What to do when faced with a medical emergency
It is important to immediately state whether it is a life-threatening situation and one needs to be specific about the nature of the emergency
Wherever you may find yourself this holiday season, the key thing to remember should you be faced with an emergency is to try and stay calm and recall the contact telephone number of an emergency medical service provider.
This is according to David Stanton, head of clinical leadership at Netcare 911, who said in the case of a medical provider the operator on the other end of the line is experienced in medical emergencies and can advise one on what to do until professional help arrives.
The following tips have been provided:
What to do in the event of drowning
- Get the victim out of the water as soon as possible, but do not become a victim yourself. Make sure it is safe for you to enter the water first.
- Handle the person with care. Many submersion incidents are associated with neck injuries, so keep movement to the back and neck to a minimum.
- Assess to see if the person is awake by asking, “Hello, can you hear me?”
- Check for breathing by looking at the chest for no longer than 10 seconds. If the person is not breathing or not breathing normally (such as gasping), call immediately for medical assistance.
- Call, or have someone call, a recognised medical emergency service provider. The caller must give the call taker an accurate location of the incident and a contact number at the scene. If you are unsure of the exact location, the nearest intersection or large landmark would also be helpful.
- Never hang up on the call taker until they say you can do so, and always return to the rescuer to inform them that you have called for help.
- If the person is not breathing, immediately start CPR, beginning with chest compressions. Keep doing CPR at a ratio of 30 chest compressions, and then 2 breaths.
- CPR is vital, even if it is an amateur administering it. Keep on doing it until someone who is trained in advanced life support arrives and can take over.
- All parents should learn how to administer child CPR, as it differs from adult CPR. All people can benefit from CPR training – it is not a difficult skill to learn.
What to do in the event of a road accident
- The very first thing you have to do is to ensure your own safety. Is it safe for you to be around the accident scene? Your safety is first priority and you cannot help anyone if you are at risk.
- Stop in a safe place, with your hazard lights on and put a warning triangle at a fair distance back from the scene to alert motorists to the possible danger ahead. This will give them enough time to slow down safely.
- Look around the scene for any possible hazards. These may include petrol or diesel leaks, fire, oncoming traffic, dangerous animals or hostile bystanders.
- Assess the scene and see if there are any injuries. If there are, make sure that you phone for help by dialling an emergency medical services provider immediately. Remember to give the call taker your number in case the call gets cut off.
- When you call for help, make sure you have the location of the incident handy. If you are unsure of the exact location, the nearest intersection or large landmark would also be helpful.
- If possible, provide the call taker with a brief description of the accident scene, the number of injured patients and the nature of their injuries.
- Do not move an injured person unless absolutely necessary as you may cause further injury, especially if the person has suffered spinal injuries. Rather try to keep injured people calm by talking to them and reassuring them that help is on the way.
- If there are any patients who are bleeding heavily, try to stop the bleeding by compressing the wound with a clean towel or piece of clothing.
“There are also a few other things that you should keep in mind in order to prevent further harm to yourself or to those involved,” said Stanton.
“For example, never touch an open wound or any bodily fluids of another person if you do not have the necessary protective gear such as gloves, face masks and eye goggles.
“If a patient has a foreign object impaled anywhere in their bodies, do not remove it unless absolutely necessary as you may cause further harm by removing the object. Wait for emergency medical services to arrive and assist where required.”
What to do when reporting an emergency
Dial the emergency services number. When the call is answered, begin by stating ‘I have an emergency…’.
Give your name and contact number clearly so that we will have a means of contacting you.
Immediately state whether it is a life-threatening situation and be specific about the nature of the emergency. Give your exact location and the physical address or location where the individuals requiring assistance can be found.
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