When an emergency strikes, there's no time to start researching on how to respond. For your own safety and the safety of your friends and family, it's a good idea to learn about emergency protocols and first aid methods. By learning in advance, you'll ensure that you can respond quickly and appropriately if there is an emergency situation. From natural disasters to traffic accidents, you never know when a situation will arise that will demand quick thinking, cool nerves, an adequate knowledge.
Be prepared for an emergency
The first step you can take towards emergency preparedness is education. Take time to learn about the most common emergency situations that could affect you and your loved ones. Research which types of natural disasters are most likely to affect your community, whether it's hurricanes, floods, or tornadoes. Consider, too, which extra risk factors may particularly affect you and your family. For example, if you have small children and you live near a body of water, you should make sure you understand what to do in cases of drowning.
Types of emergencies
While each person runs into slightly different risks, depending on lifestyle and geography, many of the most common emergency situations can happen to anyone. Health-related emergencies, such as sudden heart attacks or strokes, can affect a surprisingly wide cross-section of the population. Automobile accidents are anNaturally, takin extremely common cause of injury. Whether an accident results in minor whiplash or more serious injuries, it's important to learn how to respond quickly. Many emergency situations involve threatening situations with other people. It's worth learning what to do in cases of muggings, home burglaries, and other scenarios where your personal safety may be endangered.
Injury prevention
Naturally, taking preventive steps to avoid injury is far better than trying to mend the problem afterward. In many cases, a few common sense practices can go a long way. Follow the same simple safety rules you were taught as a child, and teach them to any children you might have, as well. For example, every child learns to look both ways before crossing the road, but many grow up to be inveterate jaywalkers as adults. When driving, abstain from imbibing any alcohol,instead, use a "designated driver" system or plan to take a taxi when appropriate. Finally, learn to trust your gut. If you're walking down a dark street in a shady part of town and you begin to question your safety, follow your instinct and find a better means of getting wherever you need to go.
Emergency action steps
In emergency situations, it is important to respond quickly. A clear emergency action plan is a good way to streamline your responses. If you break down your plan into steps, you'll be sure to know exactly what to do. For example, your family might draw up an emergency action plan in case of a house fire. Each family member should know where is the safest route out of the house. There should be a designated location away from the house where everyone would meet.
First aid
In many emergency cases, the best thing you can do is to stay calm and collected. Heightened emotions tend to hamper your critical thinking skills and your ability to think quickly. In addition to staying "cool under pressure", several concrete skills can make the difference in life-and-death situations. For example, any adult and even older children should be able to apply pressure to a wound, administer CPR, check for signs of obstructed breathing, and perform a few other basic measures. Just knowing what to do is often the hardest part. In addition, it's a good idea to put together a first aid kit, so you'll have an item you need on hand. Depending on the circumstances, the kit may include bandages, clean water, an antiseptic, and other critical supplies. A first aid kit for your car might include a blanket, while a home first aid kit may include more medical supplies.
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A medical emergency means someone needs care from a doctor right away. Let's find out what to do if one happens.
Calling for help is the most important thing a kid can do in an emergency.
If you make an emergency phone call, here's what to do:
- Take a deep breath to calm down a little.
- Call 911.
- Tell the operator there's an emergency.
- Say your name and where you are [the exact address if you know it].
- Explain what happened and how many people are hurt. [The operator will need all the information you can provide, so give as many details as you can.]
- Follow all of the operator's instructions carefully.
- Stay on the line until the operator says it's OK to hang up.
After calling for help, your first thought might be to rush over to the person who's injured. But stop and look before you do. Make sure the scene is safe. If it's not, wait in a safe spot until a grown-up or an emergency team arrives.
If the scene is safe, and you're sure someone called 911 [or you called it yourself], stay with the person who's injured and wait for help to arrive. Don't move someone who could have a neck or other bone injury — for instance, from a fall. Moving someone who has that sort of injury can make it much worse. Try to stay calm.
Being Prepared for an Emergency
The best way to handle an emergency is to be prepared for one. Knowing what to do ahead of time can help you stay in control so that you can help.
Here are some ways to be ready to help in an emergency:
- When you're outdoors, make sure you're in an area where you can call out for help even if you don't have a phone with you.
- Know how to call 911 or your local emergency number [in most areas in the United States, it's 911].
- If you have one, carry a cellphone or know how to use your parent's cellphone.
- Learn first aid. Look for basic first-aid classes with your local Red Cross, the YMCA or YWCA, the Boy or Girl Scouts, 4-H clubs, your local hospital, and other organizations. Or ask your school nurse to have a first-aid class just for students in your school.
It's scary to think about someone getting hurt. But the truth is that accidents can and do happen. So it's good to know what to do if someone needs emergency medical help. Even though you're a kid, you can make a big difference by doing the right thing.