Some Deliveroo Riders Aren’t Just Saving Hungry People; They’re Trained To Save Lives, Too

Singapore is poised to become a safer city if it isn’t already one of the safest in the world.

The next time you see a friendly Deliveroo rider making his/her rounds, take note too and appreciate that he/she may also be a trained first-aider capable of saving one’s life on top of alleviating one’s hunger.

Talk about double-hatting.

(Hi, Goose~)

First Aid Training by Singapore Red Cross

On 11 April 2019, Deliveroo sent its first batch of 20 riders for a series of first-aid training courses offered by Deliveroo, in collaboration with the Singapore Red Cross (SRC).

Among the 20 riders was Deliveroo rider, Nur Khizlena Abas, 32.

In recounting to The New Paper (TNP), Ms Khizlena shared of the time when she witnessed a woman break her ankle after falling down a flight of stairs while making a delivery.

She had stopped to help but all she could do was to call an ambulance and offered tissues to the woman to curb her bleeding.

She said to TNP: “I felt so bad I wasn’t able to do anything and I imagined if this had happened to a loved one of mine, I would want someone to help them.”

Borne of guilt and helplessness, Ms Khizlena signed up for the first-aid course upon its announcement.

Nice.

The Crucial First Few Minutes

According to Mr Ambrose Lee, SRC’s deputy head and principal trainer for first aid and life support, the first few minutes after an incident has happened are the most crucial.

Having a trained first-aider at the scene early can make or break a situation of literal life and death.

As such, “The two-hour essential first aid with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillator session covered important aspects on emergencies involving bleeding, choking or unresponsiveness in adults.”

As Deliveroo rides are always on the go and out and about, “having this valuable knowledge can be really important when it comes to such instances”, he told TNP.

Mr Siddharth Shanker, general manager of Deliveroo Singapore, said, “Equipping the riders with such essential skills has the potential to make a huge difference in local communities.”

He added: “They go above and beyond to deliver Singaporeans’ favourite food. And we wanted to empower our riders with the necessary skills and confidence to step in and make a difference in the instance when members of the public need help the most.”

Deliveroo Hong Kong and Deliveroo UK

It appears that this isn’t the first time Deliveroo has offered first-aid training to its riders.

Just this month, Deliveroo Hong Kong had committed to providing “over 150 riders in Hong Kong with access to 13 first aid training classes administered by the Hong Kong Red Cross” according to this report.

Back in August 2018, Deliveroo UK made a similar announcement to equip its riders with first aid skills with training provided for by The Red Cross.

A toast to all Deliveroo rides – Thanks for making our society a fuller and safer place.