First Aid

Responding to Emergencies

Created By

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AIDRESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved.

Chapter 1: If Not YouWho?

Recognizing Emergencies
Types of emergencies Sudden illness Injury Emergencies are characterized by Life-threatening Non-life-threatening

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AIDRESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved.

Citizen Responder
Your primary role as a citizen responder in an emergency includes Recognizing that an emergency exists. Deciding to act. Taking action by calling 9-1-1 or the local emergency number to activate EMS.

Giving care until help arrives.

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AIDRESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved.

Overcoming Barriers to Action

Reasons people give for not helping are called barriers to action. They include:
Presence of bystanders Uncertainty about the victim

Nature of the injury or illness

Fear of disease transmission Fear of doing something wrong

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AIDRESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved.

Until Help Arrives

Always follow the pre-arrival instructions. Ask yourself In what other ways can I give help?

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AIDRESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved.

Preparing for Emergencies

Keep important information.

Keep medical and insurance records.

Find out if your community is served by 9-1-1 or a local emergency telephone number. Keep emergency telephone numbers listed.

Keep a first aid kit readily available (pg.12 - 13).

Learn and stay up to date on first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills. Make sure your house or apartment number is easy to read.

Wear a medical alert tag.

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AIDRESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved.

Chapter 2: Responding to an Emergency

Emergency Action Steps

Follow the Emergency Action Steps:
CHECK The scene and the victim. CALL

9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

CARE For the victim until EMS arrives.

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AIDRESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved.

Making the Call

Send someone else to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number.

If you are alone:

Call First
Call 911 before giving care for

An unconscious adult victim or adolescent age 12 or older. A witnessed sudden collapse of a child or infant.

An unconscious infant or child known to be at a high risk for heart problems.

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AIDRESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved.

10

Making the Call

If you are alone:

Care First Give 2 minutes of care, then call 911 for

An unconscious victim younger than age 12. Any victim of submersion or near drowning. Situations related to breathing emergencies rather than sudden cardiac arrest.

11

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AIDRESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved.

Closing
The emergency action steps: CHECKCALLCARE will guide your actions in any emergency. If you are in a situation in which you are the only person other than the victim, you must make a decision to Call First or Care First : Call First situations are generally cardiac-related emergencies. Care First situations are usually breathing-related emergencies.

12

AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AIDRESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved.