Only a few have come from higher-risk sectors like construction, mining and transport, where first aid skills are indispensable.

"There is an urgent need to increase people's awareness of the importance of first aid skills so they can participate in the training," Li said.

When a life threatening accident happens, the first four minutes are crucial in saving lives. However, it is unusual for doctors to be on the scene within such a short time.

The more trained first aiders there are, the more likely that someone will happen to be nearby who could perform simple interventions to keep a casualty alive until the arrival of emergency services.

It has been suggested that other training centers, such as driving schools, could pilot first aid courses to increase the safety of drivers and passengers.

A first aiding network has been set up in the city covering the districts of Xicheng, Chongwen, Chaoyang and Tongzhou as well as large-scale enterprises like Beijing Urban Construction Group Co., Ltd.

Li said the BRC would give priority to training 100,000 volunteers starting this year for the 2008 Olympic Games.

(China.org.cn by Unisumoon March 8, 2005)