Emergency Conditions

A medical emergency is a critical or life threatening condition. Call 999
immediately. Give the person who answers your name and whereabouts. Describe the situation quickly and clearly. Ask what you should do until help arrives.

Any condition on this list requires immediate attention:

• Drug overdose/poisoning
• Heavy blood loss
• Deep wounds such as stab wounds
• Severe breathing difficulties
• Head injury
• Unconsciousness
• Severe chest pain
• Suspected broken bones
• Starting to give birth
• Severe mental distress
• Septicaemic rash (a rash that does not fade when pressed with a glass)

While You're waiting for help:

DON'T

• Move the person
• Remove crash helmet
• Give anything to eat, drink or smoke
• Leave the person unattended
• Put your own life in danger

DO

• Keep the person warm and quiet
• Stay calm
• Tell the ambulance driver if you know the person took a drug; you can't get in trouble for this

If someone is unconscious

Call 999, then use the ABC of resuscitation

• A : Airway Position the airway and remove any obvious obstruction (for adults).
• B : Breathing Look to see if they are breathing. If there are no signs, give mouth to mouth ventilation.
• C : Circulation Look and feel for signs of circulation. If there are no signs start chest compression.

If you don't know how, call for help from people around.

If the person is breathing and there are signs of circulation, put them in the recovery position (illustrated above). This helps prevent choking.