Street Medics
= those who volunteer to provide care at political events like marches, demonstrations, sit-ins, and occupations.
Description
Rosehip Medic Collective:
“Street Medics – also known as “action” or “activist medics” – are first aid responders, healthcare workers, and other wellness enthusiasts who volunteer to provide care at political events like marches, demonstrations, sittings, and occupations. Medics usually work either on foot with kits or in temporary clinics.
Street medicking emerged in its current form during the U.S. movements of the 1960s and 70s (see History section above). Since then, medics have supported a wide array of political, social, and environmental movements around the world.
As volunteers, street medics are not formally integrated into EMS systems (though familiarity with their services is sometimes essential) which can be a valuable quality when urgent medical care is required at sites of political conflict. When police or military decide to use violent crowd control tactics, ambulances and other resources may not be allowed to enter what authorities declare an “unsecured scene.” (Remember, calling 9-1-1 activates medical services and police!) Even when available in the middle of a protest, treatment and/ or transport by EMS professionals may give authorities greater ability to identify, detain or arrest protesters. In contrast, street medics usually share sympathies with participants and may work directly with organizers and other infrastructure. This often gives street medics greater access and motivation to help in situations where EMS workers are unavailable, uncomfortable, or unwanted.
Shared anti-oppression and other principles also may make street medics and clinicians the preferred choices for those who feel alienated or endangered by corporate/ state-controlled medicine. Street Medics also generally share a strong emphasis on consent, mutual aid, patient oriented care, confidentiality, and non-cooperation with police.
In the U.S., street medics often identify themselves with red duct tape crosses on clothes and packs. Usually working in buddy pairs, medics sometimes coordinate as teams for larger events and clinic spaces. A generally accepted minimum level of training to work as a street medic consists of 20 hours of basic First aid, particulars of medicking at political events, and how to deal with police weapons and tactics. However, many Street Medics also have other kinds of formalized training—as EMTs, nurses, Wilderness First Responders, herbalists, acupuncturist and others. Street medic groups, independent medics, and similar or allied providers exist all over North America and many parts of the globe—adapting their training and practices to local needs.” (http://www.rosehipmedics.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Alt2EMSdigitalprintMay9.pdf)
Example
“The Rosehip Medic Collective is a group of volunteer Street Medics and health care activists in and around Portland, Oregon. We provide first aid and emergency care at protests, direct actions, and other sites of resistance and struggle. We also train other Street Medics and put on community wellness trainings. We believe in democratizing health care knowledge and skills, in reducing our community’s dependence on corporate medicine, and that strong networks of support and care are essential to building a sustainable, long-term movement for collective liberation. We are working to create one facet of the healthy and diverse infrastructure we see as necessary if we are to build another world. Our group includes EMTs, Wilderness First Responders, herbalists, and more.” (http://www.rosehipmedics.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Alt2EMSdigitalprintMay9.pdf)
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