What are some good courses in the UK for staying calm in an emergency situation?

[-]

RoyofBungay@reddit

Well you have made a start already by mentioning What 3 Words. It’s designed to be used without a phone signal.

[-]

sunheadeddeity@reddit

It's also not as failsafe as it claims. Please don't rely on it, be ready to provide street names, grid references and other coordinates.

[-]

MyNameIsMrEdd@reddit

Yes there's multiple cases where very similar sounding word combinations are within a few miles of each other

[-]

RichInspection4286@reddit

this is user error

it's not hard to clearly spell the words out phonetically to ensure accuracy

[-]

eerst@reddit

Nothing quite like relying on a safety system that fails humans under pressure. Great design five stars.

[-]

RichInspection4286@reddit

fails some humans under pressure*

the same people who will fail no matter what system is in ace, some.peolle are just hopeless

[-]

Frosty-Ad7557@reddit

I’m glad you’re not in charge of aircraft safety, chief

[-]

eerst@reddit

We're talking about human factors engineering. You might find this page illuminating: https://humanfactors101.com/topics/human-factors-engineering/ Human Factors Engineering – Human Factors 101

[-]

So a tool that was massively marketed as easy to use, fail-safe, and accurate to 3 metres now has to be spelled out phonetically by a stressed civilian on possibly a poor connection in bad weather or beside a busy noisy road? You can see the issue can't you?

[-]

Ch1pp@reddit

Having similar phrases close to each other is an error of the app. If you're spelling it out phonetically anyway might as well just be an alphanumeric code.

[-]

iiibehemothiii@reddit

Hmm, that's not the point.

It's a safety tool which should be designed from the ground up to minimise user error - especially panicked civilians

I've been in situations where i have been given the wrong location and, unlike road signs/area codes etc, you cant use an almost-correct W3W to "get close" to the scene.

https://www.reddit.com/r/911dispatchers/s/CevFGWDt0y

This is an interesting write up.

I used to be a fan of W3W but I've gone off it now.

[-]

dfinkelstein@reddit

Wow. Phenomenal writeup. If it doesn't make cents, then it must make dollars.

[-]

RichInspection4286@reddit

it's down to the operator to confirm the correct words - ask them to spell it phonetically to you - this is still just 100% user error

[-]

jefferson-started-it@reddit

As someone who's currently in training to be a call handler, they have struggled with the lat/long as on our system it shows as X and Y.

[-]

iiibehemothiii@reddit

That's good to know

But surely they should understand what someone means when they try to give coordinates? Isnt a vital part of what you guys do locating/placing someone?

There are only a few way that people will give a location, right?

Descriptive: outside Sunnyfields school. Roadsigns: junction of Percy street and Oak ave. Motorways/poorly marked roads: I'm about 3km up Old Dirt Road, or Just before M25 junction 2.

And the more accurate: GPS coordinates (Deg Vs DMS) W3W The lesser used PlusCodes (I'm sure Google used to have these?) And a few other niche ones.

If someone offers GPS coordinates, you'd have to be really ineffective to not clock that that's your x,y

Anyway, I begrudgingly have the W3W app now :')

[-]

PaintingJams@reddit

that's not always failsafe either - I once very calmly explained in detail to an ambulance dispatcher where I was because she "wasn't familiar with the area" (well your ambulance crew should be) where I was
I told them the road I was on, the nearest intersecting road, the nearest house number I could see and major identifiable landmarks (the shopping centre at the bottom of my high street was literally opposite me) and they still guided the ambulance to a car park 5minutes away that I had to be supported as I walked to with a hole in my thigh >>

[-]

PaintingJams@reddit

not that I'm still bitter about this

[-]

sjcuthbertson@reddit

No you've clearly totally processed and come to terms with this already, the therapy was clearly worth it. 👍🏻

(/hint?)

[-]

PaintingJams@reddit

Oh i was never traumatised by it (7 stitches and a fun story) i was just pissed off how unreliable the service was :p

[-]

sjcuthbertson@reddit

Yeah I would have been too based on what you've described!

[-]

PaintingJams@reddit

Also a life lesson not to jump fences with decorative spike, even if those spikes are blunt

[-]

RoyofBungay@reddit

True. However I would like to think that if a group of people were in an emergency situation that at least one person would have a signal on average.

Also, being able to read a map and associated awareness skills should be taught at school.

[-]

grogipher@reddit

However I would like to think that if a group of people were in an emergency situation that at least one person would have a signal on average.

If you're phoning 999 you either all have signal or none of you do. That's not how this works.

[-]

crispy-flavin-bites@reddit

Depends on the underlying mobile carrier doesn't it? Eg O2 might work where EE doesn't

[-]

grogipher@reddit

No.

Emergency calls will use whatever carrier is available. If there's an O2 signal then all the phones will be able to use it to call 999.

[-]

crispy-flavin-bites@reddit

Oh yeah that's right I did know that but forgot

[-]

NotMyRealName981@reddit

Just curious, are 999 telephone operators generally able to accept latitude/longitude or OS grid references?

[-]

sjcuthbertson@reddit

As other answer, yes - but to elaborate, OS Maps have been around a LONG time, and if you got into trouble in the countryside in say the 1990s (or frankly probably the 1950s, I think?), one of the walking group would have been despatched to the nearest public phone box (all marked on OS Maps!) to call 999, with the grid ref of the incident location as the only way to communicate where the emergency response should go.

Lat/long is also a long-standing system but very few people would have had a way to determine it when out walking in the 1990s. As I recall it, personal handheld GPS units started to become sort of affordable/available in the early 2000s, but initially would only be worth the money for people who spent a LOT of time outdoors. And were definitely only for backup/emergency use because batteries dying mid-walk was a real possibility.

[-]

BibbleBeans@reddit

Yes

[-]

pringellover9553@reddit

What is a grid reference? How would I find out coordinates? Is this something people commonly would know how to do because I would have no idea

[-]

sjcuthbertson@reddit

Not a personal judgement on you for not knowing, but the fact that you don't, and you're probably FAR from alone, is a sad indictment of our education system.

I was taught to read an OS map, take and apply grid refs etc, in year 7. It's still a really useful skill. Our Ordnance Survey mapping for the UK is an unsung national treasure - superb quality compared to what many countries have. Quite apart from emergency use, we have loads of public rights of way for all to enjoy, and OS maps are the only real way to make good use of them. Many are poorly signed on the ground, and you can't rely on signs unless you know where to pick up the path initially. Google Maps etc don't have a clue about most of them, because they just go off satellite imagery.

OS maps are affordable, the hardcopy versions are subscription-free, immune to batteries running out, and/or you can use the same mapping via a smartphone app (with subscription options if preferred). Schools absolutely should still be teaching everyone how to read an OS map (and a road atlas IMHO!).

[-]

AverageBartender@reddit

A grid reference is a location on an Ordnance Survey map. Also known as an OS map. They are the most widely used maps in the UK, so knowing that is your first step. Without getting into specifics on how to read a map and provide a grid reference for a location - the easiest way is through the app called ‘OS Locate’. Its sole function is to display to you the grid reference you’re currently standing on, the exact spot your phone is via GPS (no phone signal required).

When providing a grid reference to anyone in an emergency situation, simply read out the numbers on your screen. The numbers will have 2 letters in front of them which relate to the specific region you are in. For example, I’m in region SX, you may be in region ST. Say the letters first, then the numbers.

When providing the grid reference to an emergency call handler, speak slowly and clearly, they will likely repeat the letters and numbers back to you so that you can confirm them.

It will look something like this: SX 6498 7891

That gives your position to within 10 meters.

Consider using the phonetic alphabet to say Sierra X-Xray, rather than SX. Obviously in a stressful situation you might not remember but that’s ok.

Your short sentence could sound something like this: “I’m in Devon, my OS grid reference is Sierra X-Ray 6498 7891”. If the call handler receives that clearly then they will have your position in a few seconds.

And all you had to do was download the OS Locate app. (Then remember to use it)

Hope that helps!

[-]

pringellover9553@reddit

This is very useful! I’m going to download the OS locate app now! Thank you

[-]

glorycock@reddit

Some people might have an older version of the app, but apparently OS locate has now been embedded into the "OS Maps" app.

"The OS Locate App is now no longer available in App stores, although existing installations will continue to work. The OS Locate functions have been added to the OS Maps app. From the map screen, click the top menu (...) then select 'Locate Me'."

https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/os-locate-faq/

[-]

Annual-Individual-9@reddit

Oh thanks for that. I use OS Maps a lot for hiking etc. For some reason I'd NEVER thought of using it to provide a location in an emergency. I've just tried that and it gives you the grid ref and the long/lat in 2 formats. Feel prepared now!

[-]

glorycock@reddit

Great stuff - honestly I’m new to the app too, but it’s really useful……

[-]

AverageBartender@reddit

That’s good info cheers

[-]

glorycock@reddit

Some people might have an older version of the app, but apparently OS locate has now been embedded into the "OS Maps" app.

"The OS Locate App is now no longer available in App stores, although existing installations will continue to work. The OS Locate functions have been added to the OS Maps app. From the map screen, click the top menu (...) then select 'Locate Me'."

https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/os-locate-faq/

[-]

PerviouslyInER@reddit

grid references and other coordinates.

