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Who is First Aid First?

About Us

About Us

First Aid First provides free, lifesaving training to community members in an effort to empower individuals to respond quickly and confidently during real life medical emergencies. Our courses are taught by a Detroit-based team of healthcare professionals, including local physicians and medical students from the Wayne State School of Medicine, dedicated to serving and saving lives in the Motor City. We have also recently expanded our community outreach to include the Pontiac area, in partnership with Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. Check out our About Us pages to learn more.


 

Covid-19 Response

In response to the novel coronavirus SARS-COV2, the First Aid First team has adapted some of its content to an online format to provide a hybrid learning experience to ensure as we return to in-person sessions the most vital material is taught in person. All resources provided are physician-approved and built from documents developed by the CDC, UpToDate, Wayne State Medical Students, and other reputable sources.

 
 

Partners and Affiliates

First Aid First works closely with various members of the Detroit and national healthcare communities to keep our course content up to date. These organizations play integral roles in improving the health of the Detroit community, and we’re proud to support each other.

 

Course Content

 

View more of our Content on Youtube

Medical Basics

The initial segment of our first aid courses starts by addressing universal safety precautions and rescue basics before diving into a variety of miscellaneous and relatively common health emergencies. Specific scenarios discussed include shock, allergic reactions, hot and cold emergencies, drowning, diabetic emergencies, opiate overdoses, seizures, strokes, and chest pain. This section provides helpful tips for recognizing the signs and symptoms of each event, and the appropriate response in each circumstance.

CPR

The second segment of our course focuses on Hands Only CPR. During the lecture portion, our instructors specify when CPR (CardioPulmonary Resuscitation) is necessary, why we recommend “Hands Only” CPR, and how to perform high quality CPR before addressing AED (Automated Electronic Defibrillator) use.

We recognize that practice is the best way to master any new skill, so following the CPR and AED presentation our class transitions into a guided demonstration and practice session. Local physicians, medical students, and other healthcare professionals help coach participants through each skill, offering tips and advice on proper technique.

Trauma

Our segment on traumatic injuries covers several types of sudden, physical injuries that our emergency medicine physicians see on a regular basis. The course details some of the dangers associated with each of these injuries, as well as specific first aid responses that will promote the best outcomes for patients.

Stop the Bleed

One of the more dramatic lifesaving lessons covered during our course is the Stop the Bleed campaign. We discuss how to identify life threatening bleeds, how and when to apply tourniquets, and how and when to pack a wound.

 
View fullsize Last week our wonderful board got the opportunity to work with our partners at Focus Hope sharpen the First aid skills so that they can better help their community. We want to thank all the hero’s that attended this session and hope to get to w
View fullsize This week our board got the opportunity to work with some of the hero bus drivers of our Detroit Public Schools over at Martin Luther King High School. These heros who keep our kids safe everyday learned some new first aid skills and techniques to ma
View fullsize The American Heart Association estimates that each year 350,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting each year, and only 35,000 of those 350,000 people with cardiac arrests will survive. Last Monday, this happened to Bills safet
View fullsize Happy #FirstAidFriday! We taught our friends from #WSU C2 pipeline our Stop the bleed, proper CPR and first aid techniques as we continue to empower Detroit's community members with lifesaving skills. 💪 #wsusom #detroit
View fullsize Observed each year on August 31, International Overdose Awareness Day is a day of remembrance for those lost to substance-related overdose without stigma. A day to increase awareness about this silent killer and provide information to the public abou
View fullsize Happy #FirstAidFriday! The First Aid First Team from #WSUSOM has done it again! We recently taught #Detroit Highschool teachers at #CassTechDetroit our Hands-On Practical Emergency Skills (HOPES). A skillset we teach incoming #WSUSOM medical studen
View fullsize Happy #FirstAidFriday! #wsusom #detroit Tomorrow is #InternationalLeftHandersDay. Here at First Aid First we don’t discriminate for which hand (Left of Right) you prefer. As long as you call 911 beforehand, have correct chest placement, and pe
View fullsize Happy #FirstAidFriday! Our First Aid First Team from #WSUSOM recently taught #Detroit residents from the Urban Neighborhood Initiatives our Hands-On Practical Emergency Skills (HOPES). The attendees learned life-saving First Aid, stopping different
View fullsize Happy #FirstAidFriday! This past week the First Aid First Team from #WSUSOM continued to teach #Detroit community members and youths from the Downtown Boxing Gym Youth Program our Hands-On Practical Emergency Skills (HOPES) which includes life-savi
View fullsize Happy #FirstAidFriday! #wsusom #detroit Historically, Detroit has had one of the worst out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates in the US. Although that rate has improved, it still sits well below the national average. To that end, First Aid
View fullsize Happy Monday #wsusom, #detroit! It has come to our attention that although widely known, previous acronyms like ICE, RICE, etc. focus too much on acute management and ignore subacute and chronic aspects of soft tissue healing for tendinous, muscle,
View fullsize Happy #FirstAidFriday! and #NationalFrogJumpingDay! As the summer rolls in, a common injury is tendinous ankle injury. For instance, due to jumping like a frog and this affects all ages. It’s important to know the R.I.C.E. method for when suc
View fullsize Happy #FirstAidFriday! This past week Dr. Kaufmann, an Emergency Medicine Doctor from DRH, taught #Detroit Highschool teachers her Hands-On Practical Emergency Skills (HOPES). HOPES was designed for incoming #WSUSOM medical students to teach them li
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View fullsize Happy #FirstAidFriday! Last of the FAF board, introducing our Communications Director, Rooshan. #wsusom
View fullsize Next, introducing Alex, our devoted Outreach Director. We look forward to Alex engaging the residents of our #Detroit community with fun First Aid skills events throughout this year. #wsusom
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View fullsize Happy #FirstAidFriday! Next, we have our dedicated Logistics & Research Coordinators: Alejandro, Brandon, and Andrew. Their hard work ensures our First Aid First events are all smooth sailing.
View fullsize Next, we have our Secretary and Treasurer - Josh Kirschner. 🥳 We look forward to Josh's keen eye for detail to guide us into another good fiscal year for #wsusom First Aid First. 🧮💰📈

 

Testimonials

“After working with First Aid First, I feel more comfortable and confident in my ability to respond during a crisis than ever before.”
— Evan Zeddies (Medical Student)
“The community training sessions are always a fantastic experience due to their welcoming and motivating environment. Everyone present is dedicated to ultimately improving people’s outcomes in health emergencies.”
— May Chammaa (Medical Student)
“This organization is one that truly makes an impact in the Detroit community by teaching vital skills for emergency situations that can occur in any given moment. It is truly a privilege to help educate our passionate community members who are willing to assist those in need. ”
— Amman Bhasin (Medical Student)
 

Upcoming Schedule

Hoping to register for our next class? Check out our Calendar for dates and times. We have regularly scheduled training’s at Orchestra Place (3663 Woodward Ave.) in the Midtown area of Detroit roughly once per month.

Contact Info

Seeking First Aid lessons for an organization? If you can provide the students and venue, we’ll work with you to find a date and create a custom course. Contact us today and we can get started!