Samaritan partners conduct flash mobs for first aid awareness

Last Wednesday, Samaritan organisations in 10 countries conducted a series of flash mobs to raise awareness for first aid training among young people. The flash mobs are part of our Year of Youth Engaged in First Aid and therefore followed the motto “Heroes without Superpowers”.

Samaritans from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine had previously agreed to take part in the flash mob activities.

Each European Samaritan organisation had developed their own individual concept, which resulted in a very diverse series of events: Activities included large scale spontaneous resucitation of first aid mannequins or stuffed animals, dance performances or singing. Some gave out capes to participating children, underlining the motto “Heroes without superpowers”. Yet, all organisations were united in a common cause: To spread awareness about the value and the importance of first aid training among young people. All Samaritan organisations share the conviction that everybody is able to learn first aid, including children.

To demonstrate that first aid skills are an issue that transcends borders, some organisations directly networked their events by participating in a live video chat, so the participants of the flash mobs could see the simultaneous activities of their European colleagues. Seven events took place in the exact same timeframe, while the other partners distributed their events throughout the day. Two partners had already kicked off the series of events earlier this month, with the first flash mob taking place in Vienna, shortly after World First Aid Day. This was also done to accomodate the direct

inclusion of the target group: school children, for which cooperations between Samaritan organisations and their local schools were formed. Up to 25 schools per city were joining the Samaritans’ events.

The European Samaritans were particularly happy that Ukranian SAM.I. member SSU also agreed to conduct a flash mob in the context of the “Heroes”-campaign, despite the current circumstances in their country, and expressed their solidarity for their difficult situation.

The flash mobs were also used as an opportunity to permanently strengthen the Samaritan organisations’ relationships with their local schools. Schools were offered participation in the educational social game QuestCity, which aims to foster civic commitment among children, for example through first aid skills. In some cases, the Samaritans and the schools will continue their cooperation in the form of first aid training for pupils or through support in creating and maintaining a school paramedical service.

“Everyone profits from first aid training.”, commented Christian Reuter, Secretary General of SAM.I.. “Pupils who have been trained in first aid can more easily assess dangers and take appropriate measures in emergency situations. They contribute to the safety of their schools”, he continued.

As SAM.I. balloons filled the sky in cities across Europe and Samaritan volunteers were available for questions from the interested spectators, that message was spread loud and clear to the public at the Samaritan partners’ successful events.

More pictures from the European first aid flash mobs can be found on our facebook page.