First on the Scene First Aid Training

Part of first aid training is teaching you what to do if you arrive first on the scene. Sometimes arriving first on the scene can be a grizzly sight and a huge responsibility. Making the initial discovery and having to make the first decision about what to do in the event of a medical tragedy can be very confusing. The proper training that only requires a short amount of time can be so worth that feeling of being overwhelmed by knowing that this person is counting on you with their life.

One of the very first things that you will have been taught during first on the scene first aid training is that you should never attempt to rescue anyone if it endangers your life or the life of any bystanders. So if you happen to be first on the scene what you will have to do is designate someone to be the leader - someone who has first aid training - likely that person will be yourself. You will direct the entire rescue until help arrives.

Instruct someone to call for help and make sure this person knows exactly where you are located - the type of accident - the conditions of the area that you are in - and how many people are involved in this emergency. Try to quickly analyze the situation and develop a plan. After assessment determine which type of first aid that you can provide based on your assessment. As hard as it might be - try to remain calm. If this was a car accident or another hazardous situation and an amputation has occurred then you need to gather the amputated part and wrap it in a damp cloth and put it on ice but do not let it freeze.

The point here is that bystander first aid training could very well save the life of a person if they are the first on the scene. When you consider that one of the biggest factors in a trauma situation is time - this means that the first person on the scene is a very important part of this person's chance of survival. The first person on the scene - if trained in first aid can accomplish a lot before medical experts arrive.

Think about it - you could apply pressure to stop a bleed - you could begin CPR - you can stop the person from moving which could further damage them - and you could stop a person from choking to death by clearing their airways or performing the Heimlich maneuver.

Doctor's referred to the first hour after trauma to be the "golden hour" and if this is the case what you can deliver will account for about a quarter of that time which is pretty significant considering. What you can deliver in about fifteen minutes can make a world of difference when a person is losing oxygen to their brain that could cause lasting brain damage or needs CPR to get their heart going again.

The time that you spend when you are first on the scene is the reason that you took first aid training in the first place.