Ready to Respond Fast: East SOS Teams in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro Completed First Aid Training
Acting quickly and in a coordinated manner is critical, especially when it comes to saving lives. East SOS specialists are doing their work evacuating people, visiting them to inform them about the evacuation, and supporting those affected at transit centers, all of this just a few dozen kilometers from the front line. In such conditions, assessing risk is only half of the equation, one must be ready to act.
That is why, between March 16 and 19, our Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia teams completed an advanced training course on providing first aid in emergency situations and during wartime, known as the “CAB” course.
East SOS specialists take part in such training every six months to keep their skills up to date and to reach automaticity.
On the first day of training, participants practiced a primary assessment of an injured person, the MARCH algorithm, and bleeding control – from applying tourniquets to wound packing. They also trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), using an automated external defibrillator (AED), and providing assistance in cases of loss of consciousness, pneumothorax, and hypothermia.
“We live in cities that are constantly under enemy shelling. We also go out on emergency response missions to help those affected. That is why first aid skills are a necessity. After the training, I feel more confident: when the moment comes, I will know what to do,” says Alina Steblianko, a lawyer at East SOS.
The second day focused on more complex scenarios and teamwork. Participants practiced providing assistance in cases of injuries, burns, fractures, seizures, poisoning, and allergic reactions, as well as strategies for mass casualty incidents and basic evacuation techniques. Special attention was also paid to the safety of humanitarian workers responding to emergencies and to coordination with emergency services.
“Thanks to the combination of theory and practice, you do not just listen to the material, you live through it. For me, this was an opportunity to refresh my knowledge and understand that I really will be able to use it in an unpredictable situation,” shared Yuliia Pliushch, educator.
Learning first aid skills is about becoming part of a socially responsible society. These skills may be needed at any moment and can help save the life of a loved one or even a stranger.
The training sessions were held under the project Integrated Comprehensive Support and Protection for Vulnerable Evacuees, implemented by East SOS with funding from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund (UHF).
Read more about how East SOS evacuates people and provides logistical support to residents of frontline hromadas.
