Like I previously stated in one of my posts, many of us are too busy to find time to actually prepare and I've been around others who simply state that they don't need it as "the ambulance is just around the corner". I shudder at that last part. While it is true that emergency services are minutes away after dialing 911 (or whatever your emergency number may be), it is important to remember that time is crucial. Say you're watching your friend bleed out in front of you and you dial 911. What are you going to do? Stand there and let him bleed out all over the ground and moan in agony while you're expecting that ambulance to just arrive out of the blue? Sorry, they didn't mention that there are drivers that don't take their lights and sirens seriously.
Now we'll rewind.
Your friend cuts him self pretty bad in the arm and he's losing a lot of blood. You notice it's squirting bright red and he's quickly going pale. Now, you're not trained and didn't think you need to be but you, as a rational-being, notice that something isn't right. Your conscious-mind will tell you that you need to stop that bleed. So instinctively you grab a cloth and you put it against the wound. Then there are people surrounding the situation and you tell them to back off, as it's making your friend feel restless with all the attention. You tell them to clear the area as the ambulance comes around the corner..
...
1) The number one thing to do in any emergency is to REMAIN CALM. Simply by staying next to some one's side and consciously making effort to not panic will save that person's life. Your judgement will not be clouded, you won't waste time relaying information to emergency call-takers (911) and you won't make the patient uneasy. With your judgement clear, you'll be able to make decisions and observe things clearly. You may notice that there are a group of people gathering around or that there's something that is causing a potential hazard around your patient. Relaying information to emergency call-takers properly is crucial as you are reporting what you see and feel, which by the time the first responders get there, they'll already have an idea of how to treat the person--which saves more time. Ensuring that your patient is relaxed, kept warm and comfortable does not stress the body into making an injury worse. Shock** (medical shock) sets in pretty fast, and it usually means the person is losing valuable time. Gain time by allowing them to relax, which can help slow down the onset of shock.
Going back to the story; because this person stayed calm, they were able to observe what was going on and how to appropriately react to the situation unfolding in front of them.
**Shock is the body's way of reacting to a traumatic injury or life-threatening illness. In a gist, with however blood-loss occurs, the body compensates by withdrawing available blood away from non-vital organs (bowels, skin, etc) to the main ones to stay alive, such as the heart, lungs and brain. At the same time, sensor organs inside the body's compromised artery or vein is sending messages to the brain, telling it to release epinephrine (adrenaline) into the body, which constrict blood vessels. That makes the heart work harder, in turn cycles oxygen (from the blood cells) around the body quickly to give it resources to hang on just a little longer.**
2) Most first aid situations are dealt with using Common Sense. A few examples: Blood is coming out and it looks like it needs to be stopped, use your hand to stop it. Someone isn't breathing properly, tell them to relax and sit down. Someone got hit by a car, tell them to not move because it could make things worse. A lot of things done in first aid are crude but effective ways of ensuring the survival of the person in need. You do not need to be a surgeon to save the life of someone you love.
3) One thing that people fail to realize when it comes to responding to any emergency is your safety is number one. Simply put--you cannot help if you are hurt.
4) On kits; lots of pre-made first aid kits are not equipped to deal with traumatic scenarios. Get some training or help from someone who does have one and make your own kit.
Now if you do not find the time to get training, follow some of these steps on how to ensure the patient's safety.
1) Upon arrival, first ask if the person wants your help. If they are unable to answer (unconscious), then it is implied that they want your help. If they don't want your help, call 911 if you wish, but otherwise leave because you may end up in some liability problem.
2) There are things that call-takers or responders will need to know. Try and find out what happened by asking witnesses as their information is important. If not, don't move the person (unless they are in danger--IE: a gas tank about to explode beside them) and assess if they are conscious and breathing.
2) Secure the area to prevent further harm. Just make sure no one walks over the person or surrounds them, which can make things worse. The idea here is to prevent the situation from getting out of hand. So regardless keep unnecessary people away and don't let anything else happen. Just in case.
3) Enlist the help of others who are willing to help. Have someone provide security to keep others away, another to update the ambulance (if somehow you cannot) and others to flag down the medics to lead them to the site.
4) Keep the person rested and calm. Making their body get all worked up can complicate the compensations the body is trying to create for the situation at hand. Reassurance is one of the best tools as well. Stay by their side and do not leave.
5) Once help arrives, quickly update and move out of the way. Stand by if your assistance is needed again as you now developed a "relationship" with this person.
I hope this helps people out there in the real world, as nothing is ever flowers and sunshine. The way paths cross out there can potentially be fatal and it's best to remember how to at least try and fight your way through it. Although I highly suggest you get training of some kind, please do me a favour and remember the things said here.
