Know when to call an ambulance
It's important to understand what an emergency is and how to react to it.
IF it’s a life threatening situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, it’s an emergency.
When an emergency occurs, how would you react?
Remember to keep calm and assess the situation.
Accidents and medical emergencies can occur at any time of the day or night, ensure that you have the emergency numbers easily available of ambulances in your area.
Do a first aid course so that you know what to do in the event of a medical emergency. Many people wait until it is too late to call for an ambulance.
Look for the following medical signs (something you can see) in the patient:
• Difficulty in breathing
• Chest pain
• Blueness around the nose or mouth
• Wheezing when breathing
• Altered level of consciousness (patient could be confused, saying inappropriate words or even be unconscious)
• Severe dehydration, mouth and tongue dry
• Paralysis to one side of the body, with unexplained slurring of words
• Severe diarrhoea and vomiting in children and the elderly
• Snake bites
• Broken bones
• Profuse bleeding from an injury
Look for the following symptoms (something the patient tells you):
• Unexplained backache
• Severe headache with photo phobia
• Heard the bone ‘snap’
Do not move the patient and immediately call for an ambulance in the following trauma instances:
• Falling from a height
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Unexplained back pain
• Electrocution
If you are feeling dizzy, light headed or suffer from any of the above signs and symptoms, don’t attempt to drive yourself to hospital.
