1 Dial 911
3Give first aid
2Give information
ACTION IN AN EMERGENCY
11
ASSESSING A VICTIM’ S INJURIES
Check the victim to assess her injuries
• Deal first with any life-threatening conditions the victim may have, such as unconsciousness( p. 21), breathing difficulties( p. 12), or heavy loss of blood( p. 31).
• Check for and treat any other injuries.
CALLING AN AMBULANCE
1 Dial 911
• Check the victim’ s breathing before calling for help.
• If possible, send someone else to make the call and ask him or her to confirm that help is on the way.
• If you are alone with a child who is unconscious or an adult who has drowned, choked, or been injured, give rescue breaths( pp. 16 – 17) and / or CPR( pp. 18 – 20) for 1 minute before making the call.
• If you are alone with an adult who is not breathing and you suspect a heart attack, dial 911 immediately.
• If you have to leave a victim who is breathing, place him in the recovery position( pp. 14 – 15).
3Give first aid
• Give the appropriate first-aid to the victim.
• Stay with the victim until medical help arrives.
• Monitor the victim’ s breathing( p. 68 for an adult, p. 71 for a child), pulse( p. 68 for an adult, p. 70 for a child), and consciousness( p. 12) until the ambulance arrives.
Monitor the victim’ s condition while waiting for the ambulance
2Give information
• Tell the ambulance dispatcher where you are, your telephone number, what has happened, the age, sex, condition, and injuries of the victim( s), and whether any hazards are still present, such as a fire or gasoline on the road.