Watch out, you might think this from watching "999" in the 1990s, but modern control centres are really, really bad. I had latitude and longitude of a casualty in the forest, but the 112 call handler said they had no way of locating us based on those coordinates. They would only accept postcode, street name, or that stupid app.

[-]

mbfos@reddit

It’s a good idea, but they shouldn’t have used plurals and spellings of words that are easily mistaken.

For example the one of w3w of my house contains 2 plural words. If you read it quickly and get one plural word wrong it’s somewhere in Yorkshire (I’m In the south of England). If you get both wrong it could be one of 2 places in Alaska which i admit is unlikely if I’m calling 999.

Also seems weird that if it’s that good, Google or Apple maps haven’t taken it on.

[-]

insomnimax_99@reddit

Also seems weird that if it’s that good, Google or Apple maps haven’t taken it on.

Because it’s proprietary, it’s not open source. What 3 Words own the database of words and locations and the algorithm used to assign words to locations, and they don’t allow anyone to see it unless you pay them.

[-]

lost_send_berries@reddit

It's free for users, if you are a 999 call centre you have to pay.

[-]

vinyljunkie1245@reddit

Use your own device and save the service money? Or are personal phones prohibited from call centres?

[-]

sjcuthbertson@reddit

Or are personal phones prohibited from call centres?

Very possible they are prohibited for either IT security or information privacy reasons. Perhaps not prohibited to be kept on your person, but use during an active call maybe.

It would also be an absolutely awful policy for any employer to expect their staff to use their personal phones in the course of work. People have an effective right to keep that separate if they wish (and many do). As soon as one staff member refuses to get W3W on their personal phone, the call centre might as well pay for it for everyone.

[-]

Haurian@reddit

Turning a location into a what3words phrase is free.

Turning it back into a location is what is charged.

[-]

webseyuk@reddit

Mentioned this above, yeah I don't like the capitalism of it all

[-]

Fuzzy-River-2900@reddit

What I found weird was that me and a colleague were sitting right next to each other and What 3 Words both gave us 3 different words. Maybe both of them would take you to the same location, I don’t know. But I thought that the 3 words were locked down for each location 🤷‍♀️

[-]

KatVanWall@reddit

I believe W3W operates on very small squares of like 2-3 metres each, so the person next to you might just have been in the next square by a whisker.

[-]

BillyButch29@reddit

It’s good for emergencies in the middle of nowhere with no street addresses.

[-]

PerviouslyInER@reddit

grid references and other coordinates.

Watch out, you might think this from watching "999" in the 1990s, but modern control centres are really, really bad. I had latitude and longitude of a casualty in the forest, but the 112 call handler said they had no way of locating us based on those coordinates. They would only accept postcode, street name, or that stupid app.

[-]

LDL707@reddit

I'm a geographer. What3Words is a colossally stupid system. Your phone will give you actual latitude and longitude coordinates without a signal as well. Please use those instead.

[-]

echocardio@reddit

I’m emergency services. I’ve never successfully had someone use lat/long in a crisis; they don’t know how to pull it up on Google Maps; they don’t know what it looks like or what format it is in (three formats, really) and they absolutely do not read it out properly in a way I can easily catch over speakerphone or radio.

It’s fine to miss out the last few digits in an attended RTC you can’t miss as you drive by; that’s not the case when I’m trying to find a specific stairwell. W3W is far more user friendly for voice comms.

An address is usually the most important thing as almost all crises are in or outside a specific premises, but any police, ambulance or fire responder has W3W on their job phone and it will translate it directly into Google Maps for you.

[-]

LDL707@reddit

There are a ton of better ways to give the same functionality, though.

There are a million ways you could encode latlong into easy to understand words that would eliminate all the issues W3W presents. But it wouldn't give W3W a product to sell.

For most emergency services calls, everybody is going to be within a degree or two (even at the northernmost inhabited city on Earth -- Longyearbyen in Svalbard -- a degree of longitude covers more than 23 km, and at the equator it's about 111 km). That means all that matters are the four digits after the decimal. Make a list of 100 alphabetized, universally pronounceable words, and give each couplet of numbers a word. Maybe pick four words per letter in the alphabet, except for Q. So if you call for emergency services and tell them you're at "bench cabinet, bonnet orange", they know your degree of latitude and longitude will be the degrees that they cover. You'd be able to intuitively know that "bench" would probably correspond to 05 or 06. "Cabinet" is almost certainly 09. "Bonnet" likely 07 or 08. "Orange" is probably 62 or 63. So, just by thinking about it, the emergency services personnel would know that the person is very likely to be at xxx.0509,yyy.0762, where xxx and yyy are the degrees you cover. In areas where there's a large coverage area or in extreme northern or southern ranges, you could add an additional word for the degree. Granted, it's sometimes six words instead of three. But it is also easy to figure out where somebody is, easy to figure out your own code without an app or website as long as the word lists are public, and completely free to everybody involved.

[-]

Burnsy2023@reddit

Whilst better ways are possible, they're not an option. W3W does a better job at communicating a specific location than most other options that are currently available to the public.

The closed nature of W3W is a criticism, yet there's no alternative.

[-]

Deadened_ghosts@reddit

W3W currently thinks I'm about 40 metres away in a neighbours house

[-]

Volf_y@reddit

It took me 10 minutes to find out how to get them on google maps (not blue dot, but press to hold red dot) Not great in an emergency.

Apple Maps gives it to me on the blue dot. Took 10 seconds.

Same for Topo GPS.

W3W is immediate.

[-]

LDL707@reddit

Because it's built to do that.

Something like this will give you coordinates just as quickly as W3W: https://gps-coordinates.org/

[-]

PerviouslyInER@reddit

Be careful of assuming that things are as good you remember from watching "999" in the 1990s - modern [privatised] control centres are really, really bad.

I had latitude and longitude of a casualty in the forest, but the 112 call handler said they had no way of locating us based on those coordinates.

They would only accept postcode, street name, or that stupid app.

[-]

LDL707@reddit

The problem is that that's fundamentally wrong. Latitude and longitude tell you processing where on earth you are in a far more useable way than W3W.

Is "///this.is.stupid" east or west of "///just.use.latlong"? There's no way of telling how to get somewhere from their W3W.

Not to mention that the words are not consistent across languages. And you have no way of calculating your own W3W location without their proprietary API. Latitude and longitude are the same in any language. And you can get your own coordinates without a phone, if you can do some relatively basic calculations.

W3W is a solution in search of a problem. And it's a way for emergency responders to look like they're utilizing their budgets to stay on top of technological developments, without actually adding any real benefit.

I should market What12Numbers would give roughly the same precision as W3W, in a universal, cross cultural, language agnostic fashion, while also providing relational data to guide you right to it, all while being roughly as easy to remember as an international telephone number.

[-]

PerviouslyInER@reddit

Yes, and latitude/longitude were the coordinates that the call centre was not equipped to use. They could not enter latitude/longitude into their call-taking computer system.

[-]

callisstaa@reddit

Yeah W3W really has a ‘heavily backed startup’ vibe and there are better options available

[-]

pulseezar@reddit

How?

[-]

potatan@reddit

How though? Help others

[-]

glorycock@reddit

You tap where you are and that drops a red pin. Pull up the menu on the bottom that appears, and the info is listed.

50-second video here

[-]

Willeth@reddit

I just want to point out that Google Maps will happily provide latitude and longitude of your location even with no mobile signal, as GPS connection does not use the mobile network. Just tap on your location dot and it's right there. I'm sure Apple Maps does something similar.

[-]

leoedin@reddit

It will also give you a “plus code” which is a slightly more human friendly version of lat/long.

[-]

Pilchard123@reddit

And it doesn't change by language, and can be precise from 20 degrees down to some number of thousands of an arcsecond (I think) if you really want to, and - and this is the one that I think should have made it be the one used by the emergency services over W3W - the algorithm is public. You could do it with a notepad and pencil if you really wanted to.

[-]

Willeth@reddit

I dunno, I'd put the plus code well below other options. At least What3Words is somewhat known. I would imagine giving a plus code to an emergency services operator would just cause a delay while they figured out what to do with it.

[-]

FluffTheMagicRabbit@reddit

Various mountain rescue teams have been begging people to stop using it for emergencies because it's endangering people's lives.

[-]

Clarl020@reddit

I use what 3 words a lot for my job and it’s fantastic. You have to keep clicking the ‘arrow’ to make sure the GPS accuracy is correct, but honestly I can’t recommend the app enough. The only times we’ve had issues have been user errors (if you don’t click the arrow it sometimes places you where you last had signal, as opposed to where you are now).

I have had to call 999 before and used W3W to tell the responder where the issue was, they were very quick to locate me.

[-]

Loud_Fisherman_5878@reddit

Thanks for the arrow tip- I do have the app but never really used it so this is useful to know!

[-]

Silver-linings33@reddit (OP)

Thanks so much for this, it’s a really useful tool to have an I’ll definitely keep the app moving forward. I was trying to use the browser version with no signal at all and it was showing me in a location 3 hours away - I think it was definitely a user error lol!

