SAM.I. to launch first aid campaign in 2014

Heroes without superpowers – this is going to be the motto of SAM.I.’s 2014 campaign to raise awareness for the value of first aid skills and voluntary commitment.

Recently, several SAM.I. member organisations have run first aid and volunteering campaigns of their own. For instance, ASBÖ’s campaign Hilfe braucht Helfer (“help needs helpers”) could be seen throughout Vienna in November 2013. As Dr. Siegfried Sellitsch, president of the Samaritans Vienna put it: “We need helpers, because without them there would be no help, be it in care, paramedical or social services”.

To take potential first-aiders anxiety when providing life-saving measures was the aim of an action by Weißes Kreuz, called Mit wenigen Handgriffen Leben retten (“A few simple actions to save lifes”). More than 4,000 South Tyroleans visited their more than 100 information stands in October 2013. There they could learn about life-saving first-aid-measures and practically train them under the supervision of WK helpers.

This year, SAM.I. is going to build upon this work by its members by raising awareness for the importance of first aid training Europe-wide. This year’s contest will be part of the campaign. The SAM.I. members will also appeal to integrate resuscitation and other first aid measures into primary and secondary education.

Further information on the campaign will be available shortly on these pages.