No one ever expects an emergency…
And that’s exactly what makes them so dangerous!
But what if YOU were prepared?
What if you had the basic knowledge needed to handle an emergency situation that allowed you to stay calm and be effective?
What if you knew how to prevent further injury and even save a life?
Sounds great, right?! So what does an “everyday hero,” such as yourself, need to know?
There are 5 basic emergency procedures that you should know “just in case”…
1 – How to help someone who is choking
Learning how to effectively and safely perform the Heimlich Maneuver on an adult or child choking victim is a vital, life-saving skill that can make all the difference in this emergency situation.
(For infants, back blows and chest thrusts are a safer way to dislodge food or toys blocking the airway.)
2 – How to control bleeding
A person who is experiencing a lot of blood loss can actually die from bleeding out in as little as 5 min. Even if emergency personnel are on the way, bystanders can play a crucial role in preventing this devastating outcome. Quick action to stop the bleeding is important!
Get a Stop the Bleed Kit to keep at home or car take in your car so you are always prepared.
3 – Splinting fractured bones and/or stabilizing injured limbs
Accidents happen. Whether it is a major car wreck or as simple as a trip & fall – bones break all the time! And when someone breaks a bone, managing pain is only part of the reason stabilizing the fracture matters.
Transporting a victim without doing so can cause further injury and MUCH more pain. Knowing how to use the materials available and how to use them correctly is crucial.
4 – How to perform CPR (and use an AED if available)
Why should you learn how to do CPR? Because brain tissue starts to die within minutes when the heart stops beating.
Being trained by an instructor on how to assess the need for CPR and perform it correctly is imperative to feeling confident enough to take action in an emergency where you might be the key to saving a life.
You can sign up for a Golden State CPR Same Day Certification class HERE
5 – When it is appropriate to call 911 because the victim is in need of care that a bystander cannot provide
You may be thinking that this doesn’t sound like much of an “emergency procedure” but you’d be wrong! Understanding when a situation is serious and knowing how to assess the damage that may not be visible on the surface is not a skill the average person has.
Shock, internal bleeding, broken bones, and symptoms of strokes or heart attacks are just some of the reasons to call 911 that may go unnoticed. Know how to recognize a true “unseen emergency” and get help.
