Emergencies, Incidents and Basic First Aid
Protect, call, assess, act
At any incident your first job is to stop the scene becoming worse: hazard lights on, vehicle off the carriageway if possible, warning triangle placed well back (further on fast roads), and bystanders kept clear. Then call the emergency services - 997 for ambulance, 999 for police, 998 for fire - giving location, number of casualties and their condition.
Assessment follows DRABC: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation. Shout and tap; if there is no response but the casualty is breathing, place them in the recovery position on their side and monitor continuously. If they are not breathing normally, start CPR: 30 chest compressions (centre of the chest, 5–6 cm deep, 100–120 per minute) to 2 rescue breaths, and use an AED as soon as one arrives.
Control severe bleeding with direct pressure and a dressing. Cool burns with running water for about 20 minutes and cover loosely - never use ice. Do not give food or drink to an unconscious person. Suspect spinal injury after any high-speed or ejection incident: do not move the casualty unless there is immediate danger such as fire. Do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet unless you must to keep the airway open.
Rule of thumb: you are not making a diagnosis, you are buying time - airway, breathing, bleeding, in that order.