Emergency Procedures, First Aid, and Personal Safety
Emergency Response
Know emergency action plans: fire (RACE - Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Evacuate/Extinguish), medical, severe weather, and active threat. Understand evacuation routes, assembly points, accountability, and shelter-in-place triggers. Know how to call for help with location, nature, and number of casualties.
First Aid and Personal Safety
Master scene safety first, then ABCs (airway, breathing, circulation), bleeding control (direct pressure, tourniquet), CPR/AED basics, and shock management. Personal safety includes situational awareness, body positioning, cover vs. concealment, and escape routes. Understand universal precautions (gloves, barriers).
Traps
- Rushing into an unsafe scene without assessing hazards.
- Improper tourniquet placement or loosening too early.
- Forgetting to call for EMS while rendering aid.
- Confusing evacuation with shelter-in-place triggers.
Rule of Thumb
Scene safety, then ABCs, then treat. You cannot help if you become a casualty.
Worked Example
A coworker collapses. Correct sequence: confirm the scene is safe, check responsiveness and breathing, call EMS with location and condition, begin CPR/AED if unresponsive and not breathing normally, and send someone to guide responders.