First aid became a hot topic more than ever in 2018 . And that makes sense: taking first aid training can mean the difference between life and death. That's also why the Red Cross has been providing first aid training for decades. If you take advanced training after your First Aid certification, you can go for the Helper certification. There is also the CPR and Defibrillation certification, which also teaches you how to use an AED device.

In 2018, 15,063 people obtained a first aid license, either by attending training at their local chapter or together with their colleagues. Many students are also trained through the schools. So you can feel a little more confident again: last year, a lot of potential life-savers were added! ;-)

Now you!?

On September 8, 2018, not coincidentally World First Aid Day, Youth Red Cross volunteers taught children how to correctly call emergency services. Red Cross Youth is the youth movement within Belgian Red Cross-Flanders for young people between the ages of 6 and 16 who can attend activities for free and without obligation. The emphasis is on learning first aid, interspersed with fun games.

Red Cross Youth together with our first aid experts, developed a teaching package to teach children between the ages of 6 and 10 how to call 112. Using games, songs and educational methods, they learn a lot about the emergency services. Especially the importance of clear, essential information is emphasized. Our volunteers from Red Cross Youth handed out 11,199 lesson cards on World Emergency Day.

Are you a teacher? Then you can download the pack for free. Parents can also use it online!

... may help reassure your little rascal, it is not the most effective way to treat a wound :-) With "A kiss on the wound?", our First Aid department has published a handy booklet for anyone who cares for young children from time to time. You don't have to be a great expert to be able to offer first aid in simple or more serious situations, but with this book you will certainly act correctly. You will find some basic operations and learn how to deal with common injuries or specific pathologies.

In addition, in 2018 we also published a mini-guide first aid. In the mini-guide you will find first aid tips for the most common accidents and illnesses in a leisure context. But you can also always find our first aid tips on our website. A blister? A faint? Or suffered a sunburn? Via this link, help is always close at hand!

International humanitarian law (IHL) is the body of rules that seeks to limit the humanitarian consequences of armed conflict. This law protects the life, health and dignity of persons who do not or no longer participate in an armed conflict. It also limits or prohibits the use of certain weapons and methods in armed conflict.

The Red Cross has a key position in the dissemination and development of the rules of international humanitarian law. We do this by disseminating up-to-date information through our website and by organizing various training courses, such as the International Humanitarian Law Lesson Series, for target groups for whom it is essential to know and respect the rules. Moreover, we engage in dialogue with the government on various topics in order to support the further development and application of international humanitarian law.

In 2018, 685 people attended training, including 673 professionals (journalists, lawyers, military and humanitarian actors) and 12 policy makers.