• Khammouane Province, Laos, 2015 Applying First Aid. Participants respond to first aid rescue scenarios during a Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction simulation. The exercises and drills focus on disaster preparedness and response at village level, ensuring communities are equipped with skills to activate emergency plans and save lives. Through the simulation project Lao Red Cross and partner French Red Cross, with support from the European Union, are improving safety for vulnerable communities.

The regional perspective

First aid is central to our identity around the world. For many people, when they think of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, they think of our volunteers on the front line of humanitarian crises, treating the wounded and sick, or of the training that we provide in schools, community centres, and places of work.

The members of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) are some of the leading providers of first aid in the world. For more than 150 years, first aid has been one of the principal services provided by Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers to injured people.

Why is this so important? Because when a disaster strikes, no first responder can respond as quickly as a neighbour or family member. And when that person knows first aid, crisis can be averted, and lives can be saved. For more than 100 years, the Red Cross and Red Crescent has been a world leader in establishing training standards and in developing procedures and guidelines. Drawing on our extensive experience we have helped shape the world’s understanding of, and approach to, first aid. First aid remains a key means of reducing deaths and injuries, and of building safer and more resilient communities.

Key Definitions

First aid

First aid is the immediate assistance provided to a sick or injured person until professional help arrives. It is concerned not only with physical injury or illness but also with other initial care, including psychosocial support for people suffering from emotional distress caused by experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. First aid interventions seek to “preserve life, alleviate suffering, prevent further illness or injury and promote recovery”.

Source: International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), 2015

First aid the community
(community-based first aid)

This aims to build the resilience of communities by working with them in an inclusive and flexible approach in first aid. It includes identifying local capacity and vulnerability to common injuries, community health priorities (such as prevention, health promotion and control of common diseases), disaster preparedness and response capacity. It also helps the recruitment and retention of effective volunteers who are close to that particular community.

Source:  First aid in the community, a framework for National Society programming, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 2006

Events

Learning platform

  • Community-Based Health and First Aid (CBHFA)

  • Lifesaver: Interactive CPR

    2 hours – British Red Cross

Contact

e-mail: Regional Health Officer, Dr. Pornsak Khortwong (PK), at pornsak.khortwong@ifrc.org 

Related videos

Guiding Documents

international-first-aid-and-resuscitation-guidelines-2016

International First Aid and Resuscitation Guidelines 2016

The International First Aid and Resuscitation Guidelines (referred to as the guidelines) aims to foster harmonization of first aid practices among the Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies and provide a true evidence-base to these practices. It is part of quality assurance to ensure that the general public and volunteers receive first aid training in accordance with IFRC standards and to establish, in due course, the IFRC International First Aid Certification.

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International first aid and resuscitation guidelines 2011: For National Society first aid programme managers, scientific advisory groups, first aid instructors and first responders - First Aid (FA)

International first aid and resuscitation guidelines 2011: For National Society first aid programme managers, scientific advisory groups, first aid instructors and first responders – First Aid (FA)

Purpose This document evaluates and reports on the science behind first aid and resuscitation. It is the first international first aid guideline (referred to as the guideline) produced by the IFRC and is intended to foster harmonization of first aid…

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A case study of the implementation of first aid trainings in Thailand.

Case study: Training youth volunteers in cardiopulmonary resuscitation & choking first aid

A case study of the implementation of first aid trainings in Thailand.

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The policy sets out relevant definitions of first aid, first aider, first aid services, etc. It also describes the scope, policy and responsibilities of International Federation (IFRC) and National Societies.

First Aid Policy, adopted 2007

The policy sets out relevant definitions of first aid, first aider, first aid services, etc. It also describes the scope, policy and responsibilities of International Federation (IFRC) and National Societies.

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First aid for a safer future: Updated global edition (Advocacy report 2010) - First Aid (FA)

First aid for a safer future: Updated global edition (Advocacy report 2010) – First Aid (FA)

Purpose This updated edition of our advocacy report is released on the occasion of World First Aid Day 2010. It follows the first edition which focused mainly on first aid in Europe. This year, we broaden our approach beyond the…

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