Every day, thousands of lives are lost and many more people suffer unnecessarily because of lack of knowledge as to how to prevent emergencies or because they are not provided with adequate and timely assistance. The situation could significantly change if more people were made aware of or trained in First Aid.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is the pioneer and the major player in First Aid. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, with the network of National Societies, staff and volunteers, is particularly well-placed to provide and universalise First Aid activities which encompass training and interventions. As members of the communities which they serve and represent, volunteers have a central and essential role in the provision of First Aid.

This policy establishes the basis of Red Cross and Red Crescent First Aid activities and applies to all types of them whether carried out by a single branch of a National Society, by an individual National Society or by the International Federation acting collectively.

This policy continues the commitment of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the individual member National Societies to First Aid, emphasising that appropriate First Aid action can protect and save lives, alleviate suffering, prevent disability and improve quality of life, and noting that :

• First Aid provides an initial rapid response to a health emergency, offering protective and life saving measures to minimise the impact of the situation until the affected person's condition is stabilised, remedied, or professional help is made available. As an integral part of health promotion, First Aid training also includes information on how to prevent injuries and illness, and covers individuals, families and communities both in their daily lives and in the event of a crisis.
  
• First Aid can be adapted to particular needs and attributes of a situation and should consider both the physical and psychological needs of the people concerned, including the volunteers, staff and beneficiaries.
  
• First Aid activities can strengthen the capacity of the National Society, community and individual to respond to and reduce the impact of a health emergency, as well as to contribute to a new dimension of citizenship, through the realisation of a sense of solidarity.
  
• First Aid programmes and activities can be an entry point to and connected with other activities of the National Society such as health, disaster preparedness and response, youth, psycho-social support and institutional development. First Aid is a useful and beneficial way for resource mobilisation and income generation.

The International Federation and each National Society shall :

• Work with communities and individuals, building on the existing local structures, experience and skills, to plan, develop and manage appropriate First Aid activities which best respond to their needs, respect their profiles and environment, and are flexible and responsive to changes.
  
• Develop and/or make use of appropriate and relevant First Aid training, follow-up and refresher programmes and materials to the maximum, which are scientifically, technically and culturally sound, and adapted to different situations, both for daily life and in case of a crisis.
  
• Ensure that there is adequate capacity and resources at all levels within the National Society to plan, implement, manage and sustain First Aid programmes and activities which are institutionalised and an integral part of the National Society.
  
• Ensure that optimum impact on the development of the capacity of the individuals, communities, volunteers and the staff involved as well as the National Society is achieved by building into all First Aid activities a system for ongoing monitoring and evaluation.
  
• Establish the linkage of First Aid activities with other activities of the National Society, thus ensuring maximum beneficiary coverage, participation and commitment of volunteers and the best use of the resources and financial performance.
  
• Form relationships and working partnerships with relevant government institutions and agencies, non-governmental organisations and other civil society institutions , academia, media and private sector, ensuring transparency, accountability and ongoing dialogue with beneficiaries, volunteers and staff involved and all partners.
  
• Build on the comparative advantage of the global presence of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement by ensuring cross-borders learning and replication of successful First Aid activities, thus developing a process towards harmonisation of techniques, training, equipment and materials, and maintaining the position of the Movement as the major privileged definer and provider of First Aid.

National Societies and the International Federation have a responsibility to ensure that all First Aid programmes are in compliance with this policy; that all staff and volunteers contributing to the development of First Aid activities, programmes and materials are aware of and adhere to the rationale and details of this policy and are equipped with the related skills and tools; and that all relevant partners are adequately informed of this policy.

National Societies have the responsibility to identify their role in the overall national programme for First Aid while adhering to other policies and guidelines of the International Federation.

Reference:

This policy was adopted by the 12th Session of the General Assembly of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, October, Geneva 1999.

First Aid is at the cross-section of a number of activities of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. This policy should be considered in conjunction with all other Federation policies, with specific references to policies on health, development, voluntarism, youth, emergency and disaster preparedness and response and fund-raising.