At some point in their lives most people will have to react in an emergency.  Whether it is an accident at work, the sudden illness of a child or colleague or the break out of a fire, how you respond in those first few minutes can make all the difference between a positive and negative outcome.

As you tend to rely on your instincts at times like these how can you know whether yours is the right first response in an emergency?

If you have undertaken first aid training then your response will probably be triggered by what you have learned in your course.  Even if you don’t think the information has sunk in you will be surprised at what your brain can dig up in an emergency.

By following these simple rules you can be certain that your actions are the most appropriate. 

In a medical emergency it is always advisable to ring 999 or 112, this is the single emergency telephone number that works throughout the EU.  Many people will be worried about overreacting to the situation but it is important not to delay and take action quickly if:

• The person has lost consciousness
• They are having fits or are in a confused state
• They are complaining of persistent or severe chest pain
• They are experiencing breathing difficulties
• There is bleeding that can’t be stopped

Dialling the emergency services is the first step. The next, if you are a trained first aider or you have one present, is to administer vital first aid such as keeping the patient comfortable and ensuring that no action is taken to make them worse whilst waiting for help to arrive.

Every emergency situation will be different. Some can be resolved fairly quickly with a positive outcome whereas others, such as incidents involving multiple casualties, are a lot more serious.  If at all possible it is important that your first response is not panic as a calm person at the scene of an accident or at a medical emergency will be very helpful – even if it is just to relay vital information about what has happened to the emergency services.

If you are worried that you are not properly equipped to deal with an emergency situation then you might like to consider first aid training.  Courses on basic first aid or those that cater for people working in certain industries not only look great on your CV but could literally contribute to you saving a life one day.

Rather than worrying what your first response might be you can instead calmly deal with a situation with the peace of mind that you are trained in the basics and can assist those who need your help.

Find out more about fine tuning your vital first response with training from First Response First Aid.

If at all possible it is important that your first response is not panic as a calm person at the scene of an accident or at a medical emergency will be very helpful – even if it is just to relay vital information about what has happened to the emergency services.