CPR Class & First Aid Training

Chapter Three - Emergency Rescue and Safety

Emergency Rescue and Safety is a topic which a lot of first aid courses do not include. The reason that we feel that this information is important to understand is that often times, injuries may require you to be in a potentially hazardous situation in order to help those in need.

Car Accidents & Other Hazards
The most common example of this type of activity is a car accident. Car accident scenes are very hazardous and can quickly escalate into worse scenarios. You need to be extremely careful if you decide that you are going to stop and help someone at a car accident. Make sure to look out for traffic that is approaching the scene and position yourself and vehicle in such a way that will prevent you from being involved in a secondary accident. Use your hazard lights and pull over as far off the side of the road as possible if you choose to stop.

EMS On Scene
If EMS units are already on scene then rest assured that patients are being properly tended to or will be fairly quickly. Again, don't make yourself a victim as well. This goes for any other scene where someone may have become injured. If a person is floating down a canal, don't jump in and become a victim as well. If a person has just been shot or stabbed, don't be another victim. Try to stay out of crime scenes and incidents where you or someone else could be injured.

Don't Become a Victim Also
This rule applies to people that are with the person who has been injured. You should take care to make sure that other people don't become injured as well as yourself. The general rule of thumb is that if you feel unsafe get out of there and do what you can to get other people out.

Give Good Information
Another thing about "scenes" is that you should understand what kind of information to give to dispatchers about what is going on. Be as clear as possible about what has happened, the extent of the injury, the person's condition, what you have done for them and how they have responded to any help you have provided. When you do this you will help the transition to EMS go more smoothly.

Call 9-1-1 When Needed
Again, remember to call 9-1-1 for any medical or traumatic emergencies so that advanced care can get on the scene as soon as possible. You should always consider calling if the problem presented is serious enough to warrant it. Error on the side of caution if you are unsure and call for help or have someone else do it.

Web www.CPRClass.org