Protest Safety Tips

With <3 from the Street Medics at the Black Cross Health Collective in "Albuquerque." If you see our patch, say hi!

A graphic of the ABQ Black Cross patch, with "Black Cross Street Medic Albuquerque" written around the edges, and a six pointed medical star in the center. Overlaid on the star is a flag and wrench crossed, and a serpent wrapped around a raised fist.

Protest Health & Safety Flyers

Here are some good ones to share!
Stay aware of yourself, your surroundings, and take care of each other!
PS: Mask up! Masks protect your privacy and your health!

@ElleWoodsCore meme: "The PEARLY Protocol, A protest buddy system" in cute text, photo of Elle Woods with nervous/scared friends. Text: Physical Vulnerabilites/ Emotional Vulnerabilities/ Arrestability/ Roles/ Loose Ends/ Yes or No? See more @ flyer & post

The PEARLY buddy protocol is detailed here (also linked in flyers above), meme by @ElleWoodsCore

Pepper spray?
Get away, use water.

Here's great materials from Boston's Digital Street Medic

An @ElleWoodsCore meme "tips for Tear Gas and Pepper Spray" with pink cute text, over a photo of Elle Woods with smeary mascara and messy hair. Main tip: Use only water to wash eyes. Tips won't all fit here, so use the link on this image or the linked post

These are key tips, full detail in the zines above or this post description by @ElleWoodsCore

Stop The Bleed / Save A Life

Severe continuous blood loss can kill in less than 5 minutes. Keeping blood inside keeps people alive.Take the free online course below to start learning.Buy only approved gear you can count on, from a good source: NAR or the official STB store below. Knockoff gear costs lives.Message us to learn about opportunities for hands-on practice of wound packing, tourniquets, and more.

A human outline and text: tourniquet the limbs, pack the junctions (between limbs/torso), seal the box (chest cavity/torso) See linked post by Dark Angel Medical for more.

Heat Kills.

Heat injuries can happen in any condition, even mild days.Don't wait to get help!Rest, shade, water, salt/electrolytes are all important prevention steps, but active cooling (eg. ice bath, air conditioning, transport) is critical for heat injuries.

A chart showing heat injury symptoms and what to do, on a spectrum of less severe to often fatal. The same chart is screen-readable at the PDF link above.

About Us

A graphic of the ABQ Black Cross patch, with "Black Cross Street Medic Albuquerque" written around the edges, and a six pointed medical star in the center. Overlaid on the star is a flag and wrench crossed, and a serpent wrapped around a raised fist.

We've been active locally since 2014, working with others to support health justice, street actions, and community health work. We do stuff like prevention, wound care, first aid, and more.Every Black Cross Health Collective medic is trained and works in a team. On-duty BCHC medics will have a patch, like above.Some of us are laypeople with 20+ hours of training specifically as Street Medics, and others are medical professionals with extra training to serve as Street Medics.If you or someone you know has questions, feedback, or concerns, please message us below, or speak directly to a BCHC organizer.

Black Cross Health Collective Principles

  1. Do no harm, spread calm.

  2. We are on duty when marked.

  3. Work with a buddy or a team.

  4. Be sober and clear-headed on duty; keep care areas tobacco-free.

  5. Practice at your level of training and emphasize prevention.

  6. Practice universal hygiene and sanitation precautions. Stay home when sick.

  7. Ensure continuity of care.

  8. Protect the right to consent.

  9. We protect patient privacy and that of our movements.

  10. Be a humanizing force in dehumanizing situations.

  11. We are anti-fascist and pro-collective liberation.

  12. Interpersonal conduct is part of working collectively.

  13. We practice horizontal organizing.

  14. No tactical or ideological leadership when in the medic role.

  15. Safeguard trust, demonstrate solidarity, and support each other.

  16. Receive feedback and requests for accountability in good faith.

  17. We strive to provide feedback and resolve conflicts with kindness and good faith.