World First Aid Day is an annual observance held on the second Saturday of September each year. This year, World First Aid Day will be celebrated on September 9.
First aid refers to the first help or the initial care provided to a person who has suffered an injury, pain, or a cut. Its paramount importance lies in its potential to save lives by offering immediate assistance before professional medical help can be accessed.
First aid is a fundamental skill that should be a part of everyone's knowledge. World First Aid Day serves as a reminder that everyone can play a role in providing initial care and support to those in need, and it encourages individuals and communities to be better prepared for emergencies.
History:
In 1859, during the Battle of Solferino, a young entrepreneur named Henry Dunant was deeply moved by the widespread suffering and took it upon himself to assist numerous injured individuals. This profound experience motivated him to write a book titled 'A Memory of Solferino,' in which he recounted his firsthand experiences. Subsequently, he played a pivotal role in co-founding the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), an organization dedicated to providing first-aid care and raising awareness about it.
In the year 2000, the ICRC introduced World First Aid Day as an initiative to emphasize the importance of first aid and to encourage its widespread knowledge and availability. Since then, this day has been commemorated annually.
Significance:
On this day, organisations come together to raise awareness about the significance of providing first-aid care and how it can save lives. The primary goal of World First Aid Day is to educate people about the value of learning first aid skills and to encourage them to take courses or training programs to become proficient in providing immediate assistance in medical emergencies. First aid knowledge and skills can make a significant difference in saving lives and reducing the severity of injuries in various situations, such as accidents, natural disasters, and medical emergencies.
Activities conducted on this day:
Each year, World First Aid Day focuses on a specific theme or aspect of first aid. Various events, workshops, and educational activities are organized by Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, as well as other organizations and institutions, to mark the occasion. These events aim to teach people how to administer basic first aid, promote the importance of first aid kits and equipment, and highlight the role of first responders in emergency situations.
