1 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright © 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved. Created By… First Aid— Responding to Emergencies

Chapter 1: If Not You…Who?

3 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright © 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved. Recognizing Emergencies  Types of emergencies –  Sudden illness  Injury  Emergencies are characterized by -  Life-threatening  Non-life-threatening

4 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright © 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved. Citizen Responder  Your primary role as a citizen responder in an emergency includes—  Recognizing that an emergency exists.  Deciding to act.  Taking action by calling or the local emergency number to activate EMS.  Giving care until help arrives.

5 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright © 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved. Overcoming Barriers to Action  Reasons people give for not helping are called barriers to action. They include:  Presence of bystanders  Uncertainty about the victim  Nature of the injury or illness  Fear of disease transmission  Fear of doing something wrong

6 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright © 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved. Until Help Arrives  Always follow the pre-arrival instructions.  Ask yourself…  “In what other ways can I give help?”

7 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright © 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved. Preparing for Emergencies  Keep important information.  Keep medical and insurance records.  Find out if your community is served by or a local emergency telephone number.  Keep emergency telephone numbers listed.  Keep a first aid kit readily available (pg ).  Learn and stay up to date on first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills.  Make sure your house or apartment number is easy to read.  Wear a medical alert tag.

Chapter 2: Responding to an Emergency

9 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright © 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved. Emergency Action Steps  Follow the Emergency Action Steps:  CHECK  The scene and the victim.  CALL  or the local emergency number.  CARE  For the victim until EMS arrives.

10 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright © 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved. Making the Call  Send someone else to call or the local emergency number.  If you are alone: Call First –  Call 911 before giving care for-  An unconscious adult victim or adolescent age 12 or older.  A witnessed sudden collapse of a child or infant.  An unconscious infant or child known to be at a high risk for heart problems.

11 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright © 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved.  If you are alone: Care First -  Give 2 minutes of care, then call 911 for-  An unconscious victim younger than age 12.  Any victim of submersion or near drowning.  Situations related to breathing emergencies rather than sudden cardiac arrest. Making the Call

12 AMERICAN RED CROSS FIRST AID–RESPONDING TO EMERGENCIES FOURTH EDITION Copyright © 2006 by The American National Red Cross All rights reserved. Closing  The emergency action steps: CHECK—CALL—CARE will guide your actions in any emergency.  If you are in a situation in which you are the only person other than the victim, you must make a decision to Call First or Care First :  Call First situations are generally cardiac-related emergencies.  Care First situations are usually breathing-related emergencies.