Page 18 - Participant Manual

Most people in the United States call 9-1-1 for help in emergencies.
But in some areas of the United States and in many workplaces, you
many need to dial a designated emergency number instead. If you live
or work in an area where 9-1-1 is not the number you should call in
an emergency, make sure you know what the designated emergency
number is.

Phone carriers are required to connect 9-1-1 calls made from a mobile
phone, even if the phone does not have an active service plan. In most
areas, you cannot text 9-1-1. You must call! Unless you have confirmed
that the 9-1-1 call center in your area supports texting, you should
always call.

Giving Care Until EMS Personnel

Take Over

First aid care can be the difference between life and death. Often
it makes the difference between complete recovery and permanent
disability. This manual and the American Red Cross First Aid/
CPR/AED courses provide you with
the confidence, knowledge and skills
you need to give care to a person in an
emergency medical situation. In general,
you should give the appropriate care to
an injured or ill person until:

■ Another trained responder or EMS
personnel take over.

■ You are too exhausted to continue.

■ The scene becomes unsafe.

Obtaining

Consent to Help

Before giving first aid care, you must obtain consent (permission) from the injured or ill person (or the
person’s parent or guardian if the person is a minor) (Figure 1-2). To obtain consent:

■ State your name.
■ State the type and level of training that you have (such as training in first aid or CPR).

■ Explain what you think is wrong.
■ Explain what you plan to do. © 2011, 2016 The American National Red Cross. All rights reserved.

■ Ask if you may help.
With this information, an ill or injured person can grant his or her consent for care. Someone who is
unresponsive, confused or mentally impaired may not be able to grant consent. In these cases, the law
assumes the person would give consent if he or she were able to do so. This is called implied consent.
Implied consent also applies when a minor needs emergency medical assistance and the minor’s parent
or guardian is not present.

Chapter 1 Before Giving Care | 10 | First Aid/CPR/AED Participant’s Manual Chapter 1 Before Giving Care | 11 | First Aid/CPR/AED Participant’s Manual