Emergency Scene Assessment

Checking safety and causes before rushing to help

Step by Step

The first act of first aid is looking. Before approaching any casualty, stop, look, and think: is there traffic, fire, electricity, water, gas, chemicals, unstable structures, people, or animals that could hurt you. A second casualty helps nobody. Make the area safe if you can, switching off power or engines, or removing the danger, and only then approach. Check responsiveness with a loud voice and a gentle shake, open the airway, and check breathing. In multiple casualties, quiet breathing casualties are treated after the noisy ones. Look for clues to what happened: medication bottles, chemicals, syringes, a smashed helmet. Then call emergency services early, give your location first, and stay on the line. Calm, safe, and early help saves lives.