Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

356 Emergency and First Aid
Rule Two: Self-Protection
The natural tendency is to rush to provide assistance.
But however strong the urge to leap into
the situation, the first responder must not become
another victim. Self-protection has two components:
situational safety and personal safety.
Before moving to provide aid to the person in
need, the responder must determine whether the
situation continues to hold risk. If this is a fire, is it
still burning? If a motor vehicle accident, is there
traffic, are there downed power poles or trees, or
are any of the involved vehicles unstable or at risk
for fire? If an apparent heart attack, are there any
indications of ELECTROCUTION such as power tools,
electrical appliances, or downed power lines? Is
there any evidence of toxic chemicals?
Next, the responder must protect his or her personal
safety. This includes acting within the boundaries
of personal expertise as well as safeguarding
oneself from exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
For example, a person who does not have training
in water rescue should not enter the water to save
someone who is drowning; being a strong swimmer
is often not enough. Rushing into a burning building
or automobile is heroic and may save a life otherwise
lost; however, the risk is far greater that such
action will result instead in losing another life. The
success of such rescues often requires expertise,
experience, and specialized equipment.
Exposure to pathogens through contact with
body fluids is an unfortunately common means of
contracting serious infections such as HEPATITIS,
HIV/AIDS, and TUBERCULOSIS. Two essential items of
personal protection that ideally all adults should
have easily accessible are latex or latex-type gloves
and CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR) shields.
These items are widely available in disposable,
key-chain-size packets. Medical response professionals
encourage everyone to carry these two
personal protection items in their vehicles, first aid
kits, backpacks, purses, briefcases, or whatever
they often have with them.
Rule Three: Do No Further Harm
Because emergency medical personnel can reach
the scene of a medical emergency within minutes
in most locations, often the most appropriate
actions for the first responder to take are only
those necessary to safeguard the person’s life.
Often the full extent of a person’s injuries is not
apparent.
For example, it is often better to leave a person
injured in an auto accident in the vehicle until
emergency personnel arrive, unless removing the
person is essential to save his or her life. The
tremendous forces of impact in MOTOR VEHICLE
ACCIDENTS may cause head and SPINAL CORD trauma
such that improperly moving the person could
result in permanent PARALYSIS. As well, the pressure
of being wedged in the vehicle may be containing
an injury in ways that are temporarily
beneficial, such as bracing a FRACTURE or slowing
bleeding. Even an apparently obvious circumstance,
such as near-drowning or heart attack,
may have hidden injuries. More appropriate
actions on the part of the first responder might be
to turn off the vehicle’s ignition and kick dirt or
gravel over any gasoline or oil that has leaked
from the vehicle, for example, or to cover the person
with blankets or coats to keep him or her
warm and dry.
Learn More
All teens and adults should receive emergency
first aid and CPR training. Many high schools
include these classes as part of the health curriculum.
Many employers also provide such classes,
often with content specific to health hazards
encountered on-the-job. Public agencies in such as
fire departments, police departments, public safety
departments, health departments, community
centers, and hospitals in most communities offer
such classes for nominal or no cost.
Basic first aid and CPR are easy to learn; the
investment of a few hours’ time for classes may
save countless lives. As well, many employers and
public safety agencies conduct first responder
training, typically a 40- to 60-hour curriculum
that teaches advanced medical assistance and
emergency response techniques. Companies and
communities may then call on certified first
responders in emergency situations.