site.btaBulgaria Marks World First Aid Day with Demonstrations, Human Chain as Symbol of Solidarity

The Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC) marked World First Aid Day across Bulgaria on Saturday. The event is celebrated on the second Saturday of September each year, as designated by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRS), to raise awareness about the crucial role of first aid in saving lives. This year’s theme was First Aid in Migration Contexts. 

During the BRC event in Sofia's South Park, designated stations were set up where volunteers from the Bulgarian Youth Red Cross - Sofia, the Youth Emergency Response Team - Sofia, the Volunteer Response Team for Disasters, Accidents, and Crises - Sofia, the University Emergency Rescue Squad, and other partners of the Bulgarian Red Cross presented their activities. Visitors participated in hands-on first aid activities and observed demonstrations of how to respond to various incidents, injuries, and traumas. The use of an automated external defibrillator was also demonstrated.

At one station, there was an unconscious person who was breathing; at another, an unconscious person who was not breathing normally; and at yet another, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was being performed. Dr. Nadezhda Todorovska, Deputy Director General of the BRC, explained for BTA that this is a sequence which demonstrates, depending on the severity of the victim’s condition, what kind of first aid should be provided.

Participants in the event formed the traditional first-aid human chain, which symbolizes solidarity, compassion, and gratitude toward volunteers and all those who are trained to provide first aid and have assisted in emergency situations and humanitarian efforts. “First aid is not provided by just one person or volunteer; it is a chain of actions by people who step in to save human lives,” Todorovska emphasized. 

Asked about the context of the theme chosen for the celebration - migration, Todorovska replied that we are living in a dynamic period with many conflict zones - Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan - from which many people are seeking refuge in other countries, including Bulgaria. It is also important for these people to know how to administer first aid, which is why the Bulgarian Red Cross has printed relevant leaflets in their languages so they can learn how to respond to cuts, scrapes, the need to restore breathing, and the use of an automated external defibrillator, she added.

For the children, an art workshop and themed role-playing games were organized, through which they could learn about first aid and the importance of being ready to help someone in need in an accessible and engaging way.

Teams from the Emergency Assistance and Prevention Directorate and the Fire Safety Directorate were also present at the event. "They have the important task of emphasizing how crucial it is to follow the rules to prevent fires," Todorovska explained. Most incidents are caused by human negligence, and they are here to explain the rules, she added.

According to current IFRC data, more than 20 million people receive first aid training each year, and first aid services reach more than 46 million people. In addition, each year the International Federation and national societies reach more than 50 million people through informational and educational initiatives promoting the importance of first aid.