Abby Lipscomb 

atl5355@psu.edu

First aid is an essential skill that everybody should learn at some point in their lives. Knowing any way to address an injury can help to curve so many potential risks such as infection or having the injury worsen. Sadly, this information has become more important than ever with today’s current events going on in Ukraine and the multitude of dangers they face everyday. 

To help with this, a hospital in Boston has uploaded multiple video tutorials on how to stop bleeding onto the popular site Youtube, as the internet is the only feasible way of reporting this knowledge to the masses. Data has shown that many of the injuries faced by the everyday Ukrainian person are preventable with these three simple steps. 

The first step involves bystanders calling emergency services to make sure that the injured person can later be treated by some type of medical professional. The second step involves searching for any part of the body that is significantly bleeding. The third step is treating any heavy bleeding by applying pressure to the wound using anything that is readily available, such as a cloth or better yet, a tourniquet, until help arrives. Cutting the circulation of blood to a wound is beneficial as it acts as a plug to keep more blood from escaping which can benefit the healing process. 

With Russia’s continuous assault upon the country, civilian casualties have significantly risen in number to over 600 deaths and over 1,000 injured. So many videos of Russian military units damaging and destroying buildings where people have taken refuge have circulated around the internet as people continue to spread the word of the gruesome struggles Ukranians face everyday. 

These informative videos are a fantastic tool, not only for those suffering in Ukraine, but also for people all around the globe. First aid is not commonly taught in schools and instead requires special classes to become certified in. They provide learners with the most up to date knowledge of how to treat lesser, more common wounds and sometimes more severe injuries where bleeding has gotten out of control. 

Accidents happen all the time and a lot of people suffer long term injuries due to people now knowing basic first aid and having to wait for help until paramedics or other certified personnel show up to the scene. While it does not seem like much, this early intervention can completely alter the course of someone’s healing process for the better as they would not need a blood transfusion or transfusion alternative such as medication. 

It is horrible how needed this information is becoming as the war in Ukraine progresses. Though, it is amazing how the world has come together to try and help those in need. Hopefully, this information can help to save the lives of the innocent civilians who are suffering due to the greed of another country’s government.