Five Steps Keep People Alive and Safe Until Professional Help Arrives
If you’re the first on the scene during an emergency, you can make a difference. It doesn’t require any special skills but can potentially be the difference between life and death.
The Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Emergency Preparedness has five steps to keep people alive and safe until professional help arrives:
Call 911. Be prepared to answer questions. The more specific information you give, the faster they can get the right equipment and people on the scene to help.
- Specify the type of emergency (fire, medical, police).
- Know the location or a landmark and how many injured.
- The more specific information you give, the faster they can get the right equipment and people on the scene to help. Turn a light on or find another way to make it easy for emergency responders to find you.
Protect yourself and the injured person(s) from harm.
- Assess the situation. Is there a fire, gas leak or some other looming danger.
- If possible, move the injured from harm using whatever you can.
- Use best judgement to stay safe from harm until help arrives.
Stop life-threatening bleeding.
- Apply firm, steady pressure to stop life-threatening bleeding. Use a barrier, such as bandage, gauze, cloth, against the blood. If the barrier becomes blood soaked, replace it. Do not layer more things on top of it
- Hold pressure until responders arrive, even if it’s uncomfortable for the injured.
- Understand when to use a tourniquet, and if necessary, apply the tourniquet above the wound.
Position the injured so they can breathe.
Someone who is awake will naturally assume the position that is best for them given their injuries.
- Assist and support them as needed.
- Ensure the chest can expand fully and the airway is clear. The three universal positions are best:
- Tripod (bending forward with hands resting on knees),
- Side Position (on side with head tilted to drain fluid away from airway), or
- Recovery Position (on side with leg bent overlapping other leg, arm resting under face and head tilted).
Provide comfort.
- Ask the injured person before you do anything.
- Provide kind words and offer a hand to hold. Maintain eye contact.
- Be patient and understanding. Be a good listener.
- Offer physical comfort like a blanket to prevent hypothermia.
- Be respectful of and responsive to individual cultural health beliefs and practices.
When help arrives, step back to allow the professionals to work but remain close in case they have any questions.
If you want to be able to respond during emergency situations, consider the following trainings:
- First Aid Training
- CPR and AED (defibrillator) Training
- Stop the Bleed Training
- Revive! Training to respond to opioid overdose emergencies using naloxone.
To find training near you, contact your local health district or the American Red Cross.