Learning basics of first aid through new board game Rescue Rush

"Every second counts, your actions can save lives" is the message that six programming students from the Lycée des Arts et Métiers wish to convey with their new board game "Rescue Rush" as part of the Mini-Company programme. The six students created the game with the aim to teach, people from a very early age, the basics of first aid training. With the hope of enabling swift assistance and providing some relief to rescue services.

As a member of a mini-company, Matti Wirtz had firsthand experience with an ambulance crew and observed that few people had the necessary knowledge to provide first aid, hindering their ability to respond effectively.

Wirtz highlights that basic first aid knowledge can help improve the organisation of aid, ensuring people receive prompt assistance. This insight led students from the Lycée des Arts et Métiers to develop a board game aimed at teaching first aid basics to children aged 8 and above. Wirtz explains that this approach allows children to learn how to react swiftly and take the right actions while awaiting professional help.

The board game takes players on a journey as ambulances across Luxembourg. As the player reaches a patient, the player has to draw one of 100 action cards, each indicating a method to treat the patient. Players also have other cards that contain all sorts of equipment found in first aid kits. Choosing the correct treatment option earns the player points, with bonus points for successfully reaching the hospital with the patient. The dice also play a role in the game. An exclamation mark on the dice triggers a question about preventive measures. If the player answers correctly, they gain an advantage in the game.

© RTL

However, Matti Wirtz clarifies that the knowledge from the game is merely theoretical, emphasising that the game is not a replacement for a first aid training course, but rather a way of teaching children fundamental knowledge and to motivate them to participate in a first aid training course.

Rescue Rush was developed in collaboration with the Foundation Kräizbierg, which provides support to disabled people in the form of care and professional development. On the one hand, the Foundation Kräizbierg prints the game cards, the board, the rule book, and the box for the game. On the other hand, the 3D figures and the dice are printed by the students themselves with a 3D printer.

The students emphasise the importance of producing the game entirely in Luxembourg, both to support the local economy and reduce transport distances. With the backing of the Foundation Kräizbierg, they were able to print the game to a high standard while staying true to the project's social objectives.

Crucially, Jeff Herr, Luxembourg's only first aid instructor for children, ensured the accuracy of all first aid information in the game.

In addition, the students have developed a digital version of Rescue Rush, which will be freely accessible to reach a wider audience. This digital version is set to launch in the spring.

An exciting and interactive game full of questions and mini-games in realistic scenarios awaits every interested player!

You can find more information about the game and purchase locations on the mini-company's website.

© RTL