The taxi-hailing app Mytaxi is offering free training to London cabbies to deal with health-related emergencies. The “Knowledge+” training course covers acid attacks, terrorist incidents, including first aid techniques and CPR, plus how to use a defibrillator. Cab drivers are given advice on basic psychology, like body language and de-escalating aggressive behaviour, or handling a crisis.
The course is promoted as a progression of “The Knowledge”, with backing from Chris Philips (formerly head of National Counter-Terrorism Security Office) and first-aid charity St. John Ambulance. London has seen a rise in horrific acid attacks and a threat of a terrorist attack is constant. The new training aims to give taxi drivers both knowledge and confidence to become an emergency-responder, with the medical knowledge to help with sudden health-related issues, such as a heart attack, which may occur not only to passengers, but to pedestrians nearby too.
National partnerships manager for St. John Ambulance, Michelle Kerrigan, said taxi drivers are usually first to be at the scene of an emergency and giving first-aid within the first crucial few minutes can make a difference between life and death. Mytaxi will, in addition to this, equip 50 black cabs, in the coming months, with first-aid kits.
Although taxi drivers can never be a substitute to fully-qualified medics, it is a positive approach for the city to provide free training. Chris Phillips added that whatever incident happens in London, it can be guaranteed that a black cab will be at the scene, or somewhere nearby and to to help keep Londoners safe, will be to professionalise their response can be a great way.
