A Paramedic for Every Family

The benefit of the question:

Every year, a large number of citizens fall victim to road accidents, resulting in a significant number of deaths.

These accidents recur frequently, affecting people daily, to the point that they have become a widespread scourge within society.

Civil Protection places great importance on the first aid system in particular, and healthcare in general, in managing current risks. This will help people better protect themselves and be less vulnerable to the significant dangers arising from the rapid changes in our cities and communities, which pose a real challenge to Civil Protection.

It is widely recognized today, and no one disputes it, that Civil Protection must provide rescue and first aid procedures at the scene of an accident before the arrival of specialized rescue teams. Many deaths can be avoided if citizens, who are often the first witnesses at accident scenes, are trained to act while awaiting the arrival of emergency services.

In disaster situations, all studies confirm that the diagnosis is closely linked to the timeliness of reporting and the effectiveness of the actions taken before the arrival of specialized intervention teams.

In fact, initial procedures in most emergency situations rely on a few simple means, achievable without additional equipment such as a mobile phone, your hands, and other readily available items. However, they still require learning how to administer first aid and behavioral changes specifically tailored to the needs of any disaster.

This has presented a challenge for the General Directorate of Civil Protection (Cartagena Protocol) to operate within a multi-sectoral framework. The strategy involves teaching first aid and rescue courses, essential for preserving human life, and engaging all segments of society, including government institutions, citizens, associations, and others. The aim of these training courses is to acquire the fundamental concepts of providing first aid to people in critical situations, through concise instruction, mastery of first aid techniques, and practice. This is achieved by intensifying rescue exercises and ensuring everyone understands them.

Definition of First Aid:

First aid is the basic, fundamental principle of resuscitating a person. It is a set of simple, practical steps that can prevent immediate death, transport the injured to the hospital, and minimize both immediate and delayed consequences of injuries.

Definition of a First Aider:

A first aider is the first trained and qualified person to attend to victims, and must be present or in close proximity to the victim who has suffered an accident or a sudden worsening of their illness.

– Their presence and intervention bring a sense of solidarity and reassurance to the public.

– They must also possess compassion, competence, and a sense of responsibility.

– Learning from them is about being proactive and responding positively and effectively in emergency situations.

– They must have a strong first aid and preventative mindset.

The slogan is “First aid is about techniques, skills, and a state of mind and spirit.”

Initial Process:

The General Directorate of Civil Protection launched a large-scale public first aid training program under the slogan “One First Aider per Family” in November 2010.

Training Start:

The General Directorate of Civil Protection decided to divide the training into four sessions over three months, focusing on:

• Month 1: Awareness-raising through posters, local radio, television, etc., highlighting the purpose and benefits of providing first aid by instilling a culture of helping others in daily life and encouraging citizens to learn rescue and first aid procedures in emergencies.

• Month 2: Collection of applications and registration forms for this training. A small application file is required and submitted to the Civil Protection Directorate in the applicant’s area of ​​residence.

• Month 3: The actual training, lasting 21 days, with two (2) hours of training per day (weekends are not included).

The training includes theoretical material as outlined in the General Directorate of Civil Protection’s program, in accordance with the Cartagena Protocol.

The practical component is integrated through demonstrations using mannequins, where students practice first aid methods and techniques.

At the end of the 21-day training, after reviewing all the material learned, an exam will be held in two parts: a theoretical section worth 10/10 and a practical section also worth 10/10. Students who achieve a score of 10 out of 20 will be qualified to administer first aid to victims of accidents.

Upon completion of the training, successful candidates will be awarded a “Volunteer Paramedic” certificate.

Following this, written reports are prepared for all accepted candidates who successfully passed the final examinations across the 48 provinces. These reports are then sent to the General Directorate of Civil Protection, which in turn integrates them into a national database created for this purpose. This database contains all the information of qualified volunteer paramedics trained in first aid techniques, who can be called upon later when necessary.

At the end of the training, the rescuer has several duties and responsibilities that ensure their ability to:

• Protect themselves first, and then protect the area of ​​the accident, including the victim and bystanders.

• Assess the victim.

• Inform and request appropriate assistance.

• Provide necessary first aid quickly and appropriately at the scene of the accident, or in case of a sudden deterioration in the patient’s condition.

• Monitor the victim while awaiting the arrival of specialized medical personnel.

• Transfer or transport the victim if necessary and in extreme emergencies, and assist rescue teams upon their arrival at the scene.

• An oral report on the incident and the actions taken.

After the results recorded in the first cycle, which allowed us to register 64,168 paramedics, the Director General of Civil Protection recommended moving to a higher level by training a volunteer paramedic next door for those who were previously trained in the first cycle, and this is by forming a group of paramedics consisting of 10 to 12 paramedics for each group.

The benefit of training volunteer neighborhood paramedics in the first aid chain.

The main objective of this project is to engage civil society in the disaster management process and enhance its response capacity by preparing it to respond to emergencies and disasters.

Selection criteria 

The criteria that should be followed and that should be used to select these volunteer paramedics are:

• Full commitment from the paramedic.

• To have the ability.

• To have skills 

The paramedic must have these standards in order to be able to perform his duties to the best of his ability, to improve the capabilities of civil society in confronting disasters and other emergencies. 

1- Recruiting and Selecting Volunteers:

Organizing meetings and expanding discussions to raise awareness and attract potential volunteers, thus facilitating their selection.

2- Training Volunteer First Aid Providers:

In addition to the program outlined above by the General Directorate of Civil Protection in the first training session, new lessons have been incorporated into the program. These lessons aim to raise awareness among local volunteer first aiders and equip them with knowledge about civil protection tasks in the event of disasters they encounter.

3- Training Procedure:

The training lasts two weeks, with two hours of instruction per day on weekdays.

4- Organization, Support, and Follow-up:

First aid teams will be organized into groups, each consisting of a technical team of 12 members, led by a designated team leader. To maintain its capacity to respond to disasters and remain motivated over time, it is essential to reinforce existing skills and promote continuous improvement. Joint exercises between volunteer community paramedics and civil protection teams will be organized and conducted.

5- Uniforms for Volunteer Community Paramedics:

Selected volunteer community paramedics will wear a vest(Gillet ) and cap bearing the inscription “Volunteer Community Paramedic.” This uniform will:

• Recognize and identify their volunteer role.

• Foster a sense of belonging and build trust with victims and relevant stakeholders.

• Become part of the brand image of the directorate or organization to which the volunteer community paramedic belongs.

6- Establishment of a National Volunteer Paramedic File:

At the state level, this file will contain all relevant information about the volunteer community paramedic, enabling them to be contacted during disasters.

Note:

The training of volunteer paramedics is ongoing at the Civil Protection Directorates throughout the country.

7- Summary of the topic:

The fundamental principles guiding the training and development of paramedics are:

• Respect for individual and collective health and safety regulations.

• Do no harm, implement first aid techniques, and use first aid equipment correctly.

• Adapt, integrate, and assist other ambulance teams.

• Consider the psychological needs of citizens.