Make
it a safe revolution
What’s the purpose
of this er thing. The politics, health and resisting the state.
Well, most of you
reading this will be either taking part in direct action, have friends
who are or are just planning on watching. Either way, a blockade of
this nature raises health concerns, (gee wiz since the ozone layer even
being in the sun is a health concern). But when we get a couple of thousand
people, a couple of hundred cops, police horses, crowd control agents,
spies, heat, rage and a bit (or quite a bit) of drugs….we’ve got a lot
of potentials for hurt/accidents and scrapes
Some key points
to remember:
You are much more valuable to the revolution/insurrection
/movement/partner and friends when you are alive and healthy.
Don't take un-necessary risks. Think more about the kinds of injuries
that you could sustain and how they might affect you later. Having
your spinal cord broken by a police horse is not going to bring
the WEF crashing down. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, THE WORLD WILL NEED
YOU AGAIN. |
They have most of the cards. Remember that the police
are highly trained both physically and mentally to hurt and maim
and kill. It's a very important thing to remember that the police
have the law, the equipment, the health services and the resources
on their side, all we have is a well developed sense of justice.
Don't be disparaged and feel powerless, but know exactly what kinds
of resources the opposition has behind it. |
We have the best card: numbers. Don't forget to play
it, DON'T EVER GET CAUGHT BY YOURSELF, MOVE IN PACKS, if you're
an individual hang around any group, or introduce yourself, meet
new people. If you're alone then they can do what they like without
witnesses, Even when dispersed , run in groups, CLUMP!!! One of
the major motives behind dispersal is to create a panicked run where
the police can pick off the stragglers. If you want to know what
police are capable of when they think they wont be exposed, ask
LA motorist Rodney King. Let's all take care of each other and support
each other when we're in trouble, keep an eye out, celebrate the
real globilization, The Free Gobal Community. |
The various health
risks:
These depend on
the situation that we find ourself in, police and military have a term
for the sliding scale of responses and equipment and tactics that they
employ at various levels in a protest, this is called a FORCE CONTINUUM
(basically that the more "serious" a situation gets, the acceptible
it is for "control agencies" to use harder methods). Look
up some documents about it on the web, know where you, personally are
prepared to go to. Then get yourself prepared for that! So lets go for
a little journey down "force projection lane"
Blockade:
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Health Risks: (very much like what happens at the big
day out or a big festival)
- Dehydration
- Sunburn/Sunstroke
- Too much drugs/bad drugs
- Cold/winter chill
- Violence in the crowd (usually alcohol induced)
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What you need:
- Good food/ Slow Burning carbohydrates to keep going all day.
- Hat/sunglasses/sunblock (wipe this off if things get heavier)
- Someone to watch out for you if your on drugs, because if
stuff changes quickly, you want someone level whose going to
get you out.
- A nice warm change of clothes' or a blankie (it's cold in
melb!)
Just like a rock concert, make room for the person who's fallen
down below and give them a hand up
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Health risks:
People falling in the crowd/crushing----Sneaky hits (most often
to a protestor's)----Being arrested-----Horsies-----Capsicum gas
(maybe paby)
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What you can do:
Pick up anyone dropped- this is perhaps the best first aid thing
that you can do
PREVENTION!!! Wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes to protect
against sneaky shots
Arrested- if any medical conditions have the stuff/medications
or doctors letter there!!
Be prepared
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Un-Romantic Interlude:
Places and ways the cops like to hurt you
TheFuckingCopshitme!!!
TOES: A quick stomp to the toes with a broken foot and the protester
is out of action and a liability to others. Difficult to prove intentionally
SHINS: The superficial bones makes this very painful, the muscles
that raise your foot when running are also on the side of the shins,
a blow here can dramatically reduce mobility. Again very unproveable
WRISTS: These are described as "key points of control",
'cause when the cops have you with your wrists bent back, they're
in control. The real danger here is not so much the bones breaking
but damaging the fine tendons and ligaments in the wrist and fingers
which can impair your hand function for a long time to come!!
