About us

The dissemination of First Aid (FA) knowledge and skills is one of the main activities of ARCS, which is completely based on voluntary principle and is carried out by the efforts of volunteers of the National Society. Activities in this field started after the devastating earthquake of Spitak in 1988, when numerous volunteers of ARCS were prepared as FA instructors for preparing FA instructors' candidates with the help and support of different Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies. In 1996 "First AID principles, how to act in emergency situations" and "First Aid courses'' guidelines for handbooks instructors handbooks were published with the efforts of ARCS volunteers. First Aid Training Methodological Center was found (FATMC) in February 1997 in order to coordinate works of ARCS volunteers in this sphere. The activities main directing activities are:

• Dissemination of FA knowledge and skills
• Development of methods of FA teaching, development and implementation of national standards
• Training and qualification of FA specialists and instructors
• Development of methods promoting upbringing of growing generation's safety behavior and implementation of programs
• Formation of FA groups (Disaster response primary groups).
• Providing FA services during mass events
• Organizing regional, national convention of FA groups and participation in FA Convention in Europe
• Development and publishing of FA handbooks, books, posters, games and other supporting materials
• Organizing FA TV programs
• Development and preparation of FA kits (collections) of different meanings
• Participating in FA European advisory workshops (FA European education network)

Programmes/ projects 2009

FA trainings and seminars

33 trainings and seminars were organized in January-November 2009 in which 460 people took part. From them 17 trainings were carried out for inhabitants of RA border and distant communities in co-operation with German Red Cross and ICRC. When organizing FA workshops FATMC was collaborating with "World Vision" IBI, "Faideck -Armenia", "Nor Kyanq" and other organizations.

FA volunteering groups regional and national competitions.

For the purpose of evaluating and strengthening volunteer skills, forming FA groups and recruiting new volunteers, regional and national competitions of FA volunteering groups are organized which is a specific report on FATMC annual activity.

Volunteers from all RA regions, observers from Sister National Societies and FA groups participate in these competitions. Here also the First Aid specialist are chosen who are involved in the FA National team to participate in the First Aid Convention in Europe

In 2009 the10th Open National Convention of FA volunteering groups took place. 9 FA groups from different RA regions and Yerevan participated in competition as well as one group from Germany and one from Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

The first place was taken by the FA group from Ijevan city of Tavush region, group from Kotayk, won the second place, and the third was shared among FA groups from Yerevan and Baden Wuerttemberg team from German Red Cross.

Participation in FA Convention in Europe

It is already seven years since the teams of our National Societies have appeared among the strongest participants winning the 6th place in 2003, the first place in 2004, the 9th in 2005, the 3rd place in 2006, the 5th place in 2007 and the 3rd place in 2008. This year our National team won the 9th place in the Convention health in Germany. Our national team also participated in German Red Cross Baden Wuerttemberg Convention and showed the best results.

''Road safety: FA can make a difference''

Starting from 01 September 2008, ''Road safety: FA can make a difference'' project is being implemented by the ARCS FATMAC and Civil Development and Partnership Foundation.
The aim of the project was to achieve inclusion of materials on the topics of "Providing life safety to the people dealing with traffic, providing first aid in case of necessity" as well as inclusion of questions and the mentioned topics in driving license exams.
During project implementation it became possible to achieve the draft decree on introducing amendments and additions to the "18 September 2008 RA Government decision N 1158-N". Now we have provided the RA Road police with questionnaires on the topics ''Providing life safety to the people dealing with traffic, providing first aid in case of necessity'' and with a FA training curse programme which are currently undergoing discussion.

In October training on preparing of First Aid instructors was held for 6 experts of Tajik Red Crescent.