Finding Somebody in Need

The first thing you do when approaching someone who needs help is to keep safe and introduce yourself so they know who you are and that you are there to help.  Tell them that you are a first aider and you are there to help them.

When you are caring for someone, you need to make sure that help is on the way. You should shout for help, and if it’s serious, call the emergency services to get an ambulance. To call the emergency services, you should dial 112(the UK and European number). When you speak to the operator, ask for an ambulance, tell them who you are, where you are, what is wrong, and then answer the questions they ask.  They will be able to help you, so ask any questions you have. The operator will stay on the phone until help arrives if you need them to.  If you have speakerphone on your mobile phone, use it so you can treat the patient and talk to the ambulance service at the same time.

As we said earlier, talk to the patient the whole time, even if they are not awake. The hearing is the last thing to go when somebody is unconscious, so they may still be able to hear you even if they do not respond.