Stratey: Once they've really got you here, they've got you! Don't
get yourself fucked up for next time. But remember it still requires
one (or two)of them to take you to the paddy wagon, and we are many
and they are few!! |
Horsies:
They're the fun and friendly side to cops- NOT! Mounted police have
been traditionally used to manage large massed gatherings since
the 1800's because they offer the cops bulk for blocking, intimidation,
and give the cops the "higher ground" (ie more height)
for them to hit people's noggings with their batons.
How do I protect myself:
Head protection (or forearm protection/pads, to raise above the
head)
Stay as a loose group, not a tight packed mass, move and flow around
the horse formations. Evade Luk, use the force!
Help those who are down!!!: Those that get knocked down are in danger,
the quicker the group can get them up, the less chnace of the injury,
grab someone and support them before they hit the ground and win
a prize
If I go down: Curl up into a fetal ball on your side! (knees to
chest and chin tucked in , like a baby) and cover your ears with
your fists, turn your eyes and nose to the ground, keep your eyes
open, shout for your friends. Your ribs, pelvis and spine are stronger
on the sideways. Wriggle forward slowly with small wriggles of the
hips and shoulders MAINTAIN THE THINNEST POSSIBLE SIDE PROFILE (LESS
CHANCE OF THE HORSE STEPPING ON YOU) DO NOT HIT THE HORSE / They
are well trained but they're still animals and will lash out. |
CAPSICUM GAS: A COPS WET DREAM -my fucking chilli sauce!!!!
What it does- as a powerful alkali it creates a sensation of burning,
about a thousand times more powerful than a chilli. It will hurt,
but you can survive it, have burritos and COME BACK FOR MORE!!!
IF YOU ARE SPRAYED:
Keep calm, move backwards not side ways, get into clear space where
the wind can get the residuals off your clothing, then any water
or saline that you then use will be more effective. Sit on the ground
and sluice water slowly from the nose gently through the eye (following
the path that tears take) blink rapidly. Do on eye at a time, cause
if you run out of water you're still more functional with one eye!!!!
Rescue remedy, saline, holy water it doesn't matter particularly
what's in the water, just as long as they're lots of it!!!
Find out where the nearest water supplies will be, get yourself
some pop-top bottles and lots of them! You will survive - they will
end up choking! |
Contacts (specifically First Aid):
The S11medic group: we are community health focused, spunky and
there for You! Come chat to us on the day(look for the green crosses)
or send us a message
S11medical@hotmail.com
Radical Health Workers of the World: we are calling for a radical
change in the structure of health care and health defining. Shake
it by da roots!!
RadicalhealthWW@Yahoo.com
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Shopping List
(inna lunchbox ) For only $15 (and if you order now....!)
4 x Gloves ($2.00)
Like safe sex, gloves
protect both parties. It’s responsible, have them and put them on!
2x Triangle bandage
(make-free{lighter colored material is better to see how much bleeding
comes through the fabric} to buy $1.50each
Bandana size material,
that can be used to place on wounds, make slings, or dipped in water
for rough face masks, to use as 2 cords to splint a limb with solid
stuff, a triangle bandage has a thousand uses…
2x Pressure bandages
($2.50) (get the wide and long ones!!!)
Good for wrapping
up sprained ankles and wrists. Good also for binding wounds that are
bleeding.
6x Menstral pads
($2-3.00)
Great and cheap
for soaking up blood, absolutely essential!!(pity that they’re GST’ed)
1x Eyepad (60c)
Sight is an precious
thing: these are useful when someone has a foreign body in the eye and
it’s too big or too painful to flush out! Place over the eye with tape
and instruct the injuried person not to move their eye (the covered
eye moves in sympathy). If you don’t need to use it as an eye pad it
makes a perfectly good wound dressing!
5-10 x Butterfly
stitches ($1.20)
Great as small wounds
dressings, help to close difficult or very bloody wounds such as scalp
wounds.
