Mobile apps issued to popularize first-aid knowledge

aThe Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) on Sunday released a set of mobile phone application to popularize first-aid knowledge and skill in China. The application, developed by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, has been introduced to many countries including China, said Zhao Baige, executive vice-president of the RCSC, at the unveiling ceremony. Mobile phone users can learn knowledge on first-aid, emergency and disaster-prevention, methods for self-rescue and mutual-rescue through the application, especially when people are in critical conditions, according to Zhao. "The Red Cross Society of China has trained more than 3 million first-aid rescuers annually over the past five years. However, the popularity rate of first-aid knowledge in China is about one percent," said Zhao, adding that the ratio falls far behind developed countries. Mobile phone users can also learn emergency disposal methods of 21 common injuries such as bleeding and heart attack via downloading such application, the official said. The British Red Cross Society firstly developed such software in 2011 and it has been downloaded over one million times in Britain and the United States since its initial release. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies launched the research project in May 2013, and China has joined the project and become one of the 17 pilot countries in this field.