Street medics are an informal global network of volunteers with varying degrees of medical training who attend protests and demonstrations to provide medical care such as first aid. Unlike regular EMTs and parametics who serve with more established institutions, street medics usually operate in a less formal manner. Street medics may treat trauma injuries, chemical deterrent and other crowd control weapon ailments, animal attacks, as well as general care for things like heat exhaustion, epileptic seizures, and general well-being. Medics are frequently targeted by authorities.
We are volunteer street medics active in New York City.
We provide first aid and emergency care at protests, direct actions, and other sites of resistance and struggle]. We train other street medics and community members. Our group contains volunteers with many levels of certification and from many scopes of practice (EMTs, nurses, Wilderness first aid, herbalists, etc) but all are 20 hour medic trained.
We acknowledge and respect the work of volunteer medics in struggles worldwide who have come before us and whose knowledge is the foundation for our current practices.
POINTS OF UNITY
– We believe health includes physical and emotional well-being for ourselves and our neighbors.
– We embrace the full dignity of all human beings and practice a philosophy of constant consent, harm-reduction, and non-judgmental care.
– We believe that healthcare is a human right and act from a space to democratize this care, knowledge, and skills
– Our work is rooted in generations of resistance to systems of oppression and domination and seek solidarity with those struggling towards personal and collective liberation.
– We collaborate with and support those working for a just and healthy society.
MEMBERSHIP
The NYC Action Medics is a membership-based group, and we are always to expand our membership in ways that support our collective’s capacity to fulfill our goals and visions. If you are interested in working with the collective, we suggest you start by engaging with us in the following ways:
– Attend our events and talk with us
– Attend a training and/or participate as a scenario patient
– Ask to meet with one of our members to learn more about our collective and about opportunities for mutual aid