When and how to escalate emergencies

Knowing When and How to Get Help in Emergencies

Knowing when and how to escalate emergencies is very important for a Rehabilitation Support Assistant. It means understanding when a situation is serious enough to need more help and knowing who to call or what to do next.

Escalation means moving from basic first aid to calling for professional medical help or additional support. This helps to make sure the person in trouble gets the right care fast.

When to escalate an emergency

• If the person is unconscious or not breathing.
• If there is severe bleeding that cannot be stopped with pressure.
• If the person has chest pain or signs of a heart attack or stroke.
• If there is a major injury such as a broken bone sticking out or head injury with confusion.
• If the person has a severe allergic reaction with swelling or difficulty breathing.
• If the person’s condition gets worse despite basic first aid.
• If you feel unsure about the situation or safety of the person.

These are signs that the situation is urgent and needs more than basic first aid.

How to escalate emergencies

1. Stay calm and quickly assess the situation.
2. Call for professional emergency services right away – in South Africa dial 10177 or 112 on a cellphone.
3. Give clear information: your exact location, what happened, how many people are injured, and the condition of the person.
4. Follow any instructions from the emergency dispatcher carefully.
5. Keep the injured person safe and comfortable while waiting for help to arrive.
6. If others are nearby, ask for their help, for example to guide emergency services to your location.
7. Do not try to move the person unless they are in immediate danger.

Remember, escalating an emergency quickly can save a life. As a Rehabilitation Support Assistant, your quick decisions and clear communication with emergency services play a big role in helping a person get urgent care fast.

Always keep emergency numbers saved on your phone and know the nearest health facility. Your knowledge of when and how to escalate emergencies can make a big difference in difficult situations.