Lesson 28

Emergency Response
Training
Emergency Medical Services
• team of health care professionals, who, in each area of
jurisdiction, are responsible for and provide emergency
care and transportation to the sick and injured
Levels of Training for Emergency Medical Services
1. Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) – initiate
immediate lifesaving care

2. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) – provide basic

emergency medical care and transportation

3. Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) –

provide basic and limited advanced emergency medical
care and transportation

4. Paramedics – provide advanced emergency medical

care
Components of the EMS System

1. Access
2. Communication
3. Human Resources
4. Medical direction and control
5. Legislation and regulation
6. Integration of health services
7. Evaluation
8. Information system
9. System finance
10. Education system
11. Prevention and public education
12. EMS research
Roles and responsibilities of the EM Responders and Technicians
1. Personal safety
2. Patient assessment
3. Lifting and moving patient safely
4. Transport and transfer of care
5. Record keeping/data collection
6. Patient advocacy/confidentiality

Professional attribute of the EMRs/EMTs

a) Puts patient’s needs as a priority without endangering self
b) Maintains professional appearance and manner
c) Performs under pressure
d) Treats patients and families with understanding, respect and
compassion
e) Respect patient confidentiality.
First Aid

• Immediate and temporary care given to a victim of an accident or

sudden illness until the service of a professional medical provider
can be obtained
The following are some of the common emergencies that needs
immediate action to prevent the victims be in danger:

1. Animal Bites
a) Snakebites
• Get victim away from the snake. Snakes have known to bite more than once.
• Keep the victim quite. Do not allow victim to increase the heartbeat rate – if
possible, carry a victim during transportation. If alone, walk very slowly to
help.
• Gently wash bitten area with soap and water.
• Quickly transport all snakebite victims to a medical facility for antivenin (must
be given within hours)
• Do not apply cold on a snakebite.
• Do not use electric shock on a snakebite.
• Do not apply a tourniquet.
• Do not cut since damage to underlying structure (i.e., blood vessels, tendons
and nerves) can result.
• Do not use suction.
b) Spider Bites
• If possible, catch the spider to confirm its identity. Even the body
is crushed, save it for identification.
• Clean bitten area with soap and water or alcohol.
• Place an ice pack over the bite to relieve the pain.
• Keep the victim quiet and monitor the airways, breathing and
circulation (ABCs).
• Seek immediate medical attention. An antivenin for black widow
bites is available.
c) Scorpion Sting

• Monitor the ABCs.

• Clean the sting site with soap or rubbing alcohol.
• Apply an ice pack over the sting site.
2. Burns

a) First degree burns – outer layer of the skin; skin is dry,

painful and sensitive to touch

• Do not apply ice directly to the burn area

• Protect the skin by wrapping the ice in a cloth.

b) Second degree burns – several layers of skin; skin becomes

swollen, puffy, weepy or blistered

• Apply cold as you would for a first-degree burn.

• Do not break any blisters.
c) Third degree burns – all layers of the skin and any
underlying tissues or organs; skin is dry, pale, white or charred
black, swollen and sometimes it breaks open.

• Check ABCs immediately. Give rescue breathing and CPR if

necessary.
• Treat shock by elevating the legs 8 to 12 inches and keeping the
victim warm.
• Do not open any blisters (they offer an infection-free cover) or
remove pieces of tissue from the burned skin.
• Do not apply cold to a third degree burn, since cold may induce
hypothermia.
• Apply sterile dressing or, if they are not available, clean cloths.
• Elevate burned arms or legs to reduce swelling and pain.
• Seek medical attention.
d) Chemical burns

• Quickly flood the skin with large quantities of water if burned with
liquid acids, alkalis, and caustic chemicals.
• Remove contaminated clothing to take any absorbed chemicals
away from the skin. Do this while washing the victim.
• Brush off a dry or solid chemical substance before flushing the skin
with water.
• When a chemical agent gets wet, it becomes activated and will
cause more damage to the skin than when it is dry.
• Do not attempt to neutralize a chemical because heat may be
produced, resulting to more damage.
• Call a poison control officer to find out other first aid procedures
and seek medical attention.
• If the chemical is in the eye, flood with more water than seems
necessary. Use very low pressure. Remove any contact lenses.
3. Electrical Injuries
• Check and treat the ABCs.
• Check for burns and treat for shock by elevating the legs 8 to
12 inches and keeping the victim warm. Most of the electrical
burns are third-degree burns, so cover them with sterile
dressing and elevate the part.
• All victims of electrical shock should receive immediate
attention.
4. Heat-related emergencies

a) Heat Stroke

Sign and symptoms:

