Rescue 1122 EMT key terms

The process of rapidly sorting casualties by how urgently they need treatment, so limited staff and resources go first to those who will benefit most and can be saved.

A simple sorting method using breathing, pulse and ability to follow commands to label casualties Immediate, Delayed, Minor or Deceased within seconds, designed for use by the first responders on scene.

A coloured card attached to a casualty during sorting that records priority category, vital signs and treatments given, allowing later crews to understand the patient's status at a glance.

The roughly sixty minutes after major trauma during which rapid assessment, stabilisation and transport to definitive care most strongly improve the chance of survival and recovery.

A rapid first assessment following the ABCDE sequence to find and correct immediately life-threatening problems before any detailed history or secondary examination is carried out.

A structured order of checking Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability and Exposure, treating each problem as it is found so that the most lethal threats are corrected first.

A head-to-toe examination with history taking performed after the primary survey and initial stabilisation, aimed at finding injuries that are not immediately life-threatening.

A scored assessment of eye opening, verbal response and motor response, giving a total from 3 to 15 that objectively grades level of consciousness and detects deterioration over time.

A quick consciousness check recording whether the patient is Alert, responds to Voice, responds only to Pain, or is Unresponsive, used when a full coma score is not practical.

A stable side-lying posture for an unconscious but breathing patient that keeps the airway open and lets fluids drain from the mouth instead of being inhaled.

An oropharyngeal airway, a curved plastic device inserted into the mouth to hold the tongue away from the back of the throat in an unconscious patient without a gag reflex.

The set of manoeuvres and devices, such as head tilt, chin lift, suction, airway adjuncts and bag-mask ventilation, used to keep a patient's breathing passage open.

An automated external defibrillator, a portable device that analyses the heart rhythm and delivers a controlled shock to a patient in cardiac arrest when a shockable rhythm is detected.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation: cycles of chest compressions and rescue breaths that keep blood and oxygen moving to the brain when a patient's heart has stopped.

A state in which the heart stops pumping effectively, so the patient is unresponsive, not breathing normally and has no detectable pulse, requiring immediate CPR and defibrillation.

Circulatory failure caused by severe blood or fluid loss, producing a rapid weak pulse, cold clammy skin, falling blood pressure and altered consciousness as the body compensates.

Techniques such as direct pressure, elevation, pressure dressings and tourniquets used to stop severe bleeding quickly before it causes shock or death.

The first check made on arriving at any incident: identifying hazards to the crew, patient and bystanders and controlling them before approaching, so rescuers do not become casualties.

The controlled release and removal of a trapped person from a vehicle, structure or debris, using stabilisation, space creation and careful handling to avoid making injuries worse.

Blocking, cribbing and chocking a crashed vehicle so it cannot move or shift while rescuers work inside or beneath it during patient access and extrication.

An enclosed or partly enclosed area with limited entry and exit that is not designed for continuous occupancy and may contain dangerous atmospheres or risk of engulfment.

Testing the air in a space or around a hazard for oxygen level, flammable gases and toxic substances before entry, and continuing to test while rescuers are inside.

Rope-based operations for reaching and lowering casualties on steep terrain, structures or heights, using anchors, harnesses, belays and controlled lowering systems.

Operations to recover people from rivers, canals, floods or other water, using reach, throw, row and go techniques with personal flotation and shore-based safety.

A common management structure that assigns clear roles for command, operations, planning, logistics and finance so that multiple agencies at a large incident work from one plan.

A command arrangement in which representatives of several responding agencies set objectives jointly, each keeping authority over their own personnel but sharing one incident action plan.

The number of individuals or teams one supervisor can effectively direct, usually kept to a small range so that communication and accountability remain reliable at complex incidents.

The three elements needed for combustion: fuel, oxygen and heat. Removing any one of them extinguishes a fire, which is the basis of all firefighting tactics.

The near-simultaneous ignition of combustible materials in a room caused by heat build-up, when temperatures suddenly rise and the space becomes untenable for anyone inside.

Self-contained breathing apparatus: a worn air cylinder and face mask that lets firefighters work in smoke, toxic gases or oxygen-deficient atmospheres without breathing the contaminated air.

Personal protective equipment, the clothing and kit such as helmet, gloves, boots, turnout gear, eye protection and respiratory protection worn to reduce injury and exposure.

Hazardous materials that can harm people, property or the environment, requiring identification, isolation, protective equipment and specialist control before any rescue or clean-up.

The process of removing hazardous substances from people, equipment and the scene, usually by washing, so contamination is not spread to ambulances, hospitals or other responders.

The lettered groups of extinguisher ratings: A for ordinary combustibles, B for flammable liquids, C for electrical fires, D for metals and K for cooking oils.

A trained local volunteer who reaches a nearby emergency before an ambulance and provides basic life support, CPR, bleeding control and reassurance until professional crews arrive.

Public education activity that teaches residents how to recognise emergencies, call the right service, give basic first aid and reduce common household risks.

The single public telephone number, such as 1122 in Punjab, that connects a caller to the emergency dispatch centre for ambulance, rescue or fire assistance.

The control-room function that receives emergency calls, records location and details, decides which resources to send and keeps communication with crews on scene.

A documented building scheme setting out escape routes, assembly points, alarm signals and assigned duties so occupants can leave quickly and be accounted for during a fire.

A pre-agreed safe outdoor location where evacuated people gather and are counted, kept clear of the building and of routes needed by fire and rescue vehicles.

A planned practice evacuation that tests alarms, routes, duties and head counts, so occupants and staff know what to do before a real fire occurs.

A coordinated approach covering prevention, preparedness, response and recovery, in which all relevant agencies plan and train together for emergencies that cross their boundaries.