Aznalubma on halon

Italian Red Cross and the Exclusivity Problem

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

In 2021, is it healthy for an important organization like the Red Cross to impose on its volunteers an outdated rule like the exclusivity clause?

I need to make a necessary disclaimer: I’ve been volunteering for years at an association that’s part of ANPAs, so I’m speaking about a reality I don’t belong to, but in which I see a fundamental problem that I’ll try to convey.

The Context Link to heading

I’ll refer here to the Italian Red Cross OdV, which is the entity that manages activities on the territory, as better specified on their website. I know there are various other areas, starting with the military one where it’s engaged, but those are different entities and I’m not referring to them.

Merging the Late Aznalubma

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000

After giving it a lot of thought, I’ve decided not to create a dedicated section for the old Aznalubma articles (the few that are worth reading). I think the best solution is to absorb everything by assigning the articles to their actual writing date.

This solution allows me to continue writing about the rescue world and to keep the same articles under the same category, since their purpose was mostly informative anyway (and quite polemical too, but that’s all part of the package).

#istandwithclaudia: The Case of Riccardo Magherini

Sun, 12 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0000

In recent days, the hashtag #istandwithclaudia has been circulating on social media, especially among 118 volunteers, coinciding with the verdict in the trial over the death of Riccardo Magherini, which dates back two years. But what is the case about, and why were Red Cross volunteers accused?

The Case Link to heading

I’ll try to summarize everything to get to what interests me most: the role of rescuers.

Resusci Anne: The Story of the Unknown Woman of the Seine

Mon, 18 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Few people know the story behind the creation of the CPR manikin used practically all over the world: her name is Resusci Anne. But what connection could a manikin possibly have with a girl who drowned in the Seine, in Paris?

The Unknown Woman of the Seine Link to heading

The story took place in France in the last decade of the 1800s. The body of a young woman was pulled from the Seine — an event that, for the time, was far from extraordinary. She bore no signs of violence; it was therefore assumed she had taken her own life. Taken to the morgue, an attendant was struck by the girl’s beauty, but above all by her smile: it seemed to radiate a sense of peace and serenity.

Ambulance Driver: Requirements and Obligations

Sun, 29 Nov 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Sirens, flashing lights, high speed, and more. The ambulance driver is undoubtedly a role that fascinates and attracts new volunteers. But what requirements must a person have to become one, and above all, what responsibilities and obligations do they hold?

At a bureaucratic level: Nationally, to date, there is no such figure as a driver-paramedic. The training and regulations concerning this role are the prerogative of the Regions. Some of them, such as Lombardy, have passed specific regulations on the matter; others have unclear or never-implemented rules. Overall, the situation appears very murky and varies from Region to Region: this article gives a clearer picture of the bureaucratic affair.

Civil and Criminal Liability in Volunteering

Tue, 24 Nov 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Often during training courses, participants ask questions like: “If I do chest compressions wrong and the patient dies, do I go to prison?” Or in the more tragic cases: “So if I know how to do this stuff and I see an accident, am I forced to intervene?” This article aims to clarify the civil and criminal responsibilities of a rescuer, both on and off duty.

Let’s start by distinguishing the two areas: Link to heading

Civil Liability: arises from the commission of an unjustified harm to others, and is punishable by a monetary compensation order for the damage.