[-]

webseyuk@reddit

It's also not a free service for companies/services to use

[-]

Existing_Goal_7667@reddit

As an RN my tips are 1) learn what to do - general first aid course would be ideal. Read up on an ABCDE assessment. 2) Practice staying calm in any stressful situation that comes up in your life. Fake it till you make it. Purposely walk towards an incident instead of running. Talk slowly and refuse to rush anything. Speak your thoughts out loud in a firm, calm voice. This will reassure everyone around you, and they will then act calmer and more sensibly.

[-]

MarzipanElephant@reddit

Honestly, it's mainly practice.

I have the sort of job where I'm dealing with emergencies quite regularly so, for example, when I was walking to work one day and came within a half second of being (likely fatally, certainly life changing-ly) crushed by a car that crossed the pavement at speed and slammed into a wall after having a cyclist roll across its bonnet, I was able to essentially shrug and get on with checking the cyclist was okay (he was), calming the driver down, ensuring the police had been called, all that jazz. I don't suppose I could always have done it but at this point it's basically second nature. If you really want to develop those sorts of skills, maybe seek out volunteering opportunities that will help build them.

[-]

Fatmanjoe7@reddit

I work for the railway in an emergency response capacity, so I have some experience in emergency situations. Firstly, you have made a good start with W3W and booking first aid. It’s also worth learning the phonetic alphabet and basic safety communication rules (ie numbers are read digit by digit, always zero, never “o”). Don’t be afraid if in a similar situation again to let professionals (such as the nurse) take over. It’s worth taking a step back and looking at what isn’t being done if there is another more experienced person present. Mainly, take your time and take a deep breath because rushing doesn’t help anyone, particularly in communications.

[-]

KatVanWall@reddit

First aid course is a great idea. It’s years since I did my last refresher (I haven’t been ‘employed’ for a long time so no employer to pay and send me on one!), but when I was second on the scene of an RTC it was fairly easy to stay calm and do what needed to be done. (Yes, advice is updated as the years go by, but I didn’t actually need to ‘do anything’ physically to the casualties other than keep them where they were!)

You’ll get a lot of people either slating or advocating for What3Words as well. Give it a try. If nothing else, it’s fun! (Personally I think all new babies should be named after the W3W location where they were either conceived or born, or maybe a parent’s favourite place.) It narrows down to a much smaller area than coordinates. Without a phone signal, you can also set it so the arrow will continually point you towards the location given, so you can navigate to it where there are no roads/paths or just don’t know where it is. Coordinates can be tricky. I’m old school, Gen X, I know fine well what they are and how they work, but if you asked me to give the coordinates of where I am, it would definitely take me a while to find them, and lots of people would get in a flap in an emergency and take longer.

Also I feel that although it has its faults, the emergency services wouldn’t continue to use it if it was crap. Like everything else there are bad bosses, money issues and all that, but I’d bet 9/10 people working in emergency and first response do actively want to help their ‘clients’ first and foremost and wouldn’t have a lot of patience for a system that hampered them!

[-]

Littleloula@reddit

As well as everything else people said, partly this comes with experience and even having been there for this and reflected on it will put you in a stronger position if you have to deal with a similar crisis again

[-]

hawkeneye1998bs@reddit

It's about exposure. If you're used to high intensity situations, you'll be able to remain calm easier. Also, training. Nurses know exactly what to do in this situation, so they don't need to think too hard about what's next

[-]

NM1tchy@reddit

I've done a couple of first aid courses. 1 work related as I sometimes worked near electricians while they were switching high voltage stuff and another as a cycle ride leader. Just knowing what to do at the time can help a lot, but I really could do with a refresher course as it's been a while. I keep a kit in my car (everyone should tbh), and if out on motorcycle or cycling then a small kit mostly meant for myself, but you never know.

Just a course can help, but also keeping calm at the scene can help an injured person. Only time I really helped was seeing a woman sat in the middle of a busy road while I was walking home from a works night out and she had had a panic attack. I was sober enough to just stand in the road and call emergency services and a police turned up, then ambulance. She was ok, but could have been hit by a car.

With the cycle course it was emphasised that you may be in an area without immediate help and need to give a good location. W3W can help, but also OS map or locate also.

[-]

UppaGrizi7@reddit

Taking the first aid course is a great idea. I was a first aider at various workplaces, and it's amazing how much of it really stays with you. You will subconsciously kick into action. I've had a couple of emergencies occur at work, and the training just kicks in. I wasn't even aware of what I was doing until a co-worker mentioned I just took charge of the situation. Basic first aid should be taught in schools.

[-]

queenieofrandom@reddit

Do some first aid courses! They give you the right process and drill it into you so that you automatically do the process

[-]

savannahhbananaa@reddit

As someone who deals with emergencies every day (999 call handler) I’d say definitely what3words and when you’re out and about and just note any markers you see. I always keep a habit of noting the road name when I can. And on the motorways you see blue signs that have numbers and letters on them- not those as well if you can. They are markers and emergency services often ask for them.

Other than that, first aid training course. Always check if someone is breathing. If they are unconscious, check if the breathing is noisy and if they are breathing at least one breath every ten seconds. If someone is unconscious with noisy breathing it could be a sign of pre-arrest. If they are not breathing at least one breath every ten seconds, they are not breathing effectively, then we need to start CPR.

Best thing to do is take a deep breath and stay calm.

[-]

I_like_creps123@reddit

Respect, this is such an admirable thing to do and to have the self reflection and drive to identify and want to better yourself is so good.

[-]

retailface@reddit

Dialling 112 puts you through to emergency call handlers the same as 999, and also sends them your location. They're rolling out the location thing for 999, but it's not in full use yet. I learned this on a first aid course a couple of weeks ago.

Doing a first aid course will give you the skills you need, which will give you confidence to handle a situation, which helps you stay calm. Good for you for booking a place, it's well worth doing.

[-]

Jackisback123@reddit

There's no difference between 112 and 999 in the UK. That there is is a myth which unfortunately keeps getting peddled even by people who should know better!

[-]

Verbal-Gerbil@reddit

I'm not sure that's true. I called LAS via 99 after a goodSAM alert the other day and when I called in, they knew my name, job and location. I called police a couple of years ago when I saw a bus under attack and the driver put on a broadcast message 'call 999' blasting to the street! and they didn't have a clue where I was

[-]

retailface@reddit

Wow, I wonder how much regional variation there is in your location and other information being sent.

[-]

Verbal-Gerbil@reddit

also between the 3 services, the time difference and the fact that I (my phone number) was registered with them and responding to their callout? each service has their own control room, and their own systems, so it seems the tech is there, but in a rollout phase?

[-]

retailface@reddit

Yes, seems likely.

[-]

FangoFan@reddit

As far as I know, calling 112 on a mobile phone only gives them the cell tower you're connected to, which isn't particularly useful. From a landline it'll be more accurate as the number is registered at a specific address.

On the bright side, mobile phones now use AML (Advanced Mobile Location), which activates the phone's location services and texts the location to the emergency number you called (in the countries listed on the wikipedia page) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Mobile_Location

[-]

retailface@reddit

Oh, interesting, I was told it was more accurate than that.

[-]

CattyKatKat@reddit

I've registered to be able to text 999 in an emergency after reading this article about campers locating a lost young person in the Lake District.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crmk8rn08vdo.amp

[-]

Roofless_@reddit

Having ADHD is a super power when it comes to ability to thrive under high-stress situations, particularly during crises.

First aid training is a must, well worth doing it.

[-]

Brilliant_Whereas239@reddit

Why is this? Are you sure it's ADHD? Maybe it's just personality differences! Curious to hear your side.

[-]

caffeine_lights@reddit

I also have ADHD and experience this. My old doctor told me it's because the ADHD brain is low in the neurotransmitter noradrenaline, which one of its functions is that it regulates the brain system by which we prioritise, organise tasks, formulate a plan of what to do, stay on task etc.

In a crisis you make adrenaline and adrenaline can fit into the receptors that take noradrenaline, so it performs that function for you. The problem is that being flooded with adrenaline on a regular basis is really hard on your body in general.

It's also apparently why people with ADHD can procrastinate for weeks and then as soon as we perceive the deadline as so-urgent-it's-now-an-emergency we can get things done in the most brutally efficient way. Not necessarily our best performance (most of us are simultaneously kicking ourselves for not having left enough time to do the things we've suddenly had a brilliant idea about) but it will get DONE.

[-]

noradrenaline@reddit

hi 👋

[-]

Cynrae@reddit

I'm not sure if this is a thing documented in literature or not (someone feel free to chime in!), but I've seen a lot of ADHD folk report this - myself included. When you have ADHD, stimulants often 'calm' the mind and allow you to focus, and adrenaline is a naturally-produced stimulant. So in an emergency situation, the adrenaline kicks in, and suddenly the 1000 overlapping thoughts running through your head disappear and you can focus only on what's important.

Obviously this doesn't apply to everyone with ADHD, but it's pretty common anecdotally.

[-]

Artistic_Bug_7223@reddit

Why is this?

https://www.additudemag.com/benefits-of-adhd-crisis/

ADHD people work better in stressful situations than routine ones, emergencies are typically very stressful rapidly changing events which for someone with ADHD is incredibly 'interesting' and causes you to hyperfocus. I've never been involved (thankfully) in a medical emergency but have been praised at work for not panicking and being able to think quickly when something has gone nuts, which I think is because of my ADHD.

