Take first aid handbooks from various countries and make a comparison: you will notice some differences between the first aid techniques used. To deal with this matter, the Belgian Red Cross – Flanders led a project called “European First Aid Manual” (EFAM). The aim of this project co-financed by the European Commission is to harmonise the content of first aid books.

In this framework, a team of 29 European experts, managed by the Belgian Red Cross – Flanders, drew-up a number of guidelines for first aid. These guidelines were set-up on the basis of scientific studies, specialists’ advice and experience. EFAM also includes the newest guidelines on resuscitation and on the use of the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) of the European Resuscitation Council (ERC). The experts’ work focused on the training of the general public and on the subjects of the European First Aid Certificate.

The concrete results of this two-year project are European guidelines on first aid, a reference document and a manual. With these tools, the first aid managers of the Red Cross/Red Crescent National Societies have at disposal files to create or update first aid books and courses. The EFAM content can be obtained ordering the DVD (this is not free of charge).