Should you drive an ill or injured person to the hospital?
This question gets asked by students taking our first aid courses all the time, and we do see the conundrum that many face in an Emergency as Liability, distance, Time or even a persons life may be at stake. For these very reasons we have come up with the simplest way to look at it.
Try not to……, but if you do decide to take a person to the hospital we have included some steps to keep you and the victim safe.
Step #1 – “911 on Speaker Phone” – Have 911 on speaker phone so everyone knows what the dispatcher needs you to do. This will also let the hospital know you are coming.
Step #2 – “Take a Partner” – Have a calm person drive while you continue care. Having a partner to help in an emergency setting can make all the difference.
Step #3 – “You Can NOT Speed” – as your vehicle is not a designated emergency vehicle its lack of visibility and sirens will put you and others into danger if you attempt to break the rules of the road. Just remember, if you get there safely, the victim will too, Better safe than sorry.
Moving a Victim before you provide care has been a question that almost every class brings up. Its a great question with a simple answer There are some reason’s when moving a person may be the only option to save their life or even prevent them from further injury. To do this there are some simply techniques.
-Collar Drag – Roll the person’s clothing behind their neck in a ball in your hand, bend with your knees and lift with your legs, drag the victim to safety.
-One Arm Drag – Kneeling at the head of the victim slide the persons torso into your lap, lay one of the victims arms across their chest and reach through their opposite arm pit to grip their folded arms wrist, slip your other hand under the other arm pit and grip the folded arms forearm, bend with your knees, lift with your legs and drag to safety.
-2 Person Collar Drag – Combine the one arm drag technique with adding a partner, each rescuer should grab the collar on opposite sides of the victim and facing in the direction you wish to go bend with your knees and lift with your legs dragging them to safety.
-2 Person Carry – Combine the one arm drag technique to lift the victim’s torso and add a partner to lift the legs by folding them across each other gripping by the lower leg under the calf, face in the direction you wish to go, bend with your knees, lift with your legs and carry the victim to safety.
Above all else remember to Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Wast Time!!!