[-]

DinosaurInAPartyHat@reddit

Yep. I am a total spaghetti noodle - except in high pressure situations where most people would freeze or flee. Then I just go into "the zone".

[-]

inclined_@reddit

Not necessarily. I have ADHD and I'm shit in a crisis

[-]

Roofless_@reddit

Ah sorry to hear. Maybe I've got a newer ADHD life patch or something lol.

[-]

TipiElle@reddit

My ADHD is also the good in a crisis kind. I feel a sense of clarity I rarely experience at any other time. Probably hyperfocus hahah.

[-]

CuriousNowDead@reddit

Staying calm is more about experience than anything else. Most members of the public panic!

But a general first aid course is always good to have.

[-]

triffidsarecool@reddit

I think you’ve already made a start. I used to be a 999 call handler. A lot of the remaining calm is you have specific things you need in order to send the help and to also decide if it is a grade 1, 2 etc... So that in itself helps. You need to know where the emergency is, what has happened, is there an offender nearby, and if anyone is injured, is there a weapon etc… so as a call handler you are focussed and generally waiting/expecting that emergency call to come in. I think some of it is also down to the type of person you are. I am calm in a crisis and just go into action, whereas at all other times i am anxious.

I would say, W3W is good. Maybe learn some first aid too. Consider what you need to know.

For example those A/B signs with numbers like 134.6 A etc on the Motorway? They are mile markers, both the big blue ones (or green on a dual carriageway) and the white ones on a little stick at the side. If there is ever an emergency and you can see those, give that information to the call handler. It gives a more accurate location.

You could look into how you can volunteer for places like The Samaritains, they provide training on talking to people in crisis, which would also possibly help.

Call handlers do generally remain calm, however, there are times where raising your voice and being firm is also needed to get the information. Someone panicking and screaming and not listening sometimes requires a shock to bring them round to the fact they called for help and need to give the information to get it.

[-]

TheMusicArchivist@reddit

The first time I called the emergency services for a road traffic collision I got the wrong road (A41 instead of A43 or something like that), and by the time I had worked out where I was (difficult in the countryside, no data, etc), the first ambulances, fire engines, and police cars had already arrived and taken the people to hospital. I was relegated by 999 to describing the incident so they had a witness record and they said they'd tie it in later with the logs.

The second time I had to call for a RTC I knew exactly where I was and how the emergency services should access the car (on a bridge, so it had to come from one side not the other, etc).

Honestly, the first thing to remember in an emergency is that you won't solve everything, but if you help just a little bit in any way you can, you will have been a force for good. Pick something manageable for you.

[-]

BeersTeddy@reddit

Experience is one. The second one is... ADHD. Upside of adhd is being very calm when the world is one fire. When everyone panicking, going mental, everything is happening so fast we feel natural. Finally things are happening in our natural speed.

[-]

yadunknowprincebusta@reddit

I did a course with shadow team preparedness and can say i found it useful, courses start simple, up to the use of advanced trauma care. https://www.shadowteampreparedness.com/

[-]

Dramatic-Growth1335@reddit

Experience. You just had some and are now preparing even more. Good on you!

[-]

Silver-linings33@reddit (OP)

Thank you so much. I am kind of cringing at myself for asking the patient if he wanted me to call him an ambulance when the answer was very obvious! It’s all a learning curve I guess :)

[-]

Chemical-ali1@reddit

You can style that one out! You weren’t asking a daft question, you were assessing his level of consciousness and understanding of the situation.

I’ve more than once asked a patient if they know what day of the week it is, only to realise that I don’t know what day of the week it is myself (because shift work) and then had to check if they were correct on my phone.

[-]

caffeine_lights@reddit

That's just because when you're in an adrenaline-fuelled situation, you lose the ability to make logical decisions and rely on things which are more automatic. You probably fell back on the automatic politeness which is why you formulated it as a question.

[-]

theshedonstokelane@reddit

Don't read all the comments as though it is difficult. IT IS NOT. First, call for help. That might mean using phone. If no voice signal send sms to 999. THEN stay with injured person, talk to them, even if they do respond. Tell them you have sent for help. If you DO NOTHING ELSE, YOU HAVE DONE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNt.

[-]

theshedonstokelane@reddit

There I'd a phone service which uses your phone as location device. If you have poor signal , even can only send text, it will locate you, send help

[-]

Public-Guidance-9560@reddit

You could do a course but by the time you come to call on it again I'd suggest you'll probably still end up in a bit of a flap. People like the nurse are calm during these things because it's their day job. They're effectively practicing crisis Management all the time. You'll probably remember a few basics, which is way better than nothing, but don't sweat it at the end of the day.

[-]

aye-a-ken@reddit

That's a stressful situation that you experienced and probably know one would completely understand daunted . You stopped to help , there are people that wouldn't / couldn't .

Sounds like you have made the first steps already.

Well done 👍

[-]

Dominoscraft@reddit

Quite a few of our main roads have road markers ( painted letters and numbers ) on lampposts. You can give those to the emergency services and it will let them know where you are!

[-]

shnu62@reddit

I echo downloading CitiizenAid app. It’s free and fantastic

[-]

Kindly_Climate4567@reddit

Why does the emergency not locate your phone automatically?

[-]

Shriven@reddit

Because cell location is not magic

[-]

Kindly_Climate4567@reddit

Yeah, it's science and it should work.

[-]

Shriven@reddit

It's science that you don't understand I'd wager then

[-]

major_tennis@reddit

We did a course at work called active bystander training. It was mostly responding to fire alarms apropriately

[-]

Expression-Little@reddit

I'm a physiotherapist and honestly, it's exposure for me. There's no way to predict how you'll react in an emergency.

A first aid course gives very little when it comes to crisis management in emergency situations - which is what 999 operators are trained to do. They'll coach you through what has to be done to take the weight off of you before professionals can come in.

[-]

papercut2008uk@reddit

Dialing 999 even without signal can still work, so always try it.

Your phone network might not have a signal where you are but emergency number will use any availible network it can find.

[-]

Ch1pp@reddit

I'm sorry but how have you never heard of What 3 Words? They've been advertising like crazy for a decade.

[-]

matthewkevin84@reddit

Did an Ambulance successfully attend or was the motorcycle taken to hospital by some other means?

[-]

Silver-linings33@reddit (OP)

Yes they did attend within 20 minutes! :)

[-]

ArcticSailOx@reddit

There’s nothing that will prepare you for an event other than going through the process of administering life saving first aid.

I’ve twice had to give mouth to mouth and CPR and I’ve got a 50% survival rate. The first was an old guy collapsed in the street and I’d tried to call an ambulance, but couldn’t get through so I pocketed my phone and started CPR. By this time a vicar arrived and just stood watching me. The previous day I’d changed my ringtone to Dr Who Daleks and the ambulance service tried to call me back, but I was now busy…my phone was now shrieking EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE EXTERMINATE as I tried to do CPR and mouth to mouth…for 20 minutes…the whole scene was like a black comedy.

The second was a friend of mine who had a heart attack at the start of a sailing race. The safety team dragged him out of his boat by which time I’d sailed to shore as they’d arrived. My approach this time was much more relaxed, strolled up Quick Look to assess how best to assist, concluded he looked a bit fucked, and joined my mate in doing CPR…he survived unaffected.

The third was a motorcyclist who’d gone head on into a van, bounced off the van into a ditch of nettles. Hawthorn and brambles. I arrived just after the accident and spot the guy at the bottom of the ditch; I am wearing a T-shirt, shorts and flip flops! I climbed down into the ditch and find he’s struggling to breathe, I did no more the move his body back 5 inches and lifted his head enough to open his airway…he survived with a few broken bones. The cops who arrived on scene told me he wouldn’t make it, I just thought fuck you I’m at least going to try and give him a chance.

Tell the operator to triangulate off your mobile signal.

Learn Nellie the elephant, nothing like singing songs over a dying person,

[-]

Holiday_West_4095@reddit

If you want to do a first aid course the National Careers Service always have them running, and its free for people on benefits!

[-]

Infinite_Aardvark378@reddit

Getting a caveat out of the way: I don't work in the emergency services and do believe that repeated exposure to such situations helps with managing responses to challenges.

I did a lifeguarding course when I was a teen and found that has been formative in how I approach situations. Notwithstanding any lifesaving/first aid/useful skills, I would say that remaining calm in those sort of situations does come down to (again, based on my experience) mindset. Not recommending anything crazy, but breathing exercises can really regulate stress levels.

Other than that, knowing when to step aside because someone else is more qualified/able to manage a situation better is invaluable and probably the best advice.

[-]

TonyBlairsDildo@reddit

knowing when to step aside because someone else is more qualified/able to manage a situation better is invaluable and probably the best advice

The vast majority of people defer acting because 'someone else will sort it'. I think the opposite advice is more true; that you have to force yourself to act as no one else will.

The first step is knowing that you can do things. You can stop traffic by stopping your car in the road. You can point to a member of the public and tell them to call for an ambulance. You can tell someone else to turn the motorcycle's engine off.

[-]

vinyljunkie1245@reddit

Also be prepared for people trying to tell you not to do things a way you've been trained because "you'll get sued". Just ignore them, you won't. And sadly be ready for the inevitable ghouls filming the incident on their phones. I've seen these morons obstructing paramedics and police at accidents and getting in the way of anyone who can actually help. Wankers.

