THE Jamaica Red Cross is presently training volunteers to deal with medical crises that may occur during Cricket World Cup 2007, which is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the island.

There are approximately 8,000 volunteers across the island.

Judge Oswald Burchenson, immediate past president of Jamaica Red Cross, told the Observer that the organisation was currently seeking to obtain accreditation from the International Cricket Council (ICC) in order to get the volunteers inside the match venues.

He said the Red Cross was currently drafting a strategic plan for Cricket World Cup.

“As an international organisation and a humanitarian organisation, we are now preparing by training them [volunteers] in first aid and CPR [cardiopulmonary resuscitation] to be prepared for any eventualities that might occur,” he said.

“We are also trying to acquire some ambulances to make ourselves more prepared.”

Burchenson said the Red Cross currently had one ambulance. “We are trying also to get another ambulance from the Spanish Red Cross, and I will be making representation to the Japanese Red Cross to get another ambulance,” he said.

Burchenson was attending the Jamaica Red Cross Biennial General Assembly at the Jamaica Conference Centre in Kingston on Saturday.

US Ambassador to Jamaica Brenda LaGrange Johnson, who was the keynote speaker at the assembly, hailed the Jamaica Red Cross for the “outstanding work” it has done over the years, especially its efforts to deal with the scourge of HIV/AIDS in the island.

“Serving the country and the world since 1948, the Jamaica Red Cross has exemplified the best aspects of human nature in dealing with an imperfect world,” she said.

“It has delivered emergency services; counselled youth, communicated and disseminated the importance of humanitarian protection, and provided care for the most vulnerable,” she remarked.

Voluntary participation, she added, “strengthens us as a nation, strengthens our communities, and strengthens and fulfills us as individual human beings”.

Meanwhile, according to the director general’s review, training at the Red Cross was at an all time high, with the more than 300 volunteers and staff receiving training ranging from Basic First Aid, shelter management, international humanitarian law, logistics, medical first response, search and rescue and mass casualty.

Through its Uplifting Adolescent Project, 67 students were returned to the formal school system.

According to Yvonne Clarke, director general at Red Cross, students who entered the programme as non-readers graduated at the level of head boy/girl of their respective schools.

“One such student has returned as a volunteer teacher at the St Catherine Centre,” she said.

At the same time, Clarke also pointed out that the Red Cross responded to 2,000 families affected by Hurricanes Dennis and Emily.

“We are confident yet challenged and we look to the future with guidance recognising that we have grown,” Clarke told the gathering.

On Saturday, the Jamaica Red Cross welcomed it new president, Dr Jaslin Salmon as well as elected officers and members of its Central Committee.

The voluntary organisation also recognised the Jamaica Observer Limited and other media houses for supporting the organisation.