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As a certified first responded... Some tips about being a first responded in an emergency situation (like choking, heart attack, etc).
1. Defer to any experts. Ask if anyone is a doctor, if not ask if anyone is a first responded, only if there are neither should you step up and try to help.
2. Immediately call 911, it never hurts, worst case it isnt needed.
3. If you are the one responding to the emergency dont call 911 yourself, nor should you simply say "someone call 911". You need to handle the emergency so explicitly tell someone nearby to call 911, when you dont specifically nominate someone usually everyone thinks someone else called and no one calls.
4. Check for consciousness and relay this to the 911 caller. If conscious and doesnt require immediate intervention of 911 hasnt yet given you instructions use that time to gather basic info about what happened and what their symptoms are.
5. If they are unconscious follow 911s instructions, if you for any reason cant get a hold of 911 begin the ABC's, check (A)irways for blockage by the tongue which may roll back and block breathing, (B) check if they are breathing despite no obstructions, (C) if you know how check for a heart beat to confirm blood is circulating.
6. If you dont get a heart beat, or you dont know how and the person isnt breathing, perform CPR. I highly recommend anyone not familiar watch a video
7. If you cant get a hold of 911 and the person has clear signs of swelling tongue and cant breath due to swelling use a EpiPen if available. Only do this if the person is conscious or if 911 instructs you to.
I wonder what you think about:
- if the victim is not breathing and there's a spare helper available, send them off to find an AED,
- if the victim fell from a nontrivial height, impacted into something headfirst or backfirst (or you suspect that in face of lack of witnesses) do not move them unless they aren't breathing/are unable to breathe and tell them not to get up if conscious, but do not try to restrain them,
- if the victim is unconscious in an ~enclosed space, esp. under ground level, with no obvious reason for the unconsciousness and there is no well person in the space space, be extremely wary of entering it (or just don't).
