How to act in an emergency? Fundamental Steps that You Should Know

There are different types of emergencies that, depending on the situation, can put the lives of one or more people at risk. Some examples are heart problems, serious choking, severe bleeding, poisoning, or loss of consciousness, among many other situations and contexts. It is essential to know that many of these situations can be reversed with simple knowledge.

There are different types of emergencies that, depending on the situation, can put the lives of one or more people at risk. Some examples are heart problems, serious choking, severe bleeding, poisoning, or loss of consciousness, among many other situations and contexts.

It is essential to know that many of these situations can be resolved with simple and practical emergency care considerations.

3 Steps to Follow in an Emergency

There are three fundamental steps that all people must take into account when giving a first response in an emergency, no matter what happens, where it happens, or who the affected person is.

Step 1: Review the Context

First of all, the most important thing is to observe the place to:

• Find out if there is any danger that could put us at risk.
• Try to understand what happened.
• Find out how many people are affected.
• Find out if there is any other immediate danger.
• Find out if there is anyone else to ask for help. Everyone can help in an emergency.

After asking for help, your first thought may be to run to the injured person. But stop and think before doing anything. Make sure you are in a safe place. If not, wait in a safe place until an emergency team arrives.

Then, the injured person must be checked. We must assess whether they are responding, breathing, or suffering severe bleeding. 

If they are conscious, you must analyze their behavior, try to understand what is happening, and constantly assess their health status.

If they are unconscious, you must check their breathing. To do this, you should lean back and observe the movement of the chest from a distance for 5 to 10 seconds (you can observe the chest, abdomen, or back if the person is face down).

Step 2: Call Emergency Services

The next step is to call 911 medical emergency services after evaluating the person's condition. The emergency services will always ask about the situation, which is why you should give clear and precise information about what is happening. You can also point to someone near you and tell them what number to call and what to say if they do not have a phone.

The emergency services will basically ask us two things:

What happened?

We must describe what happened (a fire, a traffic accident, a fight, an injured or ill person, a robbery, etc.), giving as much information as possible about the situation: whether there are people injured and how many, whether they are conscious, whether there is anyone trapped (for example, in a fire), etc.

Where did it happen?

The more information we give the emergency services, the less time it will take them to get to the scene. If we witness a pedestrian injured in a traffic accident, it is crucial to give the name of the street if we know it or can see it. If not, provide references to something that is known, such as a monument, a notable business, etc. On the road, we can indicate whether it is a motorway or a dual carriageway, and we can also indicate the name of the road. If we don't know, we must say where we are going from and where we are going, how long it has been since we last passed through a town, etc.

Although all of these instructions may seem obvious, they are not always carried out correctly. We are exposed to an event that causes us stress, which we are not used to dealing with.

Step 3: Apply First-Aid Maneuvers

While waiting for the emergency system to arrive, you can begin with basic first aid treatments that help preserve the person's health and thus prevent their condition from worsening. Remember to avoid:

One of the first things you should do is give the victim CPR. This technique involves giving the person uninterrupted chest compressions, 100 to 120 times per minute, while paramedics arrive.

If you are experienced, you can check the patient's pulse and try to give rescue breaths after the first 30 chest compressions. If you are not a healthcare professional, you need to get trained in basic resuscitation to help save lives.

After this, place a semi-conscious or unconscious victim in the recovery position until the ambulance arrives. However, DO NOT move the person if there has been or may be a neck injury.

Final Thoughts

It's scary to think that someone may get hurt. But the truth is that accidents can and do happen. That's why it's good to know what to do if someone needs emergency medical help. 

You don't have to go through emergency situations alone. Injury Rely offers a vast network of medical professionals to help you in situations like these. You can contact us in cases of emergencies or accidents, and we will be there to help you. You can always count on us.