Emergency First-Aid considerations

Expanded Safety Guide

The First 60 Seconds of Any Emergency

Effective emergency first aid is built on a repeatable structure that removes hesitation. The first 60 seconds are always the same regardless of injury type: ensure scene safety, form a general impression, activate emergency medical services (EMS) if warranted, and begin the primary survey. Panic and freezing are the leading causes of preventable poor outcomes — training and repetition build the muscle memory to move through this sequence automatically.

Scene Safety — Before You Approach

The first aider’s own safety comes first. Approach cautiously and check for hazards before engaging. Common scene hazards include:

• Traffic at roadside collisions — use vehicle hazard lights, warning triangles, and stay behind guardrails where possible.
• Electrical hazards — downed power lines, exposed wiring, water in contact with electrical sources. Do not approach until the utility has confirmed de-energisation.
• Hazardous atmospheres — H2S, carbon monoxide, oxygen deficiency in confined spaces. Rescuers who enter without SCBA and training account for more than 60% of confined-space fatalities.
• Fire, smoke, chemical spills — withdraw to a safe distance and call for specialist response.
• Violence or unstable persons — retreat to a safe location and request police response before providing care.

The rule is simple: a first aider who becomes a second casualty helps no one.

Universal Precautions — Bloodborne Pathogen Protection

Treat every casualty as potentially infectious for bloodborne pathogens (HIV, hepatitis B and C). Standard PPE includes disposable nitrile gloves, and where splash risk exists, safety eyewear and a barrier device for rescue breathing. After the incident, dispose of contaminated materials in a biohazard bag and wash hands thoroughly. Alberta workplaces must maintain PPE stock in first aid kits per the OHS First Aid Regulation.

Activating EMS — When and How

Call 911 immediately for: unresponsiveness, difficulty breathing, chest pain, severe bleeding, signs of stroke, severe burns, spinal injury suspicion, poisoning, seizures, severe allergic reaction, drowning, and any injury the first aider believes is beyond basic first aid. When calling:

• State the location precisely (street address, building, floor, room, nearest intersection).
• Describe the emergency (number of casualties, mechanism of injury, apparent conditions).
• Follow dispatcher instructions and stay on the line until told to hang up.
• Send a designated person to the entrance to guide EMS to the casualty.

The Primary Survey — ABCDE

Every first aider follows the same primary survey to identify life-threatening conditions in priority order:

• A — Airway: Is it clear? Look for foreign objects, blood, or the tongue occluding the airway. Perform head-tilt/chin-lift if no spinal injury is suspected; jaw-thrust if spinal injury is possible.
• B — Breathing: Is the casualty breathing normally? Look, listen, and feel for 10 seconds. Agonal (gasping) breathing is not effective breathing — begin CPR.
• C — Circulation: Check for signs of life, severe external bleeding, and signs of shock (pale, cool, clammy skin; rapid pulse; altered mental status).
• D — Disability: Assess level of consciousness using AVPU (Alert, Voice-responsive, Pain-responsive, Unresponsive). Note any obvious neurological deficits.
• E — Environment/Exposure: Protect from environmental hazards, expose injuries for assessment, prevent hypothermia. Alberta winter scenes require insulation of the casualty from the ground and wind.

Critical Interventions in Order of Priority

1. Open the airway.
2. Begin rescue breathing / CPR if the casualty is not breathing normally.
3. Control severe external bleeding with direct pressure; use tourniquets for life-threatening limb bleeding that cannot be controlled by direct pressure.
4. Treat for shock: lay flat, keep warm, elevate legs if no spinal injury is suspected.
5. Immobilise suspected spinal injuries — do not move unless in immediate danger.
6. Cover open wounds with sterile dressings.
7. Splint suspected fractures in the position found.
8. Monitor and reassure until EMS arrives.

Special Considerations Alberta First Aiders Encounter

• Cold injuries: hypothermia, frostbite, and immersion foot are Alberta winter realities. Handle the casualty gently — rough handling of a severely hypothermic patient can trigger cardiac arrest.
• Heat injuries: heat exhaustion and heat stroke occur in Alberta summers, especially in oil & gas, agriculture, and construction. Rapid cooling is life-saving in heat stroke.
• Remote locations: oil & gas leases, forestry blocks, and pipeline right-of-ways may be 30+ minutes from EMS. First aiders in these settings need Standard First Aid or Wilderness First Aid rather than the basic Emergency First Aid ticket.
• H2S exposure: in sour-gas country, first aiders must evacuate upwind and uphill, complete roll call, and never attempt rescue without SCBA.

Legal Protection for First Aiders

Alberta’s Emergency Medical Aid Act provides Good Samaritan protection for first aiders who render aid in good faith at the scene of an emergency, provided they do not do so with gross negligence and are not being compensated for providing that aid. This protection encourages bystander response and is a foundational element of Alberta’s emergency medical system.

Training Levels

Alberta workplace first aid levels: Emergency First Aid (8 hours, 3-year validity), Standard First Aid (16 hours, 3-year validity), and Advanced First Aid for remote workplaces. CPR levels A (adult), C (adult, child, infant), and BLS/HCP (healthcare provider level). Recertification must be completed before expiry — expired tickets require full retraining. See our Standard First Aid & CPR-C course for the most common workplace requirement.

Content reviewed by Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC — lead safety instructor at Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety Calgary, an Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider.