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Street Medic Training

The Northeastern Action Medics Association (NEAMA) came to Chicago in preparation for the upcoming anti-FTAA actions in Quebec City to offer workshops, trainings, and opportunities for people to get involved with NEAMA.
On February 24 and 25, NEAMA trained activists from Chicago and surrounding states at the Emergency Room. Being a street medic has become a very important sector to mass demonstrations, especially due to the enormous amounts of violence.

The people who provide health care at demonstrations fall under the general term "action medics". Typically, these activists fir into one of three categories: street medics, who are on-scene and mobile at protests, and whole sole purpose is to care for anyone in need of medical attention; street clinicians, who staff rear clinics in order to provide advanced care, after care, or treat anyone who "drops in"; affinity group medics, or medical monitors, who are members of a specific group of protestors and responsible for their care, but can often assist others outside their collective. All of these activists are trained in at least basic first aid and chemical weapons response, and often naturopathic practices such as herbalism and accupressure, or advanced emergency medicine.

Action medical organizers try to establish at least one rear clinic at every action, usually staffed by at least an RN, an MD, and an advanced herbalist, as well as skilled assistants. Clinics are safe and relatively secure spaces, and anyone in need of medical attention should not hesitate to drop in, if possible, whether what they need is rest or emergency treatment.

Complete trainings for action medics, as well as basic trainings for protestors in general, are usually held at "convergence" spaces in the days leading up to a major demonstration. We urge everyone to attend a basic health and safety session, and those interested in specializing as medics to attend medic trainings.

For further information, or to stay in touch with the action medical community, visit: www.action-medical.net. Many new action medical organizations are forming, in addition to those already in place, and we encourage anyone with a serious interest to get involved.
 
 

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