LESSON 2

EMERGENCY ACTION PRINCIPLES

TOPIC 1: EMERGENCY ACTION PRINCIPLES
Emergency action principles are the guiding rules to be employed by the first person, or
persons, on the scene of an emergency. The nature of emergencies is such that it is impossible to
prescribe a specific list of actions to be completed before the event happens, so principles form a
framework on which to base forward actions.
An emergency is a situation where someone needs help quickly. That person may have
been badly hurt in an accident, or they might be ill or unresponsive.
First aid is often not nearly as complicated as most people think. Regardless, for all
emergencies you should always follow these emergency action principles (EAPs).
1. Safety:
• Survey the emergency scene to make sure there are no dangers. If you won’t be able to
help anyone if you end up getting hurt too.
• If it is dangerous call for help, make the area safer, or move the person from danger.
2. Wake the Person:
• Gently try to see if the injured person can respond. You can do this by calling out to him
and gently tapping his shoulders.
3. 9-1-1/EMS:
• If the person doesn’t wake up (or if he is injured) you or someone else must call the
Emergency Medical Service (EMS) immediately
Check for the following:
A. Airway:
• Place the person on his back, carefully so as to not cause further injury.
• Open the person’s airway by tilting his head back and lifting his chin upwards. This will
remove the tongue from blocking the airway. Keep the airway open.
B. Breathing:
• Check for breathing by looking, listening, and feeling for air (10 seconds).
• If the person is not breathing give him 2 breaths, allowing the air to come out in between.
• If the air goes in then go to step “C”.
• If the air does not go in, re-position the head-tilt/chin-lift and try blowing again.
• If the air still does not go in then; o Do chest compressions (just like CPR) to force the
object out. O Then check the mouth to see if the object came out, take it out if you see it.
O Do the head-tilt/chin-lift and try blowing in, even if you didn’t get anything out. O If
the air doesn’t go in, reposition the head-tilt/chin-lift and try blowing in again. O If the air
goes in then check for circulation, step C. o If the air still does not go in then do chest
 compressions, check the mouth, try blowing in – repeat this entire process until you get
air in.
C. Circulation:
• This step should only be done once you have an open airway and you are able to get air
into the casualty’s lungs.
• Check for circulation by feeling for a pulse and by looking at the person’s skin color,
feeling the skin temperature, and by noticing any movement (10 seconds).
• Start CPR if needed (compressions and breaths).
• If there is circulation but no breathing then just do rescue breathing.
• If there is circulation and breathing, then monitor and put the person in the recovery
position until the paramedics arrive.
GUIDELINES IN GIVING EMERGENCY CARE
Getting Started
1. Planning of Action
2. Gathering of needed materials
3. Remember the initial response as follows:
A- Ask for help
I – Intervene
D- Do no further harm
4. Instruction to helper/s
These actions done in order to ensure your safety and that of the victim’s chance of
survival.
1. Scene Survey
Once you recognize that an emergency has occurred and decided to act, you must make
sure that emergency scene is safe for you and any bystanders. Take time to survey the scene
and answer these questions:
• Is the scene safe?
• What happened?
• How many people are injured?
• Are their bystanders who can help?
• Identify yourself as a trained CPR Provider.
• Get consent to give care.
Check for Responsiveness.
When you survey the scene, look for anything that may threaten your safety and that of
the victim and bystanders. Example of dangers that may be present are fallen power lines,
falling rocks, traffic, fire, smoke, dangerous fumes, extreme weather and deep or swift-
moving water. If any of these or other dangers are threatening, do not approach the victim.
Call emergency personnel immediately for help. Nothing is gained by risking your own
safety. An emergency that begins with one victim could end up with two if you are hurt.
Leave dangerous situations for emergency professionals who have the training and proper
equipment to handle them. If you suspect the scene is unsafe, wait and watch until
emergency personnel arrive. If conditions change, you may then be able to approach the
victim.
Find out what happened. Look around for clues about what caused the emergency and the
type and extent of the victim’s injuries. By looking around, you may discover a situation that
requires your immediate action. As you approach the victim, take in the whole picture.
Nearby objects, such as shattered glass, a fallen ladder or a spilled bottle of medicine, might
tell you what happened. If the victim is unconscious, your survey of the scene may be the
only way to tell what happened. Look carefully for more than one victim because you may
not spot everyone at first. For example, in a car crash, an open door may be a clue that a
victim is bleeding or screaming loudly, you may overlook another victim who is silent and
unconscious. It is easy to overlook an infant or small child. Ask anyone present how many
people may be involved. If you find more than one victim, ask bystanders for help.
Look for bystanders who can help or who can help or who may be able to tell you what
happened or help in other ways. A bystander who knows the victim may know of any
relevant medical problems or allergies. Bystanders may call emergency professionals for
help, meet and direct the ambulance to your location, keep the area free of unnecessary
traffic or help you provide care. If there is no one nearby, shout for help to summon someone
who can help you.
2. Activation of Medical Assistance
 Depending on the situation:
- Call First and Care First.
- A bystander should make the telephone/cell phone call for help (if available).
- Somebody will ask to arrange for transfer facility.
 Information to remembered in activating medical assistance:
- What happened?
- Location?
- Numbered of persons injured?
- Extent of injury and first aid given?
- The telephone/cell phone number from where you are calling?
- Person who activated medical assistance must identify him/herself and drop the
phone last.
3. Primary Survey
In every emergency situation, you must first look for conditions that are an immediate
threat to the victim’s life. This is called the primary survey. In the primary survey, you check
each of the following:
  Check for ABC
A – airway (Look)
B – breathing (Listen)
C – circulation (feel)
Ways in opening the airway
1. Head Tilt-Chin Lift Maneuver
2. Jaw-Thrust Maneuver

