What to do when you witness an Emergency

You are the first responder and medic when you witness any emergency situation. This is because life is precious and whatever you do during this critical moment determines the survival of the victim. 

It is not expected that you will immediately know what to do when you witness an emergency or swoop into action and perform credibly well, especially if you are not adequately trained. This is one of the reasons Emergency response Africa, in addition to its first aid and CPR training  is organizing our Estate First Responder Volunteer Training. These training will show you what to do when you witness an emergency  but read our quick guide below to increase your awareness on what to do when you witness an emergency. 

when you witness an accident there are two courses that you can follow:

1. Natural Response: Accidents often tend to jolt you from within and make you freeze in the moment.
2. The Right Response: Staying calm and tending to the ones who need your help the most.

It is impossible to take away the natural response, but it is essential you progress to the second step quickly since lives are at stake.

While you’re always sympathetic towards the victim, you don’t always know how to turn this concern into action. The moments that follow an accident are often instrumental in deciding the impact it will have on the victim. High frequency of fatalities could be prevented if the victim received medical care within the first hour. Which begs the question, what to do when you see an emergency?

Here’s how you can in case of a medical emergency?

Call an emergency service:

When you witness any accident or encounter any medical emergency, the first thing you must do is call a reliable Emergency company like ERA as the victim would require prompt medical attention. At ERA, we understand that time is of the essence. Call us to ensure that patients always get an ambulance within 10 minutes of the call. Keep it on your speed dial!

 

 

Stay Calm:

Situations like these require one to make rational decisions, which is not always possible if you panic. Take a deep breath, calm down and take control of the situation. If people surrounding the victim panic, help them calm down and tell them to step away if necessary.

Have a quick glance around the accident scene:

If you spot any smoke or smell of gas leak, quickly call a fire station. This will help bring the others around to a safer location. Ensure the accident spot is not overcrowded with bystanders and children who weren’t injured.

Inspect the victim’s condition:

Once you’ve observed that the scene is safe, check if the victim is conscious. If the victim is conscious, gathering details such as blood group, allergies or if they are under any medication would be really helpful to our team of paramedics once they arrive. Also, ensure a friend or family member is informed about the situation if the victim is not accompanied by anyone.

Try not to move the victim unless necessary:

You can never identify all the inflicted injuries.Moving the victim in a particular way might cause dire results ranging from difficulty in breathing to even paralysis. It’s important to be cautious and gentle when moving the injured, if at all necessary.

Check if they are breathing:

Always keep a check on the patient to see if they are breathing. Especially if they are unconscious. Avoid people crowding around the victim, this makes  breathing in air oxygen difficult for the victim. A clear scene helps avoid panic or even the chances of the victim feeling claustrophobic.

Comfort the victim:

An assured and comforting presence is just as important as medical aid. Talk to the victim, try calming them down. It also helps to hold their hands in order to comfort them.

Let the professionals handle the situation once they arrive:

Once the ERA emergency medical service is at the scene, let them do their job. They have the proficiency needed to take care of medical emergencies. To help them, you can share details regarding the accident and/or the medical data of the injured person in question, that you may have gathered.

Culled from Channels TV Website: A multiple accident occurred at the Otedola bridge axis of Lagos-Ibadan express way on Wednesday involving a petrol tanker.

Ensure that the accident spot isn’t jammed:

Keeping the traffic moving at the accident spot helps a great deal. It’s important to do this so that the ambulance can arrive on time to deal with the medical emergency. Get as much help from others as you can. Ask people to move along and clear the way.

Emergency service professionals carry the colossal responsibility of providing prompt medical attention to trauma victims.

But we, as good samaritans, can surely help save a life. When dealing with such emergencies, the first hour after an accident, known as the Golden Hour, is extremely crucial. A patient reaching a medical facility and receiving proper treatment within the Golden Hour increases their chances of survival.

Yes, accidents are scary. But you don’t have to be medically trained to help save a life. All it takes is compassion, awareness and genuine care for human life.

Remember the above pointers if you ever come across an emergency. They could very well play a significant role in saving a life.

Call our 24-7 toll free line if you ever come across such an emergency: