How To Handle Emergency Situations

Thankfully, finding yourself in an emergency situation is not an everyday occurrence. But if the worst happens and you are involved in an accident or are at the scene of an accident, there are certain important rules to remember.

Take a deep breath and stay calm

The biggest challenge in an emergency situation is staying calm. It’s easy to panic. But by trusting your instincts and common sense you can stay in control.

• Take a deep breath and assess the situation
• Think before acting and reassure others
• If necessary, call the emergency services on 911 and explain clearly and calmly where you are and what’s happened
• Do not take any action that puts yourself or others in more danger

Calling the emergency services

When you call 911:

• The first person you’ll speak to will be a telephone operator who’ll ask you which service you require.
• You will then hear the phone number you’re calling from being repeated back to you.
• Finally, you’ll be asked the location of the incident. Be as specific as you can (name the village, town or city and road, street etc). If you don’t know exactly where you are, tell the operator where you are near to.
• Explain why you are calling the emergency services – as clearly and calmly as possible.

Dealing with injuries

If the accident you’re involved in has resulted in personal injury to you or someone else, you need to take action. This is where a basic knowledge of first aid can prove vital – and even save lives.

• Assess all casualties (including yourself) and work out who needs attention the most – as they should be treated first. This is called triage.
• For example, if someone is unconscious, check their breathing. If breathing has stopped they need resuscitation. So it pays to have a basic knowledge of how to do CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation).
• If you are someone else is bleeding, stem the flow with a piece of clothing or other material. If the bleed is severe it may need a tourniquet.
• If someone is in need of medical treatment, make them stable and reassure them until the emergency services arrive.

Accidents on the road

If you’re in or witness a car accident where someone is hurt, there are certain things you need to do. This is not just to keep everyone safe, but can also impact on personal injury claims that may be made relating to the accident.

• Dial 911 and ask for the relevant emergency services.
• Take a note of the car/driver details of those involved – you will need this to swap insurance details if pursuing a claim or personal injury claim.
• Stay safely off the road and remain calm until the emergency services arrive – they will ask questions, answer them as best you can.

Personal injury claims

If you are involved in an accident and injured as a result, it may be that you are entitled to make a personal injury claim. If so, do your homework. Dedicated personal injury solicitors are recommended – not ambulance chasers!

Steven Jones works as an Injury claims solicitor in Aberdeen and has seen many cases where staying calm in an emergency can really save lives.

Read more at Rocky Mountain Survival Blog