48 Hours That Save Lives: How the Ukrainian Red Cross Trains First Responders in First Aid
First responders are the people who arrive first at the scene during emergencies. To ensure their actions are confident, precise, and effective, instructors and trainers from the Ukrainian Red Cross deliver a comprehensive 48-hour first aid training programme tailored specifically for emergency services personnel.
The training combines both theoretical knowledge and hands-on practice. Participants learn how to respond to life-threatening conditions, including performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), controlling severe bleeding, and providing care for trauma, burns, electric shock, drowning, and childbirth. The course also covers casualty triage, first aid for crush syndrome, and the principles of psychological first aid for people affected by emergencies. All skills are reinforced through realistic simulation exercises, giving each responder the opportunity to practise what they’ve learned in lifelike emergency scenarios.
This training strengthens the ability of first responders to act swiftly and effectively in critical situations — helping to build safer and more resilient communities. Every hour of training provides new knowledge and practical skills that can save lives.
The 48-hour first aid training programme is part of a wider cooperation between the Ukrainian Red Cross and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, as set out in the Memorandum of Cooperation. So far, around 2,300 emergency responders have been trained. The programme has already been completed in the Ternopil and Chernihiv regions, and is currently ongoing in Kherson, Sumy, Kharkiv and several other regions. This week, new training sessions have begun in Kyiv and Romny (Sumy region).
We stand by those in need.