It can happen quickly: you witness an accident. Or your partner suffers from shortness of breath at night and is unresponsive. What should you do? It’s obvious: call the emergency services and see if anyone is injured or unconscious. The recovery position is always a good idea – and in extreme cases, resuscitation is a must. You can read exactly what you should do, and the full explanation is here.
Signs of a heart attack
Signs of a heart attack are pain behind the breastbone. It is stabbing, independent of breathing and movement, and can radiate into the left arm, neck, stomach, or back. The pain is caused by a lack of oxygen and dying muscles. During a heart attack, the coronary arteries are blocked by a blood clot. The muscle region behind them can no longer be supplied with blood and dies within a short time
The 6 points of first aid
Everyone must provide first aid within their means. It is important to know that first aiders are not liable for physical or material damage caused by first aid. This means that if you break someone’s ribs or tear their shirt while providing first aid, you will not be prosecuted because first aiders are insured against accidents and damage. On the contrary, you can be prosecuted for failure to provide assistance if you do nothing. This is laid down in Section 323c of the Criminal Code (StGB).
These keywords can be helpful for first responders: See, Protect, Rescue, Check, Emergency Call, Help .If you are a first responder, proceed as follows: First, look at and assess the situation. What has happened? Are there any dangers, such as leaking petrol? Are the victims injured? Can they communicate? Next, make sure you protect yourself. For example, put on disposable gloves before touching the victim or wear a life jacket on the street. If necessary and possible, rescue the victim from the danger zone. Check the victim’s vital functions (consciousness, breathing, heartbeat, and whether there are any injuries). If necessary, call the emergency services – 112. Help the victim. Now it’s time to offer comforting words or a rescue blanket to keep them warm, as well as first aid measures.