If you are first on the scene and find someone who has collapsed or had an accident, what you do in those first minutes is critical.
Most ambulances aim to get to a life-threatening emergency within eight minutes. However, a lot can happen in 8 minutes and the first aid you give whilst waiting for the ambulance could mean the difference between life and death. At the moment the NHS is under increasing strain and the UK’s ambulance service is under more pressure than ever. The London Ambulance Service is currently receiving up to 8,000 emergency calls a day. To find out whether it’s really necessary to call am ambulance take a look at our article “9 signs that you should urgently call an ambulance“.
Here we outline the vital first aid response that could help keep someone alive until the ambulance arrives.
First, take a deep breath to clear your head. Don’t rush in, keep yourself and the casualty calm and get an overview of the situation. See if you can identify what the most serious problem is. The most obvious problem isn’t always the most serious.
Ensure you and the casualty are safe from further danger and continually re-evaluate this. If you are in danger, make the situation safe (eg switch off a car engine etc)
Next, check for response. Speak to them and gently shake them to see if they’re conscious.
No response from the casualty
Open the airway and check for breathing.
Treat the most life-threatening problems first, such as lack of breathing or catastrophic bleeding. You can check for broken bones and other injuries afterwards.
Casualty unconscious
If a person is unconscious and breathing and has no other life-threatening conditions – place in the recovery position to protect their airway.