[-]

Chemical-ali1@reddit

I work in ICU so not really emergency services but plenty of emergencies. Repeated exposure definitely helps massively at first, until it doesn’t. Eventually it becomes more PTSD than experience and that really doesn’t help.

The mindset thing is certainly true but kind of comes with the repeated exposure. And for me anyway a lot of the mindset comes from the emotional detachment you can only have working in an environment where you don’t really know the patients. Most first aiders will most likely end up using it on a family member, which is going to make that difficult.

I guess one thing to think of is that moment of panic you feel, seems a lot longer to you than to anyone else. It probably takes you a couple of seconds to breathe and get it under control, but it feels like about 10mins. Then it’s just think of it step by step however you’ve been trained.

[-]

CraftyCat65@reddit

I think you've hit the nail on the head with "emotional detachment"

I'm a pretty practical kind of person. My mother was an old school SRN - dramatics about anything health or death related were not an option. I work as a funeral director and volunteer at animal rescues.

In emergency situations my default is to block emotion and be practical. It's partly genetic but largely taught from a young age. My adult kids are the same.

[-]

AutisticTumourGirl@reddit

Also, some of it is genetically linked. Some people naturally have higher/lower levels of certain proteins and enzymes that influence neuron and synapse growth/activity.

I worked as a CNA/med-tech for 2 years while doing EMT training and did that for a year and burned out quick. I had already learned not to panic during an incident after seeing multiple older patients injure themselves in some pretty wild ways (and some quite severely) and having to do prep bodies of patients who died while waiting for someone to come get them, so I did okay on scene but I just couldn't process/move on afterwards and it just built up until I completely burned out from just being constantly traumatised by the things I saw. I'm just not cut out for dealing with it long-term. I know a lot of RNs and paramedics who have been in their jobs for 20+ years, and about 50% of them are great, functional, happy people and the other 50% struggle with things like infidelity, substance abuse, anger issues, other addictions, and just maladaptive coping in general and it shows in how they approach and talk to their patients as well.

[-]

MiddleAgeCool@reddit

> I am useless in an emergency situation.

This is NOT true. You knew to dial 999 and dialled 999. There is a large percentage of people in the UK who would freeze and do nothing and stand there assuming someone else would make that call.

For 999 specifically.

Don't call straight away. By that I mean don't grab your phone and dial straight away.

Take a moment. Take 2-3 deep breaths. If you're in a group tell them you're calling 999. If you're alone and the only person there, still announce "I'm calling 999". As daft as it sounds you're focusing yourself to do a task.

If you don't know where you are, ask someone. Repeat it back to the person telling you. If you have an app on your phone for the location, open it - Google / Apple maps or W3W or whatever you know how to use.

Then call 999.

If you can see a sign a little way off, instruct someone to get and read it for you - you are the communication point and can tell others to get information for you. "Go check what that sign says?" . They can come with the information while you're talking to the operator.

If you're giving a location that could be vague, look around you. Telling the operator you're on the High Street is great but it might be a long High Street. I'm on the High Street near the post office or that you can see a petrol station about 500m away is much better. If it's on a motorway or main road, what direction were you travelling or where were you heading? This can give valuable information as to which carriageway they need to be on. Did you just pass a services or was the last junction about 5 minutes ago?

If you're on the motorway or major A road and can see a sign like this on the left verge, this is a location marker and tells them exactly where you are.

Yes, it feels like you need to dial straight away however just taking those extra few seconds will help calm you down by distracting you from the initial shock and you'll be able to communicate to the operator far better and get the details they need over in a timely manor.

If you are using apps for a location, get used to them now. Don't wait to use something like What 3 Words for the first time when you need to use W3W.

Finally, don't panic. Just listen to what the operator is asking. They're trained to deal with people who aren't used to stress and while they're asking questions of you, they know you might not know all the answers.

BTW - From what you've described, you did great.

[-]

setokaiba22@reddit

There’s things you can do to better prepare yourself or mentally give your self more confidence (like first aid) but really it’s experience and that’s sort of hard.. but experience in high stress or pressure situations might also work. Again hard to go out and get in a sense.

Had a stroke victim a few weeks ago and I was surprised how calm I was but from experience in dealing with situations, evacuations and first aid to the public and employees I suppose I sort of just went through the motions.

The first thing I remember is I’m not a medically trained professional and there’s often very little you can do. Call 999, and follow their advice.

Stay calm and in charge. Often you find many people try to interfere or crowd around and it causes confusion and sometimes panic. One person needs to be in charge and controlling the situation.

[-]

Captains_Parrot@reddit

Curve ball. Try scuba diving, if you like it do courses up to and including the Rescue course. If you find a good instructor some variation of Stop, Think, Act will be absolutely hammered into your brain. It will teach you to recognise and control your panic responses which is crucial in emergencies. You will also be able to get First Aid and Oxygen Provider training.

I'm not going to pretend it's cheap, you'll pay about £200 a year in membership fees, and then training on top of that, maybe another £100-200 for the 1st course and £25-50 for additional ones.

I was your average headless chicken before diving. Now I'm tried and tested in emergencies from "the dog has eaten it's own body weight in chocolate" to "guys brain is melting out of his ears after a motorbike crash".

If you like it you gain an amazing hobby too.

[-]

designmind93@reddit

I believe that staying calm in these sorts of situations is partly a learned skill (though experience), and partly a personality thing.

Physical preparation is easy enough. Keep a well stocked first aid kit in your car, and things like water and a blanket don't hurt either (refresh the water regularly, keeping plastic water bottles in hot cars for long periods isn't ideal). Having things like what 3 words app, and just a bit of general knowledge of the areas you commonly drive (i.e. key road names, place names etc.) is also useful.

Mental preparation is trickier. The first aid course is a fantastic place to start, so good for you for registering for one. One thing to do is that next time you come across a scene like this, take a moment to assess the situation and take a couple of deep breaths before you dive in to help. You're quite right that panic isn't helpful - instead its best to approach the situation with calmness and caution. The first aid course will teach you more about this, but in essence:

- assess the situation (always approach with caution - you don't want to get hurt too, don't approach if you could be put in danger)
- get help i.e. dial 999 (doing this asap helps get a rapid response and you can get the reassurance you need)
- check on the condition of any casualties (airway, breathing, circulation)
- give first aid if needed (only act within your abilities - 999 will talk you through it)
- keep going until help arrives (this could be an ambulance/police/nurse passing by etc.)

After such a situation occurs it's important to debrief too. Many people often react in the moment (thanks to adrenaline) but then struggle to come to terms with stuff afterwards. It's okay to be shocked by what you've seen - and it's healthy to talk it though with someone who can help you understand.

[-]

Shriven@reddit

My local service have a training centre for the public. It's a bit of an interactive experience, with stuff teaching you about reaction times road surfaces, impairment ( with practical interactive things around that). They take school classes round it.

The best, and most horrifying bit, is the 90s style road safety advert in a cinema. You're sat in darkness watching this Harrowing film, and as they crash and it fades to black.

The fucking screen shoots up into the ceiling and the actual crash is there. Firefighters are working on the car, there's fire, smoke, screaming, the sounds of cutting tools.

This was during my police training so my trainer then yelled at us to get stuck in DO SOMETHING. It was intense but fucking superb bit of training.

[-]

lodav22@reddit

I’ve heard of the three word location but I hadn’t realised it was an app, I’ve just downloaded it and I’ll get my kids to do the same. Thanks!

[-]

ukbot-nicolabot@reddit

A top level comment (one that is not a reply) should be a good faith and genuine attempt to answer the question

[-]

notmentat@reddit

Most authorities run a Biker Down course - It would have covered the exact situation you experienced today. Whilst it is primarily aimed at bikers (The only time I've ever seen biking accidents is on a group ride), I think most people could benefit from the info as it's not going to just be useful for bikers. It's also free.

[-]

Sure-Diet-4068@reddit

Firefighter here, in my opinion sometimes the best thing you could personally do is call 999, explain the situation, keep the person(s) calm. There is only so much you can do - unless they’re visibly externally bleeding / not breathing unconscious.

Unless the car is on fire or there’s a real threat, sometimes keeping them in the car until the fire service / ambulance arrive is the best option, speak to them calmly and reassure them.

Realistically, the most help you can provide in these circumstances is likely going to be CPR, which is a must have skill for anybody in my opinion, and how to stop / slow bleeding.

You won’t realistically know how you’ll cope in a situation until you’re faced with it, a short first aid course is unlikely to prepare you mentally, again in my opinion, but it may give you the confidence to help.

So many people just stand and film, so even calling 999 and reassuring somebody is more than most! Hopefully you’ll never need to use those skills but they’re always useful to have! Especially CPR as I mentioned.

If you want to “stay calm” then you’ll likely need experience, you could look at becoming a volunteer community first responder or perhaps volunteer with St John’s?

[-]

LJNodder@reddit

I got into my first car accident last week, a deer ran in front of the car whilst I was doing 50, managed to slam on and keep the wheel straight, airbags deployed, we were both okay, but even that was enough that my hands and voice were a bit shaky on the phone to the lease company, recovery and insurer. Can't imagine turning up to serious incidents, trying to understand what's happening and sorting it all out

[-]

TonyBlairsDildo@reddit

When on a 999 all, change to loadspeaker and on your display should be details of your current location (coordinates, street, etc.).

