First Aid Complexity Engagement Tool (FACET) a Novel Tool for Disaster Relief Charities to Identify First Aid Requirements Within Team Composition to Ensure First Aid Self-Sufficiency

Introduction: Taskforce Kiwi is a veteran-led volunteer disaster relief charity that responds to disasters in Aotearoa/New Zealand and internationally. TFK aims to help disaster-affected communities in their recovery, promote veteran psychosocial well-being, and ensure self-sufficiency in first aid (without burdening affected communities). FACET is used when initially defining skill requirements for the deploying team. The tool will be available for use by other organizations. Methods: Each deployment must have an appropriate team composition with relevant first-aid skills for the deployment’s injury risk. Volunteer time is valuable, and the use of skills should be optimized. Medical oversight via telehealth and standing orders for essential medications will be a force multiplier of skills for the less qualified. FACET requires the following data: * Likely state of disaster on arrival * Location * Duration * Likely activities to be undertaken * Effectiveness/Availability of local Emergency Services * Local Emergency Services ETA if called Using a series of predefined drop-down boxes, the data is evaluated to determine the required competencies to complete the activities and the severity of possible injuries, and then identifies the first aid competency level needed. Results: The FACET identifies the minimum first aid competency required. Namely: * Basic First Aid * Disaster (Austere) First Aid (in house curriculum and training) * Veteran Defence Force Medics * Registered Health Care Professionals Thus, relevant potential team members can be quickly identified. Conclusion: FACET has been verified retrospectively across several domestic and international deployments, aligning with the actual first aid inputs required. FACET is an objective tool (spreadsheet/mobile phone app) to document and inform team composition for disaster recovery deployments of volunteers, ensuring appropriate first aid competencies commensurate with the austerity and hazards of the situation. FACET objectively supports what might otherwise only be a “gut feeling” and provides objective data for ongoing risk and hazard analysis.