Emergency Management Guidelines

Overview of Guideline 2 – Managing an Emergency

• Applies to individuals needing immediate care, termed 'person in need.'
• Intended for bystanders, first aiders, first responders, and health professionals.

Recommendations by ANZCOR

• Quick assessment of the emergency situation is crucial.
• Ensure safety for all parties: rescuer, person in need, and bystanders; moving the person may be necessary.
• Send for help by calling an ambulance as a priority.
• Unresponsive individuals who are breathing normally should be placed in a lateral recovery position.
• For unresponsive individuals not breathing normally, follow the ANZCOR Basic Life Support Flowchart.
• When multiple individuals require aid, prioritize care for the unconscious person.

Priorities in an Emergency

• Early recognition is vital to initiate timely emergency management.

General Principles of Management

• Ensure the safety of the rescuer, bystanders, and the person in need.
• Management comprises:
  • Preventing further harm/injury
  • Checking response through verbal and tactile stimuli
  • Ensuring airway and breathing care
  • Controlling bleeding
  • Checking for alert devices that may aid assessment or management
  • Protecting the person from adverse weather
  • Implementing other appropriate first aid measures
  • Gentle handling and reassurance
  • Continued observation of the person's condition

Moving a Person in Need

• Movement may exacerbate a collapsed or injured person's condition through increased pain or shock; however, moving may be necessary for safety.
• Reasons to move include:
  • Ensuring safety in hazardous environments
  • Protecting from extreme weather
  • Facilitating evacuation from difficult terrain
  • Enabling airway and breathing care, such as repositioning for CPR
  • Managing severe bleeding

Positioning of Unresponsive Individuals

• ANZCOR recommends placing unresponsive individuals who breathe normally in a lateral recovery position instead of leaving them supine.
• It is acceptable to turn a face-down unresponsive person to assess airway and breathing, enabling resuscitation as necessary.
• Neck protection considerations should not impede life-saving evaluations and procedures.

Role of Rescuers

• Ideally, the most experienced rescuer should remain with the person in need while another calls for help.
• If movement is required, and assistance is available, the rescuer should coordinate actions efficiently.