Street Medic Training

Care in the Streets

The protest had been peaceful for hours. Then the police line advanced. Tear gas canisters flew. Rubber bullets cracked. People ran. Someone fell. Blood on the pavement.

You were there. You had a fanny pack with supplies. You knelt beside the injured protester. Applied pressure. Calmed them. Cleaned the wound. Wrapped it. Got them to safety.

This is street medic work. Medical care where people are. Not in hospitals. Not in clinics. In the streets. At actions. In communities without access.

Street medics are not doctors. They are trained community members. They provide immediate care. They stabilize. They connect to further care when needed. They keep people safe so they can keep fighting.

Why Street Medics Matter

Medical Care at Actions

Protests and direct actions carry risk. Police violence. Counter-protester violence. Environmental hazards. Exhaustion. Dehydration. Medical emergencies happen.

Hospitals are not always accessible. Ambulances may not come to protest sites. Police may block access. People may fear hospitals due to cost, immigration status, or past trauma.

Street medics fill the gap. Immediate care. On site. No questions. No bills. No barriers.

Care for Marginalized Communities

Many communities lack healthcare access. Uninsured people. Undocumented immigrants. Rural communities. Poor neighborhoods.

Street medics bring care to these communities. Free clinics. Health fairs. Door-to-door. Wherever people are.

This is not a replacement for universal healthcare. It is survival until we win healthcare justice.

Movement Sustainability

Activists get hurt. If they cannot get care, they leave the movement. If they know care is available, they stay.

Street medics keep movements healthy. They treat injuries. They prevent escalation. They provide reassurance.

Movements with medic support can take more risks. Can sustain longer actions. Can protect their people.

Levels of Street Medic Training

Basic First Aid

Minimum training for anyone attending actions.

CPR. Wound care. Bandaging. Splinting. Recognizing emergencies. Calling for help.

This is not street medic level. This is baseline. Every activist should have this.

Courses: Red Cross. American Heart Association. Community organizations. 4-8 hours.

Street Medic Training

Basic street medic training: 20-40 hours.

Wound care. Fractures and sprains. Burn treatment. Eye irrigation. Dehydration and heat illness. Cold injuries. Basic medication administration.

Action medicine: Tear gas treatment. Pepper spray treatment. Rubber bullet injuries. Arrest support.

Mental health: Panic attacks. Anxiety. Trauma response. De-escalation.

Courses: Local street medic collectives. National networks. Action-specific training.

Advanced Training

Advanced street medic training: 100+ hours.

Advanced wound care. Suturing (where legal). IV fluids (where legal). Advanced medication. Emergency childbirth. Mental health crisis.

EMT-level skills: Some street medics are EMTs. Some train to EMT level. Scope varies by state law.

Specialization: Some medics focus on mental health. Some on herbal medicine. Some on chronic condition support.

Building Street Medic Capacity

Finding Training

Street medic training is not standardized. Different collectives offer different curricula.

Find local collectives: Search for "street medic" plus your city. Action medicine networks. Mutual aid groups.

National networks: National Street Medic Network. Health Care For The Homeless. Some offer training or can refer.

Action-specific training: Before major actions, medics often offer crash courses. Attend these.

Ongoing education: Medicine changes. Skills degrade. Regular refreshers. Advanced training. Continuing education.

Assembling a Kit

Street medic kits are portable. Everything fits in a backpack or fanny pack. Organized for quick access.

Basic supplies:

Gloves (multiple pairs, nitrile)
Bandages (assorted sizes)
Gauze pads and rolls
Medical tape
Antiseptic wipes
Antibiotic ointment
Burn cream
Eye wash solution
Tweezers
Scissors (trauma shears)
Thermometer
Space blanket

Action-specific supplies:

Tear gas treatment (water, antacid solution)
Pepper spray treatment (milk, specialized wipes)
Saline solution for eye irrigation
Extra water for hydration
Electrolyte packets
Lip balm with sunscreen

Medications (check local laws):

Pain relievers (ibuprofen, acetaminophen)
Antihistamines (Benadryl)
Antacids
Glucose tablets
Asthma inhalers (backup, with permission)
Epinephrine auto-injectors (with prescription)

Documentation:

Consent forms
Incident report forms
Resource referral lists
Emergency contact information

Maintaining Supplies

Check kits regularly. Expired medications. Used supplies. Low inventory.

Restock after every action. Even if you did not use much. You need full capacity for next time.

Store properly. Cool, dry place. Not in car (temperature extremes). Not in direct sunlight.

Track inventory. Spreadsheet or app. Know what you have. Know what you need.

Street Medic Ethics

Consent

Always obtain consent before treatment. Explain what you will do. Ask permission.

"I am a street medic. I can help with that wound. I will clean it and bandage it. Is that okay?"

Consent can be withdrawn. "Stop." Respect it immediately.

Exceptions: Unconscious patients. Life-threatening emergencies. Implied consent applies.

Confidentiality

What you see as a medic is confidential. Do not share patient information. Do not post photos. Do not gossip.

Documentation should be secure. Not accessible to police. Not accessible to unauthorized people.

Patients may be undocumented. May have warrants. May be using substances. Your silence protects them.

Scope of Practice

Know your limits. You are not a doctor. You are not a replacement for emergency care.

Treat what you are trained to treat. Refer what is beyond your scope.

When in doubt, err on the side of caution. Call 911 if needed. Better to over-respond than under-respond.

