When there’s an emergency, whether it’s a crime, a fire or an injury,
we are all taught from a very young age to ring the emergency services for
help. Then it’s just a case of waiting for these first responders to get there
as quickly as they can, but how can these everyday heroes be ready for any
situation that might occur? Here are some of the ways first responders prepare
themselves.
Fitting all the equipment into the smallest
of places
The main difference between a first responder and a doctor or nurse
you’d find is the speed in which they can see a patient. First responders
travel to the scene of an incident as quickly as they possibly can with the
hope that they can stabilise the patient before transporting them to hospital
for further treatment. For many conditions, the first few minutes are critical
to whether the patient will be left with permanent damage. That’s why not all
first responders travel in a traditional ambulance.
Many paramedics now travel in a car which can travel at faster speeds
than a bulky ambulance. Some first responders even travel by bicycle to
incidents in built up pedestrianised areas where ambulances would have to park
streets away. The only problem with this is these first responders still need
access to the vital equipment you’d find in an ambulance. Luckily many
producers of emergency medical equipment are now designing devices, such as folding stretchers,
which can fit onto even the smallest of vehicles. That way these first
responders can provide almost the same level of treatment as a team travelling
in an ambulance in a shorter amount of time.
On call even when
they’re on a break
The main reason why these first responders can attend any incident
so quickly is their dedication to the job. Unlike most jobs, these workers
never have a set period for their break. They simply grab food where and
when they can throughout their shift. Firefighters regularly simply drop their
knife and fork at their table when they hear the bell that signals an emergency
call has been received. No meal ever gets in the way of them responding to a
call as quickly as they can, as they run to get their equipment on and board
the truck to head to the call, simply leaving their food on the table.
Constant training
Another reason why first responders are so good at their job is that
they never stop learning. They constantly go through training to learn how to
use the latest life-saving equipment and are constantly taught new techniques
as soon as possible. Many members of staff even take part in drills for major incidents, like a chemical spill or an explosion, where actors play the roles
of sick patients.
This way they know exactly what they need to do in any scenario, no matter how unlikely anybody might think it is to occur in their area.
