What do you do if you are in an accident where others are injured–or injured worse than you? Or if you are the first to arrive at the scene of an accident the most important thing to remember is don’t panic. Take some deep breaths and look around. The victims are, of course, the most important responsibility, but to assure their safety you should first:

Assess the scene

Secure the area.
Recruit someone to help direct traffic and warn traffic of the accident.
Be sure to let others know if there are hazards on the highway such as fuel leaks or downed power lines.
Warn smokers to not light up until they are clear of the scene.

Assess the needs of survivors

Check for survivors and call 911. Be sure to let them know how many injured people there are and how serious the injuries. Also, how many vehicles are involved and the location.

Tend to survivors

Survivors will most likely be scared and confused. Reassure them as you look for injuries. Tell them your name and that an ambulance is on the way. The following are some of the things to look for if the victims are conscious:

Shock: Ask them who they are? Do they know where they are? What time of year or day is it?
If the victim is unconscious, lay him in the coma position–straight out, but consider that there may be head or spinal injuries so DO NOT MOVE THE HEAD, although you may want to gently support it until help arrives.
If the victim is conscious, get as much information from her as possible. This will help ER when they get to the scene, especially if the victim loses consciousness while waiting for help to arrive.

Many traffic schools recommend the

AMPLE assessment:

A: Allergies: Does the victim have any allergies?
M: Medications: Ask if they are taking any medications or street drugs?
P: Past. What is your past medical history?
L: Last meal. When was the last meal?
E: Events. What were the events leading up to the accident? What do they remember about the accident itself? The more information the paramedics have, the better they will be able to assess injuries and treat the victims.

Other signs of injury

Are there signs of serious bleeding? If so:

Lay the person down
Elevate the legs
Loosen clothing and make the person as comfortable as possible
Reassure them
Speak calmly and assuredly
Apply pressure to the wound until help arrives.

Motorcycle Accidents

If the accident involves a motorcyclist, never remove the helmet unless absolutely necessary. Some reasons to remove it would be if the victim is having trouble breathing and needs CPR or if they are vomiting and could choke.

The procedure for removing a helmet in emergency conditions requires two people and is as follows:

One person should be to the side of the head, and the other person should be directly behind the victim stabilizing his head
Remove the victim’s glasses and cut or unbuckle the chinstrap
The person on the side supports the victim’s head by placing hand at the base of the skull (not on the helmet)
Put the other hand on the chin/jaw bone
Keep some tension so when the other person pulls the helmet off, the victim’s head doesn’t fall.

The person behind the head needs to slowly pull the helmet directly back and off the head, taking care to not catch the nose, ears or any jewelry the victim may be wearing. Once the helmet is off, put something under the head to keep it supported at the same elevation. Don’t let go and let the head drop!

HELMET REMOVAL SHOULD ONLY BE A LAST RESORT!

When the ambulance arrives

When EMTs arrive on the scene, give them as much information as possible, but be prepared to step back and let them take over. Be sure you give them an honest assessment including whether you think drugs or alcohol were involved.

If you are asked to leave, don’t argue. EMTs have a challenging job and their first concern will be the safety and survival of the victims.

It’s a good idea for everyone to have some basic CPR as you never know when you’ll be confronted with an emergency situation. Your local red cross, hospital or community clinic should be able to provide information on classes. Often these classes are free or of nominal charge.

Accident Scene Management