Dr Tom Kirschen (RGS 2001-2009) has been instrumental in getting UK medical charities to provide a series of training videos to help Ukrainian citizens treat war injuries and potentially save lives.

London’s Air Ambulance Charity, StreetDoctors and citizenAID have provided advice and support to create the videos in partnership, alongside a group of senior doctors and emergency trauma
specialists. The videos are available in Ukrainian, Russian and English.

The videos show doctors and paramedics demonstrating techniques to instantly treat injuries of the kind that will be found on the streets of Ukraine. The series of videos demonstrate simple life-saving First Aid skills that will allow civilians in Ukraine to potentially save the life of their fellow citizens.

Using simple techniques and readily available materials, the videos show what to do if someone is bleeding from a gunshot or sharp object such as shrapnel, what to do if someone has lost a limb, has sustained a burn, eye injury, etc. There are also videos on how to stop serious bleeding by creating a tourniquet and how to put someone in the recovery position if they are unconscious.

It is hoped that by knowing what to do, citizens will be empowered to provide key pre-hospital care and reduce the number of casualties.

Doctors Simon Jackson, Nick Rhead and Tom Kirschen, who came up with the idea and organised its development, said: “The charities and doctors involved in this partnership are changing the way First Aid training is delivered in conflicts. As we’re seeing in Ukraine, civilians are on the front line, and this format means people without prior training will be able to equip themselves with simple life-saving skills. By harnessing the immediacy and shareability of social media, we hope this information will reach the greatest number of people and save lives. These videos can be stored, shared and used as a resource at the point of care, which understandably is something traditional First Aid teaching cannot achieve.”

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All videos can be downloaded at civilianfirstaid.org.

Also available via Facebook: Civilian First Aid, Instagram: @civilian.firstaid, Twitter: @civ_firstaid and YouTube: Civilian First Aid