Dealing with emergencies
- The best way to deal with an emergency is to plan for it before it happens.
- Speak to a trusted person and family members if you can about what is the best way to plan, who to contact, why etc.
- Have a list of contact numbers on the fridge or close to the phone (or on your mobile phone contacts).
- Make sure that you can be contacted at school (give the administration staff at school a copy of your timetable so that it is easy to get hold of you).
If there is an emergency ALWAYS call 000 for Ambulance, Fire or Police. Other helpful numbers are the Poisons Information Line 13 11 26 and Crisis Care (08) 9223 1111. Crisis Care is a 24 hour service that can arrange help including temporary accommodation, protection for children, financial aid, counselling and support services.
See Useful Contacts for a list of other useful numbers and websites.
When there is an emergency, the important thing to do is stay calm; as much as your body will go into panic mode. Here are the steps you should follow when there is an emergency:
D
DANGER
Check Danger... to you, to others, to casualty
R
Response
Check Response... ask casualty's name, gently shake casualty's shoulders
A
Airway
Check Airway... is the airway clear of objects? Is the airway open?
B
Breathing
Check Breathing... look, listen and feel for breath. If breathing, roll casualty into recovery position. Monitor for signs of life until medical aid arrives
RECOVERY POSITION
If NOT breathing call 000 for an ambulance.
Calling for help as soon as possible will give the casualty the best chance of survival. If there are other people around, send them to call 000 for an ambulance immediately
The following document is an Emergency Care Plan that you can fill in. In this plan, you can list the best person to contact in an emergency. It is important to do this so the person you care for can get the proper care they need in a crisis and you are unavailable. It is best to keep this in a visible place so it is easy to find.