[-]

RangeMoney2012@reddit

find something to do like a first aider.

[-]

J1mj0hns0n@reddit

Generally speaking you go onto your maps on your phone if you have signal but if you don't, ask nearby people, if not, the guys dead and move on because your the suspect lol

[-]

JDoE_Strip-Wrestling@reddit

If you dial 991 (in UK) = 999 call-centre :: But they can see your phone's exact GPS location from the call

~

In answer to your question though:

As someone who's spent their entire career working in Emergency Response jobs...

Without sounding patronising, no course can teach you how to operate calm & focused in emergency situations :: Instead you just learn the traits by instinct if it's what you do morning till night, every week. 👍

[-]

Complex_Effect_469@reddit

It's maybe not 100% relevant to emergency situations, but https://www.thedecider.org.uk/our-strategies/life-skills/ may be useful. Your GP can get you access to the online NHS course I believe

[-]

Ok-Professor-6549@reddit

You did good. Most people don't experience that sort of thing in the course of their day, there is no shame in feeling rattled by it whatsoever. I've been an emergency service worker for 12 years and adrenaline still takes me by surprise sometimes, it's just biology. What can you as a member of the public do? Keep it simple:

Regarding the casualty, you are checking the airway and breathing (are they breathing? If not, is something blocking their airway), and for a catastrophic bleed which you need to try to stem. If they are not breathing, it is really handy to know how to manage an airway and basic CPR. You don't need to know how to set a fracture or diagnose hypoglycemia etc.

If you are on the phone to 999, things we need to know besides casualty details are best location (W3W is really good) and also access to it. Also other hazards/context: is there moving traffic? Downed power lines? Aggressive people? Oil on roadway? Knowing what to expect on route is really helpful.

If there are multiple people involved, then Triage (look up NHS Ten Second Triage). Find out who is in urgent need(not breathing or with a major bleed) ,who is injured but talking and walking, and who is ok. This helps us prioritize what needs to happen.

Most of all, keep yourself safe.

[-]

Silver-linings33@reddit (OP)

Thank you for this comment and for everything you do!

[-]

Best_Firefighter_202@reddit

The saying goes "you don't rise to the occasion. You fall back on your training". Medical staff are calm during accidents because they're trained to be calm.

However, in the past I have been amazed at how many people don't know/haven't been taught what emergency operators are going to ask you when you call.

The no.1 priority is your location. They can't dispatch anything if they don't know where you are.

Hope this helps

[-]

ScunthorpeLass@reddit

This seems like an ad

[-]

Silver-linings33@reddit (OP)

I can assure you it’s not lol.

For context, I work in property law 😄

[-]

Silver-linings33@reddit (OP)

An ad for what? 😭

[-]

CandidPayment2386@reddit

Download the JESIP app it’s meant for emergency services but it’s got a feature called METHANE that gives the 999 operator everything they need. And it gives you an insight into what we / colleagues need to know to send the right help.

Be assured that if you need all services police fire and ambo etc then the first one you call will arrange the rest. (Fire then medical then police is my preferred order of what to ask for)

(Except ambulance they ask of the patient is breathing first) don’t let that throw you :)

And finally good job never be afraid of calling 999 we’re all here to help.

[-]

Silver-linings33@reddit (OP)

This is so helpful, thank you! I have downloaded the app :)

[-]

farmpatrol@reddit

u/Silver-linings33 - https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/road-safety/motorbike-safety-course-biker-down/

Not sure if you’re London based but other fire services may offer this also.

Hands down a great course!

[-]

Silver-linings33@reddit (OP)

Thank you so much!

[-]

Prolapse94@reddit

The panic comes from unpreparedness. Having a decent first aid kit, something that can shatter glass and that app will give you confidence and focus and therefore calm in a situation like that because you know what to do and you'll be focusing on what to do rather than panicking because you don't know what to do.

In a situation like yours where there's been an accident, you will need to triage if there's multiple people affected, those who are screaming aren't normally the ones you worry about, it's the ones who are quiet who you need to see first

[-]

d3gu@reddit

Thanks for reminding me to buy one of those seatbelt cutters/glass breaker things!

[-]

CandidPayment2386@reddit

First call is always to the 999 though. No matter how many people are injured.

Second is your own safety don’t become a further casualty

Then finallynever assume someone has or will do something to help.

Example of you are asking for a defib point at someone and go “you” get me a defib.

This gives ownership of a task to someone even if they are a bystander and reduces but can’t eliminate paralysis.

[-]

Arramattic@reddit

If you call 112 instead of 999, the call handler can trace your location

[-]

d3gu@reddit

I think you've already made a good start; anticipating this sort of thing may happen again in the future, and tbh you DID stay calm. You helped that poor fella just by being there with him.

I'd recommend getting an emergency kit for your car & keeping it stocked all the time. It doesn't have to be huge: basic first aid kit, paracetamol, scissors, unopened bottle of water (for drinking or rinsing wounds), foil blanket, glucose tablets, wind-up torch, a small clean towel, alcohol hand gel, perhaps some of those hand/foot-warmers, some sturdy string or duct tape etc. You could just put it all together in a waterproof box, stick it in the boot & forget about it. Just make a note to check it once a year to replace anything you may have used.

[-]

Dommzz@reddit

Download CitizenAid app. I learned this from my first aid course and helps you out with easy to follow instructions on what's needed for each emergency. Save you going through the whole 'Do I do chest compressions and breaths' and just tells you what to do.

[-]

Supasailor78@reddit

Maybe consider learning the phonetic alphabet. If emergency services are asking you to use what3words, it will really help with communication and avoiding errors from accents etc.

[-]

browsing65420@reddit

Mental health first aid might be useful to support yourself or others when feeling highly stressful situation

[-]

Secure_Reflection409@reddit

Nothing prepares you for truly novel trauma.

Nurses have just seen way more awful shit thousands of times more than anyone else.

You'll likely never be as calm as that nurse was and that's ok.

[-]

endoflevelbaddy@reddit

Perhaps you could go down the St Johns Ambulance, volunteering route?

[-]

Unacceptable_tragedy@reddit

As a former first aid trainer, part of what that course should give you is the confidence to be the person that steps up.

When an accident happens, rather than looking to other people to do something, you know that the person who is going to do something is you. I hope you enjoy it and well done for pursuing it.

[-]

Ok-Lynx-6250@reddit

The first aid course will do it. Honestly, just having a clear, practiced plan is what helps people respond well. In a panic, you need something easy and to feel confident, that's what a course gives you.

[-]

Lanky-Razzmatazz-339@reddit

A first aid course is a great start. It will give you information that will allow you to make informed decisions. A great way is probably exposure. I personally think a lot of it just comes down to how you are as a person. Some people are fantastic at remaining calm in an emergency and under pressure. Others are just unable too.

The very fact that you stopped and called 999 is a massive step ahead of others. Most people tend to freeze and watch or panic/scream.

People are often unsure what to do, if you can find a way to take charge and direct others what to do this will calm them and yourself. For example, if you believe someone is having a heart attack point at someone and directly tell them to go and get a defib. Tell someone else to call 999 and start asking questions. "Does anyone know who this is?", "Does anyone know first aid?" If you see someone panicking, screaming or making things worse, tell someone to take them away from the situation. This gets people moving and helping and brings a situation under control.

Stopping and making observation checks are also fantastic and they can help prevent more danger. People will do silly things when they are panicked and it can lead to more danger or incidents.

[-]

LadyNajaGirl@reddit

Doing a first aid course is an exceptionally good start to being able to act in an emergency. The truth is, no one knows how they’ll react when the time comes. I don’t think you’re ‘useless’ at all. It’s not something you’ve had to do until now. Please don’t be hard on yourself. You located help and stayed with the man until he was taken to hospital. That in itself is admirable. The fact that you want to be able to help in the future also speaks volumes.

[-]

TipiElle@reddit

Agreed, I had to do a first aid at work course for my job and two weeks later my mum had a nasty fall in the street whilst I was with her. Some of the things I'd learnt kicked in and whilst it was horrid, it kept me calm and helped me keep my mum safe until the ambulance came. I was lucky that a driver stopped and called 999 for us as my hands were needed to keep pressure on a bad head wound.

It can still be a very frightening experience though, especially after the adrenaline drops off. Had bad dreams and flashbacks for a few weeks. All fine now though!

[-]

LadyNajaGirl@reddit

I’m so glad your mum is ok. First aid is such a wonderful course to do as you never know when it will be needed. I’ve had a couple of things happen in the past and being there for someone when they’re vulnerable is the best help you can give if you’re not medically trained. Holding the hand of a motorcyclist that’s come off his bike and sitting with him in the road provides comfort, talking to an injured person about their future plans to take their mind off their pain… it’s all valuable and helps tremendously. I’m all for first aid being taught at schools with yearly refreshers!

[-]

TipiElle@reddit

Thanks! Yes agree there are lots of soft skills that can help in a crisis too even without any first aid knowledge!

[-]

LadyNajaGirl@reddit

Absolutely 💯

[-]

Silver-linings33@reddit (OP)

Thank you so much!