Neutrality

Street medics treat everyone. Protesters. Counter-protesters. Police. Bystanders.

Once someone is injured, they receive care. No questions about politics. No judgment.

This is medical ethics. It is also strategy. Neutral medics are protected. Trusted. Allowed to work.

Action Medicine

Before the Action

Prepare: Full kit. Charged phone. Water. Food. Appropriate clothing.

Scout: Know the location. Exits. Safe spaces. Hospital locations. Police positions.

Communicate: Know the command structure. How will you be called? What is the signal?

Team: Do not work alone. Buddy system. Know where other medics are.

Legal: Know your rights. Know the laws. Have legal support number.

During the Action

Position: Visible but protected. Not on front lines. Close enough to respond quickly.

Visibility: Wear identifying clothing. "MEDIC" clearly marked. Bright colors. Reflective tape.

Response: When called, respond quickly. Assess scene safety first. Do not become a patient.

Treatment: Stabilize. Do not cure. Get patients to safety. Connect to further care.

Documentation: Note what happened. Injuries. Treatments. Police actions. This may be evidence later.

Tear Gas and Pepper Spray

Tear gas: Respiratory irritant. Burning eyes. Difficulty breathing. Coughing.

Treatment: Fresh air. Water rinse. Do not rub eyes. Remove contaminated clothing. Wash skin with soap and water.

Pepper spray: Oil-based. More persistent. Intense burning.

Treatment: Oil-removing soap. Milk can help. Specialized wipes (Sudecon). Fresh air. Time.

Prevention: Goggles. Masks. Covered skin. Know wind direction.

Rubber Bullets and Impact Weapons

Rubber bullets: Can cause serious injury. Fractures. Internal bleeding. Eye damage.

Treatment: Assess for serious injury. Control bleeding. Immobilize fractures. Transport to hospital if severe.

Documentation: Photograph injuries. Note location. Note distance. This is evidence of police violence.

Arrest Support

Medics may be arrested. Have a plan.

Before: Memorize important numbers. Do not carry patient information. Know your rights.

During: Request medication if needed. Request medical attention for injuries. Document everything.

After: Follow up on charges. Connect with legal support. Process trauma.

Mental Health Support

Crisis Response

Protests are intense. Trauma happens. Panic attacks. Anxiety. Dissociation.

Recognize signs: Rapid breathing. Shaking. Confusion. Withdrawal. Agitation.

Respond: Calm presence. Grounding techniques. Breathing support. Safe space.

Grounding: "Name five things you can see. Four things you can touch. Three things you can hear. Two things you can smell. One thing you can taste."

Breathing: "Breathe with me. In for four. Hold for four. Out for four."

Trauma Support

Witnessing violence is traumatic. Being injured is traumatic. Arrest is traumatic.

Immediate support: Safety. Comfort. Validation. "You are safe now. What happened was not okay. You did nothing wrong."

Ongoing support: Referrals. Therapy resources. Support groups. Check-ins.

Vicarious trauma: Medics experience trauma too. Process your own experiences. Get support.

Burnout Prevention

Medic work is intense. Physical exhaustion. Emotional toll. Vicarious trauma.

Rotate: Do not medic every action. Take breaks. Rest.

Process: Debrief after actions. Talk about what happened. Share with other medics.

Support: Have your own support system. Therapist. Friends. Other medics.

Boundaries: You cannot save everyone. Do what you can. Let that be enough.

Get Started

Month One: Foundation

Get basic first aid certification. Red Cross or American Heart Association. CPR included.
Find local street medic collective. Attend a meeting. Introduce yourself. Ask about training.
Assemble basic kit. Start small. Expand as you train.
Attend actions as observer. Learn the dynamics. See how medics work. Do not treat until trained.

Month Two: Training

Complete street medic training. 20-40 hour course. Find through local collective.
Practice skills. Bandaging. Splinting. Assessment. With friends. In low-stakes settings.
Shadow experienced medics. At actions. In clinics. Learn from their experience.
Continue education. Read. Watch videos. Take additional courses.

Month Three: Integration

Begin medicing at small actions. Rallies. Marches. Lower risk events.
Connect with legal support. Know who to call. Have numbers ready.
Join medic communication networks. Group chats. Signal groups. Stay informed.
Mentor new medics. Once experienced, train others. Build capacity.

Resources

Training Organizations:

National Street Medic Network
Action Medic Collective (various cities)
Street Medic Collective (various cities)
Local mutual aid groups often offer training

Supplies:

North American Rescue: tactical medical supplies
Amazon: basic medical supplies
Local medical supply stores
Thrift stores: backpacks, containers

Books:

"Street Medic Handbook" by Health Care For The Homeless
"Medicines for the People" by Kat Molesworth
"Bushcraft and Outdoor Skills" by Cody Lundin (wilderness medicine overlap)

Online Resources:

Street medic zines and guides (free online)
YouTube: first aid and street medic skills
Reddit: r/StreetMedics (community discussion)

Legal:

National Lawyers Guild: legal support
Local legal collectives
Know Your Rights cards

Street medics are healers in the movement. We keep our people safe. We treat injuries. We provide reassurance. We say: you matter. Your body matters. Your life matters.

This work is not glamorous. It is bloody. It is exhausting. It is necessary.

Train. Prepare. Show up. Care for your people.

When the tear gas flies, you will be ready. When someone falls, you will be there. When the movement needs care, you will provide it.

This is love in action. This is mutual aid. This is how we keep fighting.

Be the medic your movement needs.