Emergency First Aid
Imagine your grandpa is babysitting you for the day and you two are just hanging
out and watching some Saturday-morning cartoons. You two are enjoying the morning,
when all of a sudden he makes a noise in pain and grabs onto the side of
his chair. You see the look on his face – he seems to be struggling and
trying to tell you he needs help. Although this type of situation may sound
frightening – it's important for you to know what to do if this ever happens
to anyone you are around. Once you know what to do, you'll be prepared
and able to handle things.
You try to ask your grandpa if he's OK, and realize he is having problems talking.
You know he needs help but are a bit panicked and don't know what to do at first. You
need to know that the first thing you need to do is call 911.
“But what if he's just sore and it's nothing serious? What if he is just having some
stomach problems? What if I call and it's nothing?” These are all normal thoughts to be
having in an emergency situation. You may feel unsure if you
should call for help. You will not get in trouble if you call for
help – even if your grandpa ends up being fine and doesn't
need emergency medical care. Call 911 just to be safe.
When calling 911 for your grandpa, you will be asked several questions by the
person answering your call. Try to be prepared for this. If you can, tell them first why
you're calling, what has happened, your address if you know it, name and how your
grandpa is doing. Try to remain calm and answer all the questions they ask you – stay on
the line until they tell you otherwise.
Please understand that there are times when you should not call 911 – if you
scrape your knee or stub your toe (ouch) for example. If you have those less-serious
injuries, ask an adult for help.
Emergency First Aid
If you ever find yourself in an emergency situation, there are a few important steps
to keep in mind. If you are involved in it, and you are able to – call 911 if someone
is injured or suffering an illness.
If you are a witness to an emergency situation, the first step is to check.
From where you are at, try to scan the scene with your eyes and check out the
situation safely to get an idea of what has happened. You are checking the
situation so you know what to tell a 911 operator when you do the next step. Do not
leave your location or put yourself in any type of danger – just scan the area with
your eyes from where you are at.
The reason you only scan with your eyes is because there could be dangers near
the situation that you aren't aware of. Fires, escaping steam, spilled water or
downed power lines are just a few examples of hidden dangers.
The next step is to call. You need to call 911 if you witness an emergency or
someone who needs help due to an illness or injury. You need to keep in mind that
the most important thing for you is to keep yourself safe. You can help greatly by
telling an adult nearby and if you are not near an adult, to call 911 yourself.
The last step in dealing with an emergency situation is: care. As a child or teen,
you are not expected to care for an injured person unless you had gone through
first aid training and are certified. So, we will leave this step out as it doesn't apply
to you directly.
You need to only know that you should scan and check the situation out,
inform an adult and if you are alone, call 911 right away.
There are two types of emergencies – illnesses and injuries. For example: an
illness can be a heart attack and an injury can be a broken bone.
Emergency First Aid
Emergency Action Steps:
C________________
C________________
What would make an emergency situation unsafe?
Traffic
Animals
Spilled Chemicals
Smoke
Extreme Weather
Fire
Spilled Food
Water
Downed Telephone Lines
Escaping Steam
Clothes Lying Around
Circle the Correct Answers
When should you call 911? ____________________
_________________________________________
What are the two main types of emergencies?
__________________
__________________
Hint: They both start with the letter “I”
Emergency First Aid Lesson 1
Date: _______
Completed by: _________________
Congratulations!
Draw A Picture of an Emergency Situation
Answer Key
Emergency Action Steps:
•
Check & Call
What would make an emergency situation unsafe?
Traffic
Animals
Spilled Chemicals
Smoke
Extreme Weather
Fire
Water
Downed Telephone Lines
Spilled Food
Escaping Steam
Clothes Lying Around
When should you call 911?
If someone is hurt or injured or suffering from a sudden severe illness.
What are the two main types of emergencies?
• Illnesses
• Injuries