When the International Committee of the Red Cross was established in 1863, one of its aims was to provide aid to sick and wounded soldiers in the field. In line with this, soldiers were trained to treat their fellow soldiers before the medics arrived.
A decade later, an army surgeon proposed the idea of training civilians in what he termed pre-medical treatment. The term first aid appeared in 1878 as a combination of first treatment and national aid. In Britain, civilian ambulance crews were trained specifically for the railways, mines, and the police.
In 1914 New Zealand Red Cross was established as a branch of British Red Cross and Order of St John, to provide comfort and medial supplies for New Zealand and Allied servicemen.
In 1920 a special trust fund enabled New Zealand nurses to study in London and on their return, take up teaching positions with New Zealand Red Cross, teaching first aid, home nursing, hygiene and sanitation.
The first Mens Detachments in New Zealand were formed in 1947, with training in first aid and rescue skills.
By 1981, New Zealand Red Cross had taken responsibility for first aid training in the Cook Islands.
In 1995, New Zealand Red Cross became NZQA accredited for the provision of first aid training, and in 1997, New Zealand Red Cross began supplying first aid kits for sale to the public.
Today, New Zealand Red Cross is a leading provider of workplace and community first aid training in New Zealand.
Our workplace courses meet regulatory needs while New Zealand Red Cross funded community courses provide first aid training for a wide range of schools, people and community groups.
By choosing New Zealand Red Cross as your first aid provider you are supporting the community you live in.
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