This document discusses actions to take during an emergency situation. It describes recognizing that an emergency has occurred, checking the scene for hazards, signaling for help, and requesting outside assistance. The key steps are to quickly recognize the emergency, check for dangers, assess the condition of any injured individuals, provide first aid as needed, alert nearby help through whistles, mirrors or other signals, and contact emergency services by sending messengers or using communication devices, providing location and details of the emergency.

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Action at an
Emergency
CHAPTER 2

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2023
Jones
&
Bartlett
Learning,
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an
Ascend
Learning
Company.
Learning Objectives
 Define the characteristics of an
emergency.
 Describe the actions that should
be taken at an emergency.
 Describe how to check a scene
for hazardous conditions.
 Describe how to signal for
nearby help.
 Describe how to request outside
help.
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Yosemite National Park, California

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Emergencies
 Emergencies are:
• dangerous;
• unusual and rare;
• different from one another;
• unforeseen; and
• urgent.

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What Should Be Done?
 You must make a series of decisions quickly and reliably.
• Recognize the emergency.
• Decide to help.
• Check the scene and prevent disease transmission.
• Check the person.
• Give first aid.
• Request help, if needed.

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Recognize the Emergency
 Noticing something is wrong:
• Severity
• Physical distance
• Relationship
• Time exposed
• Scene conditions
• Person’s appearance

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 Decision to help occurs before you encounter an emergency:
• Know the importance of helping.
• Feel confident about helping.
• Be willing to take time to help.
• Put potential risks of helping in perspective.
• Feel comfortable about taking charge.
• Feel comfortable about seeing or touching the person.
Decide to Help

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Check the Scene (1 of 2)
 Ten-second scan of the area
 Ask:
• Are hazards present?
• How many people?
• What is wrong?
• What happened?
• Can bystanders help?
Photo courtesy of James Tourtellotte/U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
© Alin Brotea/Shutterstock.
FIGURE 2-1 It takes major effort to evacuate an injured or ill person.
FIGURE 2-2 Checking the scene includes evaluating the scene for
hazardous conditions.

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Check the Scene (2 of 2)
 As you approach the emergency scene, look for obvious
dangers.
 Try to determine the cause of the injury or illness.
 Determine the number of people involved.
 Never attempt a rescue that you have not been specifically
trained to do.

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Prevent Disease Transmission
 Understand the risks from infections diseases.
 Assume that all people are infected and can spread an
infectious disease.

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Check an Injured or Ill Person
 You must decide what injury or sudden illness exists and what
kind of help is needed.
 Finding out what is wrong involves all types of injury and
illness.

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Give First Aid
 Proper first aid usually produces good results
 Such care is effective only if started immediately.

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Signaling Nearby Help (1 of 2)
 Whistle – three blasts
 Signal mirror
 Ground to aircraft signals
• Large “V” for assistance
• Large “X” for medical
assistance
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FIGURE 2-3 Signaling with a mirror.

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Signaling Nearby Help (2 of 2)
 Series of three of anything
• Shouts
• Shots
• Flashes from light
 Smoke
 HAM Radio – Have local repeaters programmed before you
go.

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Requesting Outside Help (1 of 3)
 Sending ground messengers
• Send at least two persons with stamina.
• Take a SOAP note (discussed in Chapter 3).
• Identify exact location of the injured or ill person on a map, or GPS
coordinates.

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Requesting Outside Help (2 of 3)
 Calling outside help
• Mobile phone service may or may
not be available.
• Try sending a text if signal is weak.
• Try another location or higher
elevation.
• Sometimes you can reach 911 even
if your phone has no bars. Try it.
• Satellite phones or GPS locators
work well in many remote locations.
© Artem Oleshko/Shutterstock.
FIGURE 2-4 Provide your exact location, and do not hang up the phone unless you are
instructed to do so.

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Requesting Outside Help (3 of 3)
 When you make contact, know the following:
• The person’s location
• A description of what happened
• The number of persons in need of help
• A description of the person’s condition
• What resources does your group need if there will be an extended
rescue time.