In our everyday life, there is always that possibility of an accident presenting itself right before our eyes. Unfortunately, in most cases, the bystander involved are not fully aware of what should be done. If you happen to come across such situation, would you know what to do?
When it comes to an emergency situation, the first thing that you have to keep in mind is that you need to remain calm. People who are rattled or nervous when handling emergency situations might not be able to provide the proper assistance. Such could lead to the victim being put in more danger.
Before you attend to the victim, make sure you already have someone calling 911, or the emergency number in your area. This would ensure that help is on the way. Keep in mind that you cannot do everything by yourself. Make use of the people and bystanders around you in order to ensure the life of the victim.
You would need to ascertain if the victim is responsive or not. This is typically done by tapping the victim on both shoulders and saying, “Hey, hey, are you okay?”. If the victim is able to respond, make sure that he or she is calm. Look for any possible bleeding sites. It would also be a good idea to check if the pulse is steady. Keep the victim lying down until help arrives. On the other hand, if you have determined that the victim us unresponsive and is not breathing, make sure that you have him or her flat on his back. Loosen his or her clothing and start administering CPR. Check Start administering chest compressions and then check the airway for any obstruction. Administer breaths if needed. Continue the cycle until the paramedics arrive or if you get tired. If possible, make use of an AED in order to administer electric current to the heart and restore normal beating pattern.
In the off chance that you are not familiar with how CPR is done, start with chest compressions. The only thing that you would have to keep in mind is that, when it comes to chest compressions, you would need to administer at least 100 compressions in a minute. Each compression should be 5 cm in depth. Keep in mind that these compressions should be done two inches above the point where the sternum ends. Do not compress directly into the heart as this might cause the ribs to break. Broken ribs can cause splinter to nick vital arteries and veins in the heart. Just like in the former situation, the presence of an AED can also help you do the whole CPR procedure without breaking a sweat. It can also help restore the correct beating pattern to the heart.
The best way to respond to arm yourself with knowledge of how to respond to emergency cases would be to undergo needed CPR training and certification program. Citywide CPR happens to be one of the most notable providers of such service.
