2. Ask about the group’s experience in emergencies. Did they feel stress
Ask about the group’s experience in emergencies. Did they feel stress? Were they able to think clearly? How prepared were they for the emergency when it happened?

4. Know what to do while waiting for an ambulance to arrive
Make or buy first aid kits for your home and car
Get trained in first aid, CPR, AED, or pet first aid

5. Ambulance response time will be different in every community
Ambulance response time will be different in every community. In smaller cities it may be five minutes, in many larger metropolitan areas it is minutes. In rural areas it could be longer. Consider calling your local ambulance provider and asking what the average response time is for your community.
Emphasize that it can vary for every call, and that it can seem like much longer when you are waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
There are things you can do while you wait for an ambulance to arrive that can make the patient safer and more comfortable.

6. If you’re not sure—call!
When to call 911
Fire
Crime (especially if it is in progress)
Car accident (especially if someone is injured)
Medical emergency
If you’re not sure—call!
You should call 911 when something happens that you can’t handle yourself, and you need help from police, fire or emergency medical services.
When in doubt, call 911 and let the 911 operator decide

7. Why call an ambulance instead of transporting a person to the hospital yourself?
Care can start as soon as they arrive and continue until they reach the hospital
Ambulances can get someone there quickly, safely and legally
Ambulance crews know which hospital emergency rooms may be overloaded or which may be able to provide specialized care for the victim’s condition
Someone attending an injured person may not be calm and able to make good decisions while driving
Have the group brainstorm reasons that it may be better to call 911 instead of transporting someone yourself before revealing the answers

8. Make sure you’re safe before you call 911 Stay calm and be patient
Stay on the line and follow any instructions the 911 operator gives you
Have someone watch for the ambulance and show the crew how to get to the patient
Having someone watching for the ambulance is especially important in an apartment or commercial/industrial complex, or a building with more than one entrance. Try to give good directions to the 911 operator as well.

9. Try to keep the patient calm
Don’t move a patient who was injured in a car accident or a fall, or who was found unconscious
If the patient is cold, cover them with a coat or blanket
Don’t give an injured person anything to eat or drink (unless the 911 operator tells you to)
Have the group think about ways that they could keep someone who has been injured calm. Some ideas are:
Talking to them in a calm, quiet voice
Reasoning with them if they want to leave or move around
Answer their questions if they are confused, assure them that help is on the way
Comply with their wishes as much as possible
Physical contact, patting shoulder, stroking hair, as long as it doesn’t agitate them

10. If there are pets in the area think about securing them
May become aggressive or protective
May escape when EMS crews go in or out
Always keep pets secured when travelling to keep them safe if you’re in an accident
Even pets who are normally well behaved around strangers can act out when the people around them are stressed. They may try to run away or become aggressive.
They may also misunderstand the situation and become protective of the injured person, keeping first responders from doing their jobs

12. Gauze pads and adhesive tape Antiseptic ointment
Band aids (assorted sizes)
Blanket
Cold pack
Disposable gloves
Hand sanitizer
Small flashlight
Let members of the group know that pre-packaged car emergency kits are available. Like pre-made go bags, if they decide to purchase one they should take the time to open it up and go through it with all the drivers in their household so that they are familiar with what is in it. They should also add items to meet their own needs.
If they decide to include over the counter medications they should check them once a year and replace anything that is expired.

13. Pet first aid guide
Phone numbers for vet and poison control center (ASPCA operates one for pets)
Copy of medical records
Basic first aid supplies
Self-cling bandages
Hydrogen peroxide
Muzzle or cloth strips
Pet carrier

15. 25% of all emergency room visits could be avoided with basic first aid
Basic topics covered:
Breathing problems
Bleeding
Poison
Broken bones
Bug bites/animal bites
Classes are about 4 hours, costs vary
Statistic from the National Safety Council

16. Causes of heart failure that might require CPR:
CPR keeps oxygen circulating through a person’s body until their heart can be restarted
Causes of heart failure that might require CPR:
Heart attack
Drowning
Electric shock
Suffocation
Severe allergic reactions
Overdose/poisoning
Traumatic injury

17. CPR is easy to learn and training can be inexpensive
Being trained in CPR doesn’t create a “duty to act” just an opportunity to help when needed
In most circumstances, people who provide CPR or other help in an emergency are covered by Good Samaritan laws
911 dispatchers routinely guide people to correctly administer CPR
CPR saves lives when nothing else can
The cost of CPR training varies by the organization hosting it, so if the cost seems high they should shop around
Good Samaritan laws protect people who don’t have a “duty to act” who offer help to someone who is injured, including CPR.
Duty to act will vary from state to state, it may include licensed medical professionals, or people acting in place of a parent, such as teachers and school administrators.

18. CPR Training takes about 2 to 4 hours
Most certifications through American Heart Association or American Red Cross
Can be offered through any organization by a certified trainer
Cost is set by the trainer or host organization

19. Can restart a person’s heart if stopped
AEDs check heart rhythms and send an electric shock to correct them if needed
Can restart a person’s heart if stopped
Many public buildings have AEDs
AEDs increase the chance of surviving a heart attack by 80%
AED training takes about four hours
Cost varies
AEDs are relatively new, but they have been shown to be very effective in saving lives. They are designed to be used by anyone with basic training.

20. Topics covered may include:
Administering medicine
Assessing vital signs
Treating wounds
Treating electrical shock
Managing breathing and cardiac emergencies
Pet CPR
Online training is available

21. Follow bloodborne pathogens safety protocols
Wear gloves
Wash hands well after performing first aid
Rescuer safety
Don’t become the second victim
Make sure you’re safe before helping someone else
Know your limits
When administering first aid, you can be exposed to blood and other bodily fluids.
Bloodborne pathogens - Diseases like Hepatitis and HIV can be spread through contact with blood and bodily fluids. More information on bloodborne pathogen safety is usually included in first aid training.
Rescuer safety – Far too often would-be rescuers are killed or injured trying to help others. When you put yourself in danger to help someone else, it can easily become a situation where there are two victims and no rescuer
Know your own limits and make sure that you are putting your own safety first. Don’t become a second victim.

22. American Heart Association First responder organizations Pet First Aid
First Aid, CPR, AED
American Red Cross
American Heart Association
First responder organizations
Pet First Aid
Veterinarians, kennel clubs, Humane Society, pet stores
Costs and course lengths will vary
Emergency training gives you knowledge, and a chance to practice new skills, which is very important to retaining that knowledge. Knowing you can do what may need to be done will help you stay calmer in an emergency.

23. Blooms taxonomy (image) shows our levels of thinking
Blooms taxonomy (image) shows our levels of thinking. In an emergency we live in the bottom half of the pyramid. Planning for an emergency is on the top half of the pyramid and its something we have to do ahead of time, when we’re calm and not rushed. Once we have a plan we can remember, understand and apply it when it’s needed.

24. Go through the program a second time with your family
Be a Do 1 Thing Ambassador
Promote preparedness to friends and coworkers
Going through the program again – see if anything is changed in your family or home, update plans, or try another “thing” for that month.
Do 1 Thing Ambassador training will be available by January, It will prepare volunteers to comfortably and confidently present preparedness information

25. Presenter’s name Contact Information Do 1 Thing