• Unresponsive
• Hot-skin – may be dry or wet
• High blood temperature
• Rapid pulse and breathing
• Weakness, dizziness, headache
First aid
• Move the victim to a cool place. Remove heavy clothing; light
clothing can be left in place.
• Immediately cool the victim by any available means. Because
ice is rarely available, an effective method is to wrap the victim
in wet towels or sheet, and fan him or her. Keep the cloths wet
with cool water.
• Ice packs can also be placed at areas with abundant blood
supply (e.g., neck, armpits, and groin).
• Monitor the ABCs and treat accordingly
• If seizures occur, care for them.
• All heat stroke victims need immediate attention. Take them to
a hospital as fast as possible.
• Continue cooling en route.
b) Heat Exhaustion

Sign and symptoms:

• Heavy sweating
• Weakness
• Fast pulse
• Normal body temperature headache and
dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
First aid
• Move the victim to a cool place.
• Keep the victim lying down with straight legs elevated 8 to 12
inches.
• Cool the victim by applying cold packs or cold wet towels or
cloths. Fan the victim.
• Give the victim cool water or a sports drink if he or she is fully
responsive.
• If no improvement is noted within 30 minutes, seek medical
attention.
c) Heat Cramps

Signs and symptoms

• Severe cramping

First aid
• Move the victim to a cool place.
• Rest the cramping muscle.
• Give victim a lot of cool water or commercial sports
drink.
• Gently stretch the affected area.
5. Fractures

Signs and symptoms

• Deformity
• Open wound with bone protruding
• Tenderness or pain
• Swelling and discoloration
• Loss of use
First aid
• Treat for shock.
• Determine what happened and the location of the injury.
• Gently remove clothing covering the injury. Do not move the
injured area unless necessary. Cut clothing at seams if
necessary.
• Control bleeding and cover all wounds before splinting. In
dealing with open fractures, do not attempt to push bone ends
back beneath the skin surface; cover them with a sterile
dressing.
• If victim’s hand or foot on an injured extremity is cold, pale,
and pulseless, seek immediate medical attention.
• Splint all fractures before moving the victim. Immobilize the
joints above and below the injury site. Keep the fingers and
toes exposed in order to check circulation.
First aid

• Severely deformed fractures should be realigned before

splinting if a pulse is absent. This helps preserve or restore
circulation. If the victim shows increased pain or resistance,
splint the extremity in the deformed position. Do not straighten
dislocations or any fractures involving the spine, shoulder,
elbow, wrist, knee or hip.
• Cover a wound with a clean dressing and apply the appropriate
splint.
• Immobilize the spine with rolled blankets or similar objects
placed on either side of the neck and torso.
• If in doubt, splint and treat as if treat as if there were a fracture
• Seek medical attention.
6. Spinal Injuries
• Check and monitor the ABCs. Do not use the head-tilt because it would
move the neck. Instead, jut the jaw forward by placing the fingers on the
corners of the jaw and pushing forward (knows as the jaw thrust). Keep the
head and neck still.
• First aiders should normally wait for the Emergency Medical Service
(EMS) personnel to transport the victim because their training and
equipment may be necessary.
• Stabilize the victim against any movement. Do not move the neck to
reposition it. Only move the victim when danger is present. Bring help to
the victim, not the victim to the help.
• Tell the victim not to move. Place objects on either side of the head to
prevent it from rolling from side to side.
• Victims in water with potential neck or back injury must be floated gently
to shore. Before removal from the water, the victim must be secured to a
backboard.
7. Muscle Injuries
R – rest
I – Ice
C – compression
E – elevation
8. Seizure
• Cushion the victim’s head with something soft. Do not hold the victim
down; Do not put anything between victim’s teeth during the seizure.
• Loosen any tight clothing.
• Turn the victim onto side.
• Look for a medic alert tag. (bracelet or necklace).
• As seizure ends, offer help. Most seizures in people with epilepsy are not
medical emergencies. They end after a minute or two without harm and
usually do not require medical attention. Do not embarrass the victim –
clear away bystanders.
Call EMS when any of these exist:
o A seizure happens in someone who does not have epilepsy. It could be
a sign of a serious illness.
o A seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes.
o There is no “epilepsy” or “seizure disorder” identification.
o Slow recovery, a second seizure, or difficult breathing afterwards.
o Any signs of injury or illnesses.
First Aid Skills
• Bandaging - control bleeding and prevent
contamination
• Splinting – immobilizes broken bones to prevent or
reduce pain, bleeding, tissue damage and restricted
blood flow
• Moving and rescuing
Move the victim immediately, for example, if:
• There is a fire or danger of fire.
• Explosives or other hazardous materials are involved.
• The accident scene cannot be protected.
• It is impossible to gain access to other victims needing
life-saving care.