when an accident occurs, the first person who is close to it contributes to save a life if he has special skills, so the Iraqi Red Crescent Society [IRCS] through the First Responder program, is keen to strive as much as possible to save the lives of those affected by accidents or natural disasters.
According to the director of the health department in the IRCS, Dr. Ali Al-Mousawi, “The first responder program includes providing each governorate with two ambulances, operating in alternating shifts and around the clock in the health centers of the Ministry of Health.”
Dr. Ali has added that the ambulances contain a driver and two specialized paramedics, adding to equip the cars with cardiopulmonary resuscitation devices, sterilization, and dressing materials to stop bleeding, medical gloves, a surgical mask, and other medical and therapeutic materials that meet the needs of the urgent cases”.
A first responder is a person who has received specialized training and skills related to first aid, and he is among the first to arrive to assist in emergency settings, such as accidents or natural disasters.
The role of the first responder is to provide medical and therapeutic care and respond quickly to critical cases in order to preserve the lives of community members and improve the medical and therapeutic service provided to them.
The director of the Health department Dr. Ali has noted the size of the risks faced by first responders, being the first to help and care for patients infected with Coronavirus when transferring critical cases to hospitals, which may expose them to infection with the disease, so they must always take precautions and adhere to the instructions and regulations regarding the first responder, such as the full use of the personal protection equipment, hand hygiene, physical distancing, and the strict disinfection protocols to preserve their safety as they strive to preserve the lives of community members.
The IRCS has implemented the first responder program (evacuation by ambulances) in four governorates (Baghdad, Mosul, Basra, and Anbar), the total number of cases transferred to hospitals and health centers during the past April have reached more than (210) cases, 65 cases in Baghdad, (47) cases in Basra, (55) cases in Anbar, and (45) cases in Mosul.