Prioritizing your own safety above all else is the most important principle when encountering any emergency. This dictates that you must assess your environment before attempting to help an injured or ill person. A responder who is injured or put at risk immediately becomes another victim, expanding the incident and drawing resources away from the original person in need. Scene safety is the initial evaluation of an environment to determine if it is safe for you, the victim, and any bystanders to approach. This process requires continuous awareness of the surroundings throughout the encounter.
Immediate Danger Recognition
Upon arriving at an emergency location, you must conduct a rapid scan for immediate threats before taking another step. These dangers fall into three broad categories: environmental, man-made, and behavioral. Environmental threats include unstable ground, extreme weather conditions like lightning or heavy rain, or the presence of deep or rapidly moving water.
Man-made threats involve dangers such as active traffic, downed electrical power lines, or the risk of structural collapse. You must look for signs of fire, smoke, or the presence of leaking fluids or hazardous materials that might emit toxic fumes. An unusual smell, like gas or chemicals, is a strong indicator that you should not proceed into the area.
Behavioral threats involve the actions of people at the scene, which could include aggressive individuals, hostile crowds, or signs of criminal activity. If a person involved in the incident is exhibiting violent or threatening behavior, you must maintain a safe distance. Recognizing these dangers quickly allows you to make the decision to either proceed with caution or retreat.
Actions to Stabilize the Scene
If you identify a danger that cannot be immediately removed, your primary action is to retreat to a safe distance and prevent others from entering the area. The scene must be made safe before any direct care can be provided to the victim. If the hazard is manageable, like a running vehicle in a minor accident, turn off the ignition switch to prevent further risk.
In situations involving traffic, you can use your own vehicle as a shield by parking it strategically to create a barrier between the scene and oncoming cars, if safe to do so. If the emergency involves electrical equipment or machinery, the power source should be turned off at the main switch if it is easily accessible. Never attempt to move downed power lines or enter an area with sparking wires.
Moving the injured person should only be considered if the danger is immediate and life-threatening, such as a victim lying in the path of a fire or in a structure that is about to collapse. This is known as an emergency move and is only performed when the risk of staying outweighs the risk of potential injury from the move itself. Otherwise, the person should remain still until professional help arrives to avoid aggravating potential spinal injuries.
Role of Emergency Services
When confronted with an unsafe scene, the first intervention must be to contact emergency services by calling 9-1-1 or the local emergency number. This action should be completed before attempting any physical intervention, even if you are trained in first aid. Professional first responders, such as firefighters and specialized rescue teams, possess the training and equipment necessary to mitigate complex scene hazards that lay responders cannot safely manage.
During the call, it is imperative to clearly and accurately describe the specific dangers present at the scene. You must relay information about the type of hazard, such as “There is a vehicle fire” or “There are hazardous fumes in the building,” to ensure the correct specialized units are dispatched. Providing this specific detail allows responders to arrive prepared with the appropriate personal protective equipment and technical rescue gear.
Dispatchers are trained to provide guidance, including instructions for stabilizing the scene from a distance or administering basic care only if it is safe to do so. By communicating the full scope of the danger, you empower the professional system to take over the complex task of hazard mitigation. You should wait for professionals to arrive and establish a secured perimeter before attempting care.