World First Aid Day on Saturday

World First Aid Day is about celebrating the ordinary people and volunteers who provide first aid that can make the difference in everyday crises.

Spearheaded by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), one of the world's leading first aid providers, the key message of the World's First Aid Day is that all people are more or less vulnerable but they have the capacity to learn and to provide first aid to save a life.

The theme for 2011 is "First Aid for all" to raise public awareness on first aid and injury prevention.

First aid reduces deaths, injuries and impact not only in disasters, but also in daily emergencies. It provides an immediate response to an emergency, taking life saving measures until professional help arrives. It also meets the physical and psychosocial needs of the affected persons and their families.

First aid used to be recognized as the domain of medical or para-medical personnel. Today, all experts recognize that even the lay man must be trained in first aid, because it is effective in saving lives, improving the chances of survival and minimizing the consequences of a road crash or heart attack.

On this day, activities such as mock fire drills, near misses reporting, first aid seminars and articles educating the public on health and safety awareness, are conducted.

The International Federation introduced World First Aid Day in 2000, and each year, more than 100 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies around the world organize events and ceremonies on the second Saturday of September to raise public awareness of how first aid can save lives in everyday and crisis situations.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011