First aid training: six members of our team certified PSC 1
PSC 1 (Prévention et Secours Civiques level 1) is the basic first aid training in France, open to all citizens. On 28 October 2026, six members of the team at TAWKR, a face-to-face direct marketing agency, took this one-day course with the French Red Cross and all earned their certificate. Here is what you learn, how to sign up and why everyone should learn life-saving skills.
Why learn first aid?
When someone faints, chokes or goes into cardiac arrest, the first few minutes are critical. The people on the spot are often the only ones who can act before emergency services arrive. Knowing what to do, and daring to do it, makes all the difference.
Learning first aid helps you to:
act without waiting in an emergency, at work, at home or in the street;
gain confidence: you know which actions to take and in what order;
protect your loved ones and everyone you meet day to day;
get involved in a concrete civic commitment that is useful to everyone.
Our PSC 1 day
We have all wondered: what if someone collapsed right here, right now, how would I react? For six of us, the answer is now clear.
Lucile, Justine, Jaro, Florentin, Hajira and Honorine volunteered to take the PSC 1 with the French Red Cross on Wednesday 28 October 2026. A civic step that reflects the values of mutual support and care for others we stand for every day.
Throughout the day, participants learned and above all practised first aid skills, based on different situations and the dangers anyone may face as a citizen.
At the end of the day, a role-play test checked that everything learned had really been mastered. The result: the PSC 1 certificate for all six participants, ready to act as citizen first aiders if the situation calls for it.
What you learn during a PSC 1
Protect, examine, alert and help: these are the watchwords of PSC 1. The course covers in particular:
Protecting: securing the area to prevent a further accident.
Examining: assessing the victim's condition to adapt your response.
Alerting: calling emergency services (in France, 15 for medical emergencies, 18 for the fire brigade, 112 the European emergency number) and passing on the right information.
Responding to choking: the actions to clear the airways.
Stopping heavy bleeding.
Caring for an unconscious person who is breathing: the recovery position.
Acting in a cardiac arrest: chest compressions and using a defibrillator.
Most of the day is hands-on: role-play scenarios to repeat the actions until they become second nature.
The link with our work
Our business is built on human contact. Every day, our Field Experts meet the public on behalf of brands and charities, and our support teams work together to manage campaigns. Paying attention to others and knowing how to react are values that matter, in the office and in the field.
Seeing colleagues volunteer for this kind of initiative is also a way of bringing our CSR commitment to life every day.
How to learn first aid: 5 tips
Choose the right course. PSC 1 is the reference citizen course in France, open to everyone. Sessions are available at croix-rouge.fr/formations.
Tell the citizen setting from the professional one. For training in a professional context, the French Red Cross refers organisations to Croix-Rouge Compétences, its professional training centre. The SST course (workplace first aider) also meets this need.
Train with others. Learning with colleagues or loved ones makes the day more motivating and builds bonds.
Practise regularly. Skills fade: taking a refresher from time to time keeps you ready.
Talk about it. The more people are trained, the better the chances of acting quickly.
FAQ - first aid training and PSC 1
What is PSC 1?
PSC 1, or Prévention et Secours Civiques level 1, is the basic first aid training for the general public in France. It takes one day and teaches how to protect, examine, alert and help in the main emergency situations.
Why learn first aid?
Learning first aid lets you act in the first minutes of an emergency, before emergency services arrive. It is a civic commitment that is useful every day, at work and in your personal life.
How do you sign up for a PSC 1 course?
French Red Cross PSC 1 courses are available on croix-rouge.fr, in the Formations section. Simply choose a session and register online.
What is the difference between PSC 1 and SST?
PSC 1 is a citizen training course open to everyone. SST (Sauveteur Secouriste du Travail, workplace first aider) is designed for the professional setting, also covers risk prevention at work and must be renewed regularly.
Does PSC 1 lead to a certificate?
Yes. At the end of the course, a PSC 1 certificate of competence is awarded to participants who have completed the day and shown they are able to act.
Where can employees be trained in first aid?
For training in a professional context, the French Red Cross refers organisations to Croix-Rouge Compétences, its professional training centre. Bodies approved to deliver SST training are another option.
Conclusion
One day is enough to learn the actions that can save a life. By taking the PSC 1 with the French Red Cross, six members of the TAWKR team are now ready to act as citizen first aiders. Why not take the step too?`
Want to join a team that looks out for others, in the office and in the field?
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