First-Aid 'Angels' Protect Vietnamese Motorists

Pham Quoc Viet established the FAS Angel first aid team with the aim of helping people in distress on the streets. Photo: VNP

With many accidents, rapidly responding first aid plays an important role in minimizing casualties. Over the past three years, young people with the words "First Aid Support Team - FAS Angel" printed on their shirts have become familiar on the streets of Hanoi.

Strike to save people

"I don't leave when people are in trouble, because one day when I'm in trouble, someone will help me," said Pham Quoc Viet (born in 1987, hometown in Nam Dinh, now living and working in Hanoi) - founder of FAS Angel - First Aid Support.

Understanding the feeling of loneliness in a traffic accident in Tuyen Quang in 2016, Viet is determined to apply the first aid knowledge he has learned in the army to start his journey to help those in trouble on the streets of Hanoi.

Currently, FAS Angel team has 107 members. From 9 pm to 1 am, the members are divided into 10 groups, each group has about 2 to 3 motorbikes, on accident-prone roads such as Cau Giay, Dai Co Viet, Tran Nhan Tong, and Le Duan. The team collects information and reports the accident location through a chat group for timely support. The images were also provided to the authorities and the victim's family to understand the situation.

From 2017 to September 2019, Viet learned more first aid knowledge from domestic and foreign experts and accumulated practical experience to guide other team members. On average, the FAS Angel team performs more than 1,000 first aid cases each year, with about 600 traffic accidents.

In mid-September 2021, after witnessing many victims not being taken to the hospital in time, due to overloaded ambulances during Covid-19, Viet realized the urgency of having a car to transport victims in serious accidents.

At the end of December 2021, after a month of calling for support from the community and benefactors, the team completed its goal to buy an old ambulance, taking the victims in emergencies to the hospital.

The large space allows the ambulance to carry up to 3 victims - that is important, because a serious accident usually has about 2 victims. Viet also said that the space will become a mobile storage space, providing medical supplies for other vehicles of the team.

Each member is assigned specific tasks, but all have the same goal of helping people in trouble on the street. Photo: VNP

Angels bring 'hope'

Funding to maintain operations is one of many obstacles, as Viet and his team members work in different professions. With a meager income, the team still contributes every month to buy medical tools to support their work.

Maintaining the team's activities is not easy, but Viet and FAS Angel members always strive to balance their own needs with volunteer work for the community and society. Photo: VNP

As one of the first five members of the team, Do Tien Dung (1991, Hanoi) said: “Like other members, I also have difficulties in life. However, accompanying the team to help those in need, I appreciate the values ​​of life even more, that there is no more meaningful gift to give to others than hope."

Viet said that about 70% of accidents are related to the use of alcohol while participating in traffic. Most recently, an accident on Tam Trinh Street (Hoang Mai District, Hanoi) also showed signs of alcohol use, causing one victim to die on the spot. Three people with serious injuries were given first aid and taken to the hospital in time by the team's ambulance.

Witnessing that many people have an indifferent attitude, disregarding their own health and life, leading to unfortunate consequences, Viet hopes that the community will be more alert when choosing transportation options, for their safety.

Regardless of the weather, FAS Angel members are still at the black spots of traffic, ready to give first aid to those in distress. Photo: VNP

People can call the team's hotline number (0822.510.627) for instructions on how to give first aid; or take a picture of the victim's condition, send the location so that the team can arrive in time, give first aid and support victims.

Australia Shares Total 7.8 Million Covid Doses with Vietnam Australia has delivered 3.6 million Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam over recent weeks through a procurement agreement with UNICEF and in partnership with Vietnam's ...

Tay Ninh Province Get Support From US in Covid fight US-funded lifesaving equipment handed over to the Tay Ninh provincial department of health to support the fight against Covid-19

Film Screening in France Supports Vietnam's Agent Orange Victims A documentary was screened in Choisy-le-Roi, a city in the suburbs of France's Paris, on February 10 to support the victims of Agent Orange (AO) ...