[-]

LadyNajaGirl@reddit

You’re welcome. It’s good people like you that make the world that bit nicer.

[-]

mhoulden@reddit

For motorbikes specifically a lot of fire services do a Biker Down course. This covers first aid, incident management and how to improve personal visibility. In North Yorkshire for example: https://www.roadwise.co.uk/bikerdown/.

[-]

Legitimate_War_397@reddit

Does your work offer courses? My place does and offers them for free they get people in once a quarter to train staff and those that complete the course get a little bit extra in the pay per month for being a designated first aider.

[-]

pumaofshadow@reddit

If you are going down this route to be prepared for first aid emergencies I'd also suggest seeing if anyone near you hosts Naloxone trainings for opiate overdoses. They'll teach you how to work with it, give you an idea what to report on the phone etc, and give you a free kit or more if you want them.

Its about an hours worth of time.

[-]

Lost_property_office@reddit

Have kids: up to around age 3-4 they are ‘maniac suicidals’ - zero sense of danger, and whatever you can possibly imagine to happen it will happen and their combinations. At random times.

[-]

Fair_Effect4532@reddit

Had to know a massive chunk of common signs of health issues (heart attack, stroke, someone about to faint, what to do if the person fainted, hypoxia, barotrauma etc) by heart with signs and on the spot treatment. They drilled it into us, I think it was the 20-30 most common (so nowhere near someone flying off a motorbike) BUT was enough to immediately have knowledge to fall back on in stressful situations.

I had a 5-year old fainting right in front of me and clicker fast enough to catch her and bring her back to consciousness. Had an epileptic seizure unfold right in front of me, another person fainting in their seat and another one showing signs of about to faint. Had also suspected heart attack and stayed with the person for hours (as he had a stroke before and forgot his stroke medication) to make sure someone comes and gets him checked out. Asked all vital heart attack/stroke questions and tried to triage it on the spot.

It doesn’t get less scary because you deal with individuals but the more it happens and you know how you react the ‘easier’ it gets. Now if someone js bleeding to death or severely injured don’t call me 😅

[-]

GypsumF18@reddit

I used to be a 999 call-taker for the police. I'm not sure of any particular courses to suggest unfortunately. Experience/preparedness is a big factor in why some people are better in emergency situations than others. First aid courses can only be a bonus in medical situations, because it adds some degree of experience. But the important thing is to call 999, they are the experts.

Some people who think they would be good in emergency situations can sometimes be useless, or even make things worse. Others who think they would be terrible can be incredibly helpful.

For example; I generally found children calling 999 to be really helpful. Simply because they will answer the questions you ask, give you straight facts, and not try to overthink/tell you what to do. On the other hand I have adults call 999 and be actively obstructive, refusing to answer questions (because they don't understand why the question is being asked, and don't think it's relevant), or in some cases disregarding advice. So if calling 999 it is incredibly important to answer the questions!

Location details was usually one of the most challenging aspects on emergency calls. Easy if someone is at home. But in the case of someone in an unfamiliar area (especially common with RTC's) it can be a big problem. When you call 999 BT will give the police some location data based on phone masts used. Sometimes this can be an area as small as a house and is all the info needed, sometimes it's as big as a county, so you can't always depend on it.

What 3 words is useful, but there are some other systems (like Goodsam) where the police could send a message to your phone to get a GPS location (make sure your GPS is turned on). Look around you for information on where you are, street names of course, but even any nearby businesses or landmarks (call-takers can search on Google maps just like anyone else). Failing that, even a vague description can help, e.g. 'I am travelling from X to Y, I am past the petrol station, before the roundabout'. Direction of travel is especially important when talking about dual carriageways - but you don't need to know which way is north, just say, going from X to Y. If your car has a sat nav, look at that (sounds obvious, but people ignore it more than you may think). Sometimes it can be a bit of a process of elimination based on whatever information is available, but as long as they can get someone moving to the right area then that will help.

Whatever you are doing, listen to the call-taker and answer their questions.

One thing I would suggest to everyone, because most of your driving will be on your commute, check your sat nav or look for road signs and pay attention to what each road is called on your journey. Increasing your local knowledge this way can prove incredibly helpful.

[-]

Chemical-ali1@reddit

First aid training helps massively, once you’re trained you’re going in to the situation thinking about the the small simple steps to fix it rather than thinking about all the other drama that’s going on around you.

Take a few seconds to allow yourself to have a bit of a panic. That’s ok, it’s a stressful situation you will find things like the adrenaline messes with your fine motor skills and you already feel like you’ve run a few miles before you get started. That’s normal. Then take a few deep breaths, stop and look around work out exactly what’s going on. All that takes maybe 5 seconds but will feel like it’s taking an age.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. That kind of patient is probably the most difficult one! There’s not a whole lot you can really do most of the time, it’s just try and keep them calm / safe until they can be got to a hospital most of the time. A cardiac arrest is actually easier to deal with because it’s very clear cut what has to be done and they won’t be arguing with you about it!

[-]

upsidedown_life@reddit

The first thing they will tell you in first aid is “you will forget everything” - and it’s true. 999- will always talk you though every step having a first aid course just means you know what they’re asking of you. In an emergency situation there is always ways to help. Blankets, first aid kit, ensuring the area is safe. Locating a defibrillator - even holding an umbrella over people as they work. Wanting to help and not rubber necking is great!

[-]

spacedoggos_@reddit

I just downloaded what 3 words inc see I end up in a situation like you. Thanks for the info!

[-]

CandidPayment2386@reddit

the emergency planning community and uk gov has a website to help www.gov.uk/prepare

It kinda lost all its steam when the general election was announced as it was supposed to have a media run up and campaign.

[-]

fckboris@reddit

I would recommend an “outdoor first aid” course. I work outdoors so it’s very useful for me but even if you don’t, I find a lot of first aid courses assume that you will have things like running water, shelter, supplies, signal, etc. etc. Doing an outdoor first aid course made me think about the reality of doing first aid when it’s pissing with rain and the injured person is getting cold and wet, you’re getting cold and wet, you don’t have clean water, you’re somewhere where an ambulance can’t easily get to you, all those sorts of things. It really makes you reframe the priorities and teaches you how to deal with that kind of thing as best you can.

The other thing I would say is keep a decent first aid kit with you. Doesn’t need to be massive but it could be just what you need in an emergency. I do a lot of hiking and after an incident with some stray barbed wire where I had to hobble to a train station with bleeding gashes down my leg, I keep a small kit of emergency supplies with me including antibacterial wipes, tick remover, bandages, space blanket, etc. It’s come in handy so many times since then, even just for fixing a broken shoe in a pinch! Also used the space blanket when I was walking through town and came across a fella who’d passed out on the pavement on a wet evening and there was a wait for an ambulance.

[-]

MassiveManTitties@reddit

This is very good advice - most 'normal' first courses you book online are going to be First Aid at Work (FAW) or Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) - and are geared towards office/workplace accidents (e.g. falling off a ladder replacing a lightbulb) and while the basic principles will transfer and it is admirable and better than nothing - they are unlikely to prepare you for approaching a severe RTC with no equipment.

As for staying calm... listen to the 999 operator if you are on the phone with them, they are trained to keep civilians calm. Other than that, take a step back, assess the situation - both for your own safety and for the sake of keeping calm - don't run over - walk - take a couple of deep breaths. Ignore the casualty almost - they may be screaming in pain etc - that is almost irrelevant to the incident response. There's not that much someone who's first person on scene is going to do that is going to be massively less effective by taking 5/10 seconds to compose yourself... but also there's no real replacement for being involved in incidents regularly and it becoming worryingly routine. No amount of training can prepare you for everything. Just do your best!

[-]

PowerApp101@reddit

Thanks MassiveManTitties

[-]

Verbal-Gerbil@reddit

firstly, you did amazing. not everyone would stop, not everyone would help. well done/thank you. I hope you feel good about what you did (that sounds so sarcastic but it's not!) because at this point, every bit of assistance is crucial

you would get calmer if you had more experience, but that's hard to as a member of public. the nurse would have been in similar situations, hence why

some practical tips (especially if you have signal) - call 999 immediately. know your location - maps or W3W. call out for any medically trained staff (rather than 'is there a doctor?'). google first aid - it could be someone choking, a seizure, a cardiac arrest etc. 999 will also tell you what to do make sure someone is there to meet the ambulance eg if you were on the 7th floor of a building on a side road, have someone meeting the ambulance at the road junction, and someone ready to take them up to the 7th floor (these people must be competent. if time allows, swap numbers and stay in contact and get them to report back to you)

if you are the boldest and most confident person there, take charge. if someone else is there like a nurse, support them in whatever way they ask

give 999:

- Location

- casualty info: e.g. one adult male 19 years old, conscious and breathing, come off motorbike, suffering cuts to legs

then they will prompt you for whatever else they need

with some emergency situations, they may be out a citizen alert (goodSAM) so you may get a medical student or an off duty copper coming before the ambulance comes

whenever I call 999, I have to take a moment. to us, it's maximum panic mode, maximum urgency. you have to remember they deal with this sort of thing all the time, normally much more serious stuff. the best comms are calm and clear. they won't get much out of a hysteric screamer, but they'll get all they need from a calm person speaking at a normal tone

I did my first aid training with St John's but you have to commit as a volunteer. it's good experience to build confidence and you get to go to events like twickenham rugby, premiership football, lord's, wimbledon and more (lots of non sports too!). otherwise the course you do will give you a good foundation

[-]

sweetfeet20@reddit

I think you are either calm and level headed in an emergency or a panicker, it’s just human instinct. Most people panic and get frozen not knowing what to do. I have been unlucky enough witness some horrible life threatening accidents and my immediate instinct is to help - my mind stays super clear and focused - it’s a very distinct feeling. There must be some courses somewhere but I think a lot comes down to personality and instinct.

