Responding to Emergencies

In an emergency, your involvement as a trained first aider may be crucial.
Every year, countless first aiders and bystanders recognize and respond to emergencies. Some phone for help, some comfort the victim or family members, some give first aid to victims and others help keep order at the emergency scene.
There are many ways you can help, but in order to help, you must first decide to act.

BARRIERS TO ACTION

Sometimes people do not recognize that an emergency has occurred. At other times, people recognize an emergency but are reluctant to act.
People have various reasons for hesitating or not acting. These are called barriers to action. Some are very personal. Common reasons people give for not acting include:

1. Presence of bystanders.
2. Uncertainty about the victim.
3. Nature of the injury or illness.
4. Fear of disease transmission.
5. Fear of doing something wrong.

Thinking about these thing now and mentally preparing yourself to act in an emergency will enable you to respond more confidently.