Analysis of knowledge improvement among Padang City disaster volunteers through pediatric basic life support education

Padang City is one of the areas with a high risk of earthquakes and tsunamis due to the Mentawai megathrust activity. Children are a vulnerable group requiring special attention during disasters, particularly regarding basic life support (BLS). This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of pediatric BLS education programs for disaster volunteers in Padang City as preparedness efforts for megathrust events. The research method used a pretest and posttest design on 24 disaster volunteers representing each sub-district in Padang City. The education was conducted for 1 day using a blended learning method that included theoretical material presentation on pediatric BLS and practical application using mannequins. Evaluation was conducted through pretest and posttest using structured questionnaires with 15 questions related to pediatric BLS knowledge. Results showed a significant improvement in pediatric BLS knowledge from an average pretest score of 9.00±3.06 to 12.96±1.63 on posttests (p<0.001). The average improvement of 3.54 points (39.3%) demonstrates the effectiveness of the education program in enhancing disaster volunteers' capacity to provide basic life support for children when facing megathrust disasters.