Caribbean Red Cross bats for Cricket World Cup

The Red Cross is active in another world cup, but it's not soccer as was the case in Germany for FIFA World Cup 2006.

Cricket, the most popular game in India and Pakistan , is played with a wooden bat and a hard ball. Players run between ‘wickets' – three wooden sticks in the ground - to score ‘runs'. The team with more runs, wins the match. The game is played mainly among former English colonies but has begun to spread to other countries like the Netherlands.

The International Cricket Council's World Cup is currently being played in nine English-speaking territories in the Caribbean. The competition began March 13 with 16 teams and is now into the second phase, the Super Eights. The final is carded for April 28 on the island of Barbados.

The Jamaica Red Cross (JRC) was the first National Society called to play its part in providing First Aid medical services as that island hosted the March 13 opening match between hosts the West Indies and Pakistan. Jamaica hosted group D matches (West Indies, Pakista , Zimbabwe and Ireland) and will host the April 24 semi-final.

Trevesa de Silva, JRC training officer, said their office has been busy. Three of its volunteers joined personnel from other agencies inside the stadium's medical station. Two were Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and one is a first responder. Ten other volunteers worked outside the stadium at peripheral sites like park and ride locations. Twenty volunteers remain on stand-by for any eventuality.

Miles away on the island of St Lucia , which hosted group C (Kenya, Canada, New Zealand and England ) and will host the April 25 semi-final, the director general of the National Society said the Red Cross has already been called into action.

“We have been actively involved in the planning, attending many meetings, workshops and training,” said director general Terencia Gaillard. “Approximately 30 volunteers are currently involved in the medical team, providing First Aid services.”

She said 16 Red Cross volunteers, led by Hubert Pierre, disaster coordinator, were at the stadium early for the March 14 Kenya versus Canada match. “We were solely in charge of a medical post. With the large number of students at the stadium, our volunteers not only provided medical attention but distributed large amounts of water to those suffering from the 30 degree plus heat.”

The twin-island republic of Trinidad and Tobago , just off the coast of Venezuela , hosted Group B ( India , Bangladesh , Sri Lanka and Bermuda ). Their preparations, according to director general Lisa Lalsingh, began last May with 20 volunteers trained for first responder emergency care and treatment, mass casualty management and incident command management. They also provided ambulance services. Volunteers proudly wore their Red Cross tee-shirts as they manned three medical stations during the main matches, as well as at the warm up games.

Back up the archipelago, Antigua and Barbuda hosted six Super Eight matches from March 27. Thirty volunteers and two ambulances were used, said director general of the Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross, Gerald Price, “but we had many more volunteers available.”

Guyana , the only English-speaking territory on the South American mainland, hosted six Super Eight matches starting March 28. Devaughn Lewis of the First Aid Department said the Red Cross conducted community First Aid courses for instructors in February.

Six volunteers were involved in training with hospital personnel in Georgetown, the capital, to be on the medical team at the stadium. Two other volunteers are on stand-by with the Civil Defence Commission in case of a mass casualty incident.

Grenada hosts six Super Eight matches starting April 10. Samantha Dickson, director of the Health and Safety Department of the Grenada Red Cross, said 35 of their volunteers have been given accreditation by the Local Organising Committee: 25 as first responders and 10 as anti-doping chaperones for players chosen to be tested for drugs.

“All are certified volunteers who have upgraded their first responder skills including CPR and backboard stabilization”. The British Red Cross and French Red Cross helped in their preparations as through a bi-lateral agreement, medical equipment like cardiac monitors and other supplies were acquired.

All the Red Cross Societies involved said being prepared for such events was nothing new and hoped their presence at the Cricket World Cup will see an increase in volunteers, and a safe world cup for spectators.