4. Secondary Survey
If you find any life-threatening conditions during the primary survey, do not waste time
with the secondary survey. Check the airway, breathing, circulation at regular intervals, and
provide care only for the life- threatening conditions. Once you are certain that there are no
life- threatening conditions needing attention, you can begin the secondary survey. The
secondary survey is a systematic method of finding other injuries or conditions that may need
care. These are injuries or conditions that are not immediately life- threatening but could
become so if not attended to. To establish a complete picture, you need to obtain the history
of the incident, the symptoms described by the victim and any additional signs that you may
observe. For example, you might find possible broken bones, minor bleeding, or a specific
medical condition such as epilepsy.
 Interview the victim – Ask the victim’s name.
- Ask what happened
- Assess the SAMPLE (Signs and Symptoms, Allergies, Medication, Past Medical
History, Last Oral Intake, Event prior to Incident) history.
 Check for vital sign- (pulse rate, respiratory rate, temperature, blood pressure).
 Perform head-to-toe examination (looking for DCAP-BTLS)
 (Deformity, Contusion, Abrasion, Puncture, Burn, Tenderness, Laceration, Swelling).
TOPIC 2: CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (CPR)
This is a combination of chest compression and rescue breathing. This must be combined
for effective resuscitation of the victim of cardiac arrest.
Chest compression
Is a technique is used to circulate the blood of a patient whose heart is no longer beating
effectively enough to sustain life.
Rescue Breathing
Is a technique of breathing air into person lungs to supply him or her with the oxygen
needed to survive.
Ways to Ventilate the Lungs
1. Mouth-to-Mouth
2. Mouth-to-Nose
3. Mouth-to-Mouth
4. Mouth-to-Stoma and Nose
5. Mouth-to-Face Shield
6. Mouth-to-Mask
7. Bag Mask Device
8. Mouth-to-Mask (Barriers -Hankie)
Compression only CPR
If a person is unwilling or unable to perform mouth-to-mouth ventilation for an adult
victim, chest compression only-CPR should be provided rather than no attempt of CPR.
When should CPR be Terminated?
1. SPONTANEOUS signs of circulation are restored.
2. TURNED over to medical services or properly trained and authorized personnel.
3. OPERATOR is already exhausted and cannot continue CPR.
4. PHYSICIAN assumes responsibility (declares death, take over, etc.).
5. Scene becomes unsafe
Don’ts in giving CPR
1. Bender
2. Bouncer
3. Rocker
4. Jerker
5. Double Crosser
6. Massager
 TABLE OF COMPARISON ON CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION FOR
ADULT, CHILD AND INFANT

Here’s your CPR Sequence guide for you to be able to easily memorize.
1. Survey the scene
2. I have my PPE’s ON
3. I am ____trained CPR provider-can I help?
4. Check for responsiveness- Hey! Hey! Hey! Are you ok?
5. The victim is unresponsive- Help!!! Activate medical assistance
6.Check for the signs of life (1001-1010)
-The victim is pulseless and breathless
-I will do CPR (5 cycles)
7. Check for the signs of life
-The victim has pulse but breathless
-I will do Rescue Breathing
8. Check for the signs of life
-The victim is revived
9. I will the Secondary Survey
-Interview SAMPLE
-Vital Signs
-Head-to-toe Assessment (DCAP-BTLS)
 FIRST AID AND WATER SURVIVAL
Assessment No. 2
Instructions:
1. Answer the following questions.
2. Use a long bond paper.
3. Handwritten and write Legibly.
4. Make sure to indicate your full name (family name first), your course, year level,
block and your subject at the top of your answer sheet.

Name: Course/Block:

Subject: Date:

ESSAY
1. On your own words what is CPR.
2. On your own words what is Rescue Breathing.
3. What is the reason of clearing the airways of an unconscious patient.
4. Importance of safety as a first aider or responder
5. Compare Primary Survey and Secondary Survey in terms of the following characteristics:
Characteristics Primary Survey Secondary Survey
Definition
Stage of
Evaluation
Method
Purpose