Who we are
Casualties Union is the Charity whose volunteers spare time to train and practise casualty simulation. Many of us are first aiders, and some are medical professionals. We share the conviction that rescue, first aid and medical training is improved by having casualties and patients who look and behave as realistically as possible.
What we do
Bringing Training to Life
Our mission is simple: to make first aid and medical training as realistic and effective as possible.
We do this by creating lifelike scenarios with carefully applied makeup and believable acting. From a faint or a heart attack to a small splinter or a broken bone, we make it look real. But it’s not just about how it looks — we act the part too, using realistic posture, expressions, and speech to show how a real patient would respond.
During exercises, we react naturally to the care given and provide helpful feedback, both while the scenario is happening and afterwards in a debrief. This helps trainees learn what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve — all in a safe, supportive environment.
Whether you want to book us to enhance your training or join our team of volunteers, you’ll be helping to make life-saving skills even more effective.
Interested in joining?
Our branches are always happy to welcome new members! If you enjoy learning new skills and being part of a supportive team, you’ll love what we do.
Regular training meetings introduce new volunteers to our techniques and help experienced members keep their skills sharp. You’ll learn how to create realistic injuries with makeup, act as a casualty, and give valuable feedback during training exercises.
We’re invited to take part in an incredible variety of events, including:
-
Paramedic and fire service training
-
Major traffic incident simulations
-
First aid competitions
-
Hospital emergency drills
-
Airport safety exercises
-
Urban search and rescue training
Practical Considerations
You don’t need any previous knowledge to join us — we’ll give you all the training you need in acting, makeup, and staging at your local branch. Of course, being handy with makeup, having a bit of acting experience, or knowing some first aid can be a bonus, but it’s definitely not essential!
As a volunteer, your expenses for attending duties will be reimbursed, so you’re never out of pocket.
Most of our scenarios are hands-on, so a reasonable level of mobility is helpful — you might be asked to walk onto a site or lie on the ground as part of a role. Some exercises take place outdoors, which can mean playing the part of a casualty in wet or chilly weather.
If you’re adaptable, enjoy teamwork, and like the idea of making training more realistic (and fun!), you’ll fit right in.
Every role we play helps make real-world responders more effective
and could even save lives.
Watch how we do it…
Some of our Clients