Plastic bags
(free, shit they give em out with groceries these days!!!)
For all of your
medical/bloody waste. Think public health!! It’s no good dressing someones
wound and then leaving your bloody scraps hanging around to cross infect
others!!
2x Sterile Saline:
($1.10) (NOT FOR DEALING WITH CAPSICUM SPRAY, THERES JUST TOO LITTLE
OF IT, BETTER TO USE A BOTTLE OF H2O !)
This is for cleaning
wounds of dirt and grit before covering them. Saline is most very useful
when used for gravel burns or grazes.
Frozen Popper(foil
juice container) in teatowel ($1.20)
For placeing on
bruises/strains and sprains,or any other soft tissue injury to cool
someone overheating
Betadine/Antiseptic/teatree
oil($1.50)
Take your pick which
you prefer, to be used on open wounds with dirt or grit in it (eg after
washing down a wound with saline paint it with antiseptic and then cover
it!
Adhesive tape/medical
tape: ($1.25)(has to be able to stick to sweaty skin)
To hold any wound
dressing in place and free up your hands to support and elevate the
limb and lead that person to safety oh yeah!
Things to top
up on:If you’re feeling flush and very community minded. In order
of priority!!
MORE GLOVES!!!!!
These come so in handy it’s not funny!!
MORE MENSTRUAL PADS
More pressure bandages/More
saline/Special tape called "micropore" (sticks great to skin!)/scissors/penknife/pen
and notepad/ "melolite" dressings expensive but good!
First Aid
Sheet: ‘Cause we Dare to Care.
Please photocopy
and pass around, remember about Community Health!!! The more people
who know First Aid the healthier we all will be!
DONT JUST TALK
ABOUT COMMUNITY, BE IT!!!!
Be Prepared/Right
here right now
*Check that your
water bottle is filled and you have some nutritous food
*Find out where
the functioning water taps and toilets are
* Look for First
Aid tents or roving green cross (the mobile S11 medics will
have maps to the first aid locations- get one! collectors item)
Big stuff: (eg,
fractures, unconscious, big bleeding)
1)Keep calm
2)Get ambulance/send
for medical help, stay with the injured
3)Don't move
the unconscious person (You could do more harm than good)
Human blockade
around unconscious person/injured person (protect them from being trampled
and you have more room to work)
UNCONSCIOUS-
Roll into recovery position (on their side, with their head supported
and pointing down)
Suspected FRACTURE
-Then splint and immobilize the affected area/joint.(with rolled up
newspapers, sticks).
BLEEDING-
Wear gloves (safe sex n safe First Aid-use rubber),Apply pressure, Elevate
area/limb
Teeth knocked
out Replace in socket if possible - get to dentist fast. If you
can't replace tooth DO NOT WASH - wrap tooth in plastic or store in
milk.
Capsicum Gas:
DONT PANIC- Fear
is the weapon of the State!!!
Walk Backwards
out of range of further spray, when clear turn into the wind with your
arms outstretched face to the wind, if you have water wash out eyes
one at a time, blinking and crying to flush the chemicals DONT
RUB YOUR EYES!!!!
Dehydration.
Look for paleness
of the face, dark colored and infrequent urine, dry mouth, dizziness.
Give water, sit down in a cool spot and breathe.
Exposure Don't
underestimate the effects of the weather - be prepared !!! Wear hats
long sleeved clothes/a scarf - also good protection from capsicum spray….(Capsicum
spray sticks to sunscreen, moisturizer, make up)Big sunglasses are a
must
Shock(physiological)
Look for stupor,
dilated pupils. Take to safe place, lay down with feet up and keep warm,
don’t give food or water, if thirsty moisten lips. Always stay with
shocked or injured people.
Shock (Psychological)
Speak to the person
in a calm even manner, give them some small task to do ("help me
fill the water bottles") talk about yourself or the weather, if
the person is consenting human contact can be very grounding (doesn’t
have to be a full body hug! Even just shaking hands can be it!