The first training sessions for first responders from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, conducted under the Ukrainian Red Cross 48-hour First Aid Programme, have recently taken place

In many emergencies, such as road traffic accidents, fires, and missile strike responses, emergency workers are often the first on the scene. Their ability to provide first aid, including stopping bleeding, performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and stabilising a victim’s condition until medical professionals arrive, can be lifesaving. Additionally, first responders face risks themselves while carrying out their duties, so having a solid understanding of first aid enables them not only to assist others effectively but also to support their colleagues when necessary.

As part of the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ukrainian Red Cross and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Ukrainian Red Cross instructors have conducted 48-hour training sessions in Romny and Konotop in the Sumy region, as well as in Kharkiv and Zhytomyr over the past three weeks. Training is currently being completed for another group of emergency workers in Zhytomyr, Odesa, and Rivne. Next week, sessions will begin for emergency workers in the Donetsk region, Mykolaiv, and Ternopil.

The programme includes extensive practical training and a thorough review of how to provide first aid in different situations — from minor injuries, burns, and trauma to childbirth care, mine-blast injuries, injuries caused by prolonged compression (crush syndrome), and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

This training is crucial to ensure that first responders carry out their work effectively and safely in any emergency situation. This year, the Ukrainian Red Cross aims to train 3,000 emergency workers through this expanded first aid programme.