Introduction: Firefighting is a part of a system of defence against different types of threats. It is organized as a public service for protection, rescue and help. It is spread throughout Slovenia's territory. The system is well equipped and responds quickly. Therefore, firefighters are the most frequently called non-professional group. Volunteer firefighters often find themselves in the situation of providing first aid during their operational work. Purpose: The purpose of the diploma thesis is to assess the level of knowledge about first aid among the voluntary operational firefighters of the Firefighting Association Vrhnika. Method: A descriptive method was used. An online questionnaire which was prepared on the basis of a literature review, served as measurement instrument. Data obtained by surveying volunteer firefighters of the Firefighting Association Vrhnika were included in the statistical analysis. The survey was conducted between December 2018 and January 2019. Data were statistically processed with descriptive statistics by using Microsoft Excel 2016 described and graphically presented. Results: 89 respondents participated in the survey, 59 of whom had completed specialized firefighter first responder training. Volunteer firefighters have self-assessed their knowledge of first aid as sufficient (¯(x )= 2,29). The first-aid related questions were answered more correctly by those firefighters who had completed firefighter-first responder training. Volunteer firefighters are aware of the importance of regularly updating their knowledge and practising in full gear in a simulated first-aid environment. Discussion and conclusion: The firefighting organization has long outgrown its original purpose, which was solely to fight fires. It has developed into an organization that carries most of the burden of the national security system on a voluntary basis. Therefore, it can also be described as one of the most important links in the chain of survival. Often, volunteer firefighters without formal first-aid training are the first contact with the victim. Due to the scope of their work in firefighting interventions, volunteer firefighters need to be aware of the importance of regular and frequent refresher training in first-aid knowledge and skills. Despite the good knowledge of those who come into contact with first aid more often in their work, it is necessary to introduce regular refresher courses in firefighting associations.
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