PHILIPSBURG:--- Recently the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, Mr. Rafael Boasman, signed a ‘Letter of Recognition’, thereby recognizing WIEMS as a training institute for 'pre-hospital medical care'.
WIEMS is based in Sint Maarten, and is a foundation with legal personality. The foundation was established by notarial deed dated November 25th, 1992 and is registered in the register of the Chamber of Commerce.
The overall objective of WIEMS is, according to the articles of association, ‘to organize, upgrade and maintain a high level of emergency medical training on all levels, and for any persons interested '.
WIEMS is operating with a full fledge board, including a Medical Director, and is registered in the register of the Chamber of Commerce.
It has a strong partnership with different international partners, e.g. the American Heart Association.
The American Heart Association provides a wide range of certified training in emergency services.
WIEMS is also affiliated with the Curacao Heart Foundation, which is an International Training Centre ITC of the American Heart Association. The website of WIEMS, an official training site of the AHA, is falling under the ITC Curacao Heart Foundation ITC-ID 20540.
WIEMS also cooperates with the St. Croix Rescue Academy for quite some time. This cooperation is laid down in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Where it comes down to, is that STX Rescue provides the required training and certification for WIEMS, as well as the necessary and desired information and on-site consultation for the WIEMS trainers and students.
On a national level, WIEMS and the Ambulance Service will shortly close a so-called "Emergency Care Internship Agreement”. This for the purpose of equipping the interns of WIEMS with the technical knowledge, work experience, professional skills and attitudes necessary for pre-hospital emergency care.
Currently WIEMS offers several training and courses, namely: CPR/AED, First Aid/CPR/AED, Pediatric FA/CPR/AED and CPR/AED for Health Care Providers.
When requested, WIEMS is also able to provide training in the field of Advanced Cardiac and Pediatric life support. It should be noted, that the curricula are certified, and for all courses and training work books are available, whether or not provided with practice tests.
During the ceremony of the signing of the letter of recognition Minister Boasman complimented the board and its volunteers for their commitment. He expressed his hope for a good cooperation between the Ministry of Public Health and WIEMS in order to promote quality pre-hospital medical care for the people of Sint Maarten.