[-]

sweetfeet20@reddit

Ps I have first aid training too

[-]

thereisalwaysrescue@reddit

Nurses are trained to always be chill. You could have gone into cardiac arrest and I’d be like “may I have some help please?” & starting compressions. So don’t sweat it!

Download what 3 words, learn CPR, and learn NEVER TO WORK OUTSIDE OF YOUR SCOPE OF PRACTICE

[-]

elgrn1@reddit

Please don't be so hard in yourself. You encountered an extreme situation you haven't been in before. It's normal to not know what to do.

Our responses to danger and other stressful situations are encoded in our DNA with the main 2 biological responses being to fight or flee. In a situation where you have to do neither that requires you to stay and behave a certain way (give first aid in this scenario) means you're going against what your animal brain wants you to do. Being confused and overwhelmed is expected.

People can also be conditioned through repeated negative experiences to freeze and also to fawn (ie befriend/appease the individual treating us in a way that triggers our fear response) in response to danger but these are not genetic responses but behavioural.

Once you've done the courses you'll feel more confident in administering first aid, but the calmness of the nurse comes from repreated exposure to situations where she needs to remain calm.

You can look into breathing techniques such as the 4 box breath to assist with focus and there are also grounding techniques you can look into. I can't remember the name of it but there is one where you name 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, and 3 things you can smell or something similar.

Also, if you're still feeling upset or unsettled next week, reach out to your GP. It's totally normal to have some mild anxiety and cycle the memory of what happened after a shock, but you can also develop mild PTSD so want to make sure you have support if things take a turn. Take care.

[-]

MisterSlippyFists@reddit

Do you not know your route to work?

[-]

Silver-linings33@reddit (OP)

I do, and I was explaining the two locations either side of the road we were on but it was not enough information or completely specific

[-]

MisterSlippyFists@reddit

Right in which case they were probably just trying to keep you on the phone as long as possible to get a better idea then. I'm pretty sure they can trace you but not 100%

But if you look on a map and work is X miles away to the north for example. You can just say I'm travelling north from my town to work. Similarly if it happened on the way home, you're then travelling south. Points of interest on your side of the road help.

Hopefully it'll never happen to you again though.

[-]

OverTheCandlestik@reddit

Damn that sounds horrible but glad it got sorted.

IMO and not to sound awful I think certain people can just maintain being calm in a stressful scenario and some people cannot, I don’t think there is anything that can train you that intrinsically re-wires a ‘fight or flight’ mentality.

Nurses and medical professionals just have to be calm and that’ll come from years of experience. I think your making the right steps though

[-]

Chemical-ali1@reddit

As a healthcare professional I always thought I was just naturally good the focusing & remaining calm thing. But recently found out I’m somewhere on the Autistic spectrum, and now notice similar traits in a lot of my colleagues.

[-]

Outrageous_Jury4152@reddit

How can you not know where you are...you phoned the emergency services so surely you could have googled your location via maps

[-]

Silver-linings33@reddit (OP)

I had no signal and it was raining on my phone, and I was panicking :)

[-]

RomeoJullietWiskey@reddit

Look at volunteering as a leader in the Scouts. You will be given the training required to perform the role. You will be also able to take additional training in specific activities.

[-]

HMSWarspite03@reddit

A good first aid course will help, when I did my last work one we had to control the scene, designating other bystanders to help.

Call an ambulance

Direct traffic

Keep others back

Stay alert for incoming ambulance and ensure the road is clear for it to get close.

It helps you to clear your mind and help in a structured way.

[-]

kb-g@reddit

Sounds like you have made the best start by signing up for a first aid course and downloading What Three Words. Knowing the basics of what to do/ what not to do is going to be the most helpful thing tbh, as well as knowing when to step back and let the experts do their thing.

The reality is that the calm you saw comes partially from temperament, partly from repeated exposure. You can’t change the former and unless you’re in the healthcare field will hopefully not experience the latter. Your role as a normal person is to call in the cavalry, follow instructions and, ideally, know how to do CPR. You did the right thing and you’re taking steps to improve your knowledge.

Useful things to carry around in your car may be a blanket (or two) and some nitrile gloves. Blanket to keep someone warm if they’re on the ground. Gloves to keep you and possibly someone else safe if there’s bleeding and you need to apply pressure.

In an emergency the best thing you can do is have accurate information- what’s happened, how many casualties and ideally ages (baby, child, adult, elderly) and names, where you are, what state the casualties are in (awake and screaming, awake, unconscious, pain, breathing, bleeding). They’ll ask you all that information, so be prepared with it as best you can. Don’t let gathering it delay the call though.

You did well. Pat yourself on the back and have a cuppa.

[-]

Sensitive-Question42@reddit

I agree. When it comes to a “fight, flight or freeze” situation, it’s entirely at the whim of your nervous system. There is nothing to feel ashamed about because it is a physiological response that is outside your conscience control.

However, I think learning first aid and the steps you need to take as a first responder are fantastic things to learn, especially if you find it challenging to manage in an emergency.

If it were you or a loved one in an emergency situation, you’d want someone who could manage the situation on site. Learning what to do and how to manage might be the most important thing you do in your life.

By acknowledging it is a struggle for you only makes it more impressive. Saving a life is worth overcoming your fears.

[-]

Beannie17@reddit

Firstly well done for stopping and calling 999, this is the most important step! Another good preparation step would be to have a decent first aid kit in your car, as well as a fire extinguisher and some hi-vis jackets.

Secondly would be to learn how to use the first aid kit, specifically a tourniquet. Unfortunately being surrounded by glass and metal, bleeding out is a major cause of fatalities in road collisions. If someone has arterial bleeding, there is roughly 2 minutes to stem it before that person will likely die, where firm direct pressure, or even better a tourniquet can potentially prolong/save a life until treated properly, as long as they are used correctly.

Lastly, the only real way to become less frazzled in these situations is training, experience and sometimes just personality type. Some people's natural response is to freeze, and overcoming this can be difficult, so don't best yourself up if that ever happens.

[-]

baumouse@reddit

I feel like this is a personality type. I'm not good at most things, but one thing I am good at is keeping a cool head in situations like this. It's what made me pursue a career as a paramedic. Undertaking a first aid course is a brilliant place to start. Good on you for helping, the world needs more people like you.

[-]

Exact-Broccoli1386@reddit

I think a combination of personality type, knowledge and experience shapes how you respond in emergency situations. As a healthcare professional I think I am pretty good in these situations, but a non-medical emergency I might really struggle with

Have a look into volunteering with St John’s Ambulance. You might’ve seen them before at events like fun runs and small festivals. I think it’s mostly basic first aid and knowing when to call an ambulance

[-]

Chickenkorma666@reddit

I don't know about specific courses. But i can tell you that doing outdoor rock climbing made me really learn to stay focused and keep in control in slightly scary situations. And you can do a course for that.

[-]

Chemical-ali1@reddit

I found the same with kayaking. Once you get to the stage where you’re just happy enough chilling in your upside down kayak for a bit before you need to exit it, you find you can control the panic reaction.

[-]

gensererme@reddit

It's a mindset that you get through training and practice. A first aid course helps, and you'll be better prepared, but if you actually want to get practiced at this you could look into something like volunteering with St John Ambulance. But no matter where you go from here you now have experience that will help you if something were to happen again.

That said, they'll tell you at the course that the first thing to do is to ensure help is on the way, so you had a good start.

[-]

N30NIX@reddit

I think you did really well and you are taking some great steps!

I made my kids install w3w when they got their smartphones, I think it should be preloaded on all mobile devices but a lot of people don’t really know about it or what it is. (I chuckle at our home words)

In Germany, we have to do a 1st aid course before we even take our tests and they have very strict rules what needs to be in a cars 1st aid kit, I have a European style kit in my car (thankfully I’ve only ever needed plasters for my kids out of it)

[-]

Ki1664@reddit

Frec3

[-]

TulipTatsyrup@reddit

Firstly I am sorry that you encountered such a situation.

I have no advice for you regarding courses for staying calm in an emergency situation, however I can tell you this.

I am a nurse with 36 years under my rapidly expanding belt and you really need to think two things.

[-]

sunheadeddeity@reddit

Well done for stopping to help. The First Aid course will give you a guide to what to do. You'll need to keep skills up though so don't do it once and forget. Really it's a mindset, so putting yourself in uncomfortable positions out of your comfort zone can help. This could be climbing, hillwalking, an overnight survival course - any situation when a cool head and a bit of forethought is necessary. It all helps to flex that muscle.

[-]

AutoModerator@reddit

Please help keep AskUK welcoming!

When repling to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!

Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.