Prolonged Field Care Podcast PFC Podcast 258: Medical Safety in Ukraine
Dec 8, 2025
Nicholas Samuels, a humanitarian worker in Ukraine since 2022, shares his firsthand insights on medic safety amidst the war. He emphasizes the critical need for medics to prioritize their own safety and stay aware of drone threats. Nicholas discusses the challenges of planning realistic evacuations, advocating for meticulous preparation and local intel gathering. He offers wisdom for new volunteers about patience and proper training, and underscores the war's deeper moral and philosophical implications, reminding listeners that humanitarian efforts extend beyond medical support.
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Prioritize Medic Self‑Preservation
- Prioritize your own safety before treating others to remain able to keep providing care.
- Continuously scan for threats like drones and assign watching duties even while treating a patient.
Drones Have Reshaped Threat Awareness
- Drone threats are now ubiquitous and change how medical teams must operate near the front.
- Small teams cannot fully monitor all approaches, so awareness and planning must compensate for this saturation.
Pack For Mobility, Not Maximum Capacity
- Prepare multiple medical bags and choose one appropriate to the mission so you stay mobile when needed.
- Plan what you'll leave behind beforehand instead of deciding in a crisis.