51 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleKate Justice
BBCA former soldier has been using his military experience to help people living in war zones in Ukraine.
Paul Taylor, who lives in Hay-on-Wye, Herefordshire, is a veteran of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and now works for UK Charity REACT Disaster Response.
“It is tough, but it’s a huge privilege to be able to use the skills that I’ve accrued doing a number of things over a number of years and put that to good,” said Taylor, who has just returned from his 10th mission .
REACT was set up following the earthquakes in Nepal in 2015 and has responded to multiple earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis and wars around the world.
Lewis InmanThe latest deployment was to offer tactical battlefield medical training to civilians in the war zone.
Taylor has been going to Ukraine since the first Russian invasion, more than four years ago.
“For the last two years, it’s been for what we call incident management training,” he said.
“How can we help them keep themselves safe… the large chunk of it is trauma medicine training – how can they keep someone breathing, how can they stop someone bleeding and the final bit is, having kept that person alive how can you evacuate them to definitive medical care, so to a hospital, to a paramedic, onto an ambulance.”
Lewis InmanFellow veteran and REACT volunteer, Lizzy Stileman, is now in the Army Reserves after 20 years in the British Army as an officer.
Stileman said she volunteered for REACT because she wanted to be able to help when it matters most.
“Seeing the challenges people face in Ukraine, I feel that even a small contribution can make a meaningful difference, and it’s motivating to know that the work we’re doing helps build confidence, preparedness, and potentially saves lives.”
Lewis InmanREACT staff and volunteers also provide medical supplies such as tourniquets for families who live in the areas susceptible to drone attacks.
“We have trained mum, dad and two kids because they are exposed to the harsh reality of this every single day.” said Taylor.
“We were also training internet engineers… as soon as there’s a strike, internet goes down, these people are out on the streets in extremely dangerous conditions, up poles etc, having to fix the internet connection.
“It’s fairly rudiamentry, so it’s tourniquets and it’s what you would know as field dressings but it’s life saving… we’re trying to put that knowledge and skill close to the incident. That’s what’s going to save people’s lives.”
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UkraineVeteransBritish ArmyBritish Armed ForcesWar in Ukraine
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