Have you seen the incredible footage of the exploding volcano in Mexico? There really is nothing like watching a volcano explode to get you in the mood for emergency preparations.
And what wonderful timing! This week is the third week of National Safety Month 2013, and this week the focus is all on what you can do to prepare your family, friends and office for an emergency. Granted, emergencies usually aren’t planned, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare for them. Not too long ago, we made a post about preparing for/staying safe in weather emergencies. Because we created that post so recently (you can view it by clicking here) we’re going to focus on medical emergencies in this NSM2013 post.
Health and medical emergencies can vary from simple to serious. A paper cut, for example, is simple. A heart attack, on the other hand, is serious. Each and every medical emergency is to be handled in its own way.
Simple Emergencies
A simple emergency is one that can easily be fixed by someone with no medical training. These can include scrapes, shallow cuts, and bruising injuries.
The best way to be prepared for simple emergencies like this is to keep a first aid kit on hand at all times. Stubbed toes generally do not require first aid attention, but paper cuts and other shallow cuts do. The proper way to wash a wound should be common knowledge, but in case it is not, instruct your family, friends and coworkers in the process: use antibacterial soap and warm water to wash away blood and any debris in a cut. Dry with a clean towel, either paper or cloth. Select a properly sized bandage and antibiotic ointment. Apply the ointment to the sterile bandage or to a cotton swab then to the wound. Cover the wound with a bandage and keep the bandage dry.
Medial Emergencies
Medial (or middle-level) emergencies are emergencies where having proper training can seriously help the injured party. When you need to induce breathing (by using CPR), clear the airways when someone is choking (using the Heimlich), or stop a serious cut from bleeding (first aid), training is good.
You can learn how to prepare for medial medical emergencies by taking one of our Standard First Aid, CPR and AED classes. A qualified instructor will teach you how to effectively save a life by using CPR, an AED, or by practicing first aid techniques.
It is important to remember that even if someone trained in first aid or CPR is available, the first thing you need to do is call 9-1-1. It may take a while for an ambulance to arrive, which is why it is imperative emergency services are called first thing when someone is unable to breathe, is choking, or has a deep cut.
Serious Emergencies
A serious injury is an injury that absolutely can not be adequately handled by anyone besides medical professionals. If, at any point in time, someone has broken a limb, received a concussion, endured a deep cut or sustained any serious injury, the first and most important thing to do is call 9-1-1.
Once medical emergency services have been called, someone who has attended a proper first aid training class should assess the situation and act from there. A deep cut may be elevated, a concussion victim will be kept awake, and a broken limb will be held still. There are many other things that can be done, but it is important to let someone who has had proper training do so.
Regardless of the level of emergency, the absolute best way to prepare your home or workplace for any type of medical emergency is to make sure at least one person there has gone through a Standard First Aid, CPR and AED class. This class will prepare you for many types of medical emergencies by teaching you how to handle what you can handle, and how to identify what you can not handle. Be sure to properly prepare for medical emergencies by taking a class as soon as possible. You can find our class calendar here.
