Panchkula: The Chandigarh Citizens Foundation (CCF), in collaboration with the department of anaesthesia and intensive care, PGIMER, Chandigarh, organised a basic life support (BLS) awareness programme under Project BLS at Gymkhana Club, Sector 6, Panchkula.The initiative seeks to equip ordinary citizens with the knowledge and confidence to respond effectively to an emergency before professional medical help arrives.Vivek Sood, President, RWA, and Keshni Anand Arora delivered the opening remarks. Former PGI director Dr K K Talwar provided an overview of Project BLS, while Gen V P Malik (Retd.), President, CCF, highlighted CCF’s growing civic engagement through its 11 subject-specific focus groups. He elaborated on areas of public welfare and community development in Chandigarh and the Tricity.The BLS training was led by Prof Kajal Jain, Prof Preethy Mathew and Prof Jeetinder K. Makkar, with sessions covering recognition of cardiac arrest, chest compressions, AED use and first aid in major trauma.The highlight was a hands-on practical session, conducted by the PGIMER team in association with Red Cross Haryana, where participants practised high-quality chest compressions and emergency response techniques.Project BLS reinforces CCF’s commitment to building safer, more resilient and empowered communities. The programme carried a simple but vital message:“The first 10 minutes can save a life—and every trained citizen can be a life-saver.”
