The Cayman Islands Health Services Authority (HSA) in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) conducted a five-day Emergency Care and Treatment (ECAT) Training in Little Cayman. This course was offered free of charge to all participants and taught the necessary skills to begin assessing and caring for a patient at the scene of an accident or catastrophe during the first few minutes following an emergency.Seventeen individuals participated in the week-long 40 hour course consisting of skills-based training designed to improve the participants ability to provide intermediate level of emergency medical treatment in a non-hospital environment.Dr. Srirangan Velusamy, Director of Sister Islands Health Services, said he was pleased to have offered this course to members of the community.ECAT training is well suited for Little Cayman where there is no pre-hospital care facility. All trained individuals will now be able to recognize and respond to certain medical emergencies that may occur at their work place prior to when a nurse arrives, Dr Velusamy said.Health Services Authoritys Chief Executive Officer, Ms Lizzette Yearwood said that just after this training, a course participant was faced with a near drowning situation where he successfully provided initial emergency care which went a long way in saving the patients life.Our goal is to continue the training on a regular basis in Little Cayman because the assistance of these persons in emergency situations such as this is critical, Ms Yearwood said.This course was possible with the support of participating government departments, Little Cayman Beach Resort and the PAHOs Instructor Delwin Ferguson. Photo caption: Participants of the ECAT Course attended a ceremony at the Little Cayman Beach Resort along with Jonathan Tibbetts, Cayman Islands Health Services Authority Chairman and Ernie Scott, District Commissioner (first row, centre).