In May of 2020, the founders of what is now Street Medics Austin, or SMA, observed an increase in protest related injuries during the Black Lives Matter and police brutality protests. They organized themselves in response and over the weeks and months that followed, they provided free medical services and resources at the scene of the protests, helping to ensure the safety of everyone in the community.
Since then, SMA has provided vital support for various other movements, actions, and events, both local and in other parts of Texas, as individuals and as a group. We continue to provide free medical services in situations that are often difficult for traditional emergency services to intervene in, including protests and disaster areas. We have also expanded our offerings to include first aid trainings of all kinds, as well as outreach to underserved communities, especially the unhoused community across Austin. Additionally, we are active contributors to state and country wide mutual aid networks, where we provide coordination support, volunteers, and supplies to organizations in need during events like natural disasters and civil unrest.
SMA officially became a 501(c)(3) organization in 2023 and today is made up of dozens of volunteers, completing more than 100 volunteer hours each month. Our volunteers have a variety of backgrounds and levels of medical training ranging from First Aid and CPR to those employed full time in the medical profession including in fire and rescue, nursing, surgery, and other specialties. Additionally, many of our medics supplement their professional skills with additional training on handling demonstration related injuries and other educational opportunities provided to them by us and other organizations.
Regardless of profession, when volunteering with SMA, our medics do not operate under their employing institutions, but rather as civilians under Good Samaritan clauses. In addition to medically trained volunteers, we have volunteers who help with logistics and coordination, volunteer management, and on developing and putting on training programs focused on first aid. All of our volunteers are expected to keep their skills current by pursuing continuing education and maintaining an involvement in our responses.