With the high rate of crisis and emergencies we face as a nation every day, would we be better off to follow military policies on getting as many people trained to be first responders as possible?
Many states (if not of them) have "Good Samaritan Laws" on the books. These stipulate we must stop to render aid and/or protect those who do from liability for their help. While this is a worthwhile and noble effort, why do we not do more?
A possible solution? State and local officials make it law that people who get certified for first aid at a first responder or higher level (EMT, Paramedic) can deduct those costs from their taxes. We are not talking about the professional medical employees, just those who do not earn a wage for their time and effort. (I am open to other suggestions but am only discussing unpaid civilians at present).
The Army (and probably every branch) learned that having everyone trained as Combat Lifesavers made a difference on the battlefield. Our medics just couldn't work on everyone at the same time, so Combat Lifesavers were used as a "force multiplier" to the medical corps. The same holds true at mass casualty incidents, whether a massive vehicle pileup, tornados, earthquakes, an active shooter, hurricanes, terrorist attack, or civil unrest; the more immediate a victim begins getting aid, the better their survival chances.
Some people do not take the training over cost. It is often a steep price for one that will not see an increase in their worth (income). While the Return On Investment is shown with the first life saved, most feel they will never be involved in anything that warrants this investment. By allowing a tax deduction, the government does not lose anything but gains many first responders to help them perform their greatest duty, provide for the common welfare of the citizens.
Another aspect is a system in place to help reimburse or replace medical supplies used. A fully functional trauma kit is expensive to purchase. The small first aid kits you find on department store shelves in white boxes are a false sense of security at best for true disasters and injuries. While many of us do purchase medical supplies, some may be hesitant to either purchase or use their supplies on "strangers".
County emergency managers or county ambulance/fire services could help by replenishing the first aid supplies of those Good Samaritans (I know many ambulance and fire departments do this already when more expensive items are used... they are true professionals and public servants). I do not expect the responding medical professionals to deal with this at the incident, they have lives to save. If responding law enforcement or medical professionals can take down a name and contact information, the supplies can be reimbursed or replaced for the Good Samaritan. If a civilian first responder outfits their kit for a mass casualty incident, it is possible they would spend over $100 on supplies for each victim they help. They pay for these supplies out of their own pocket to help their fellow citizens. The government taxes those same citizens and the responder to provide these services, so why can't the Good Samaritan be reimbursed for providing the government's responsibility up front?