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Emergency Procedures

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Medical Emergency/Illness or Injury

In an Emergency, call 911

There are a wide variety of medical conditions that may require emergency medical assistance, including animal bites, insect stings, allergic reactions, falls, heat or cold emergencies, or heart attacks.

If someone is in need of urgent medical assistance, always start by calling 911, so that emergency responders can provide help as quickly as possible. These professionals will bring the necessary equipment and medications to stablilize the individual, and can transport them to a hospital as needed. 

In addition, by calling 911, the emergency dispatcher can provide directions over the phone to you, before the first responders arrive. This includes information on how to perform life-saving techniques such as CPR or bleeding control, and will also allow the dispatcher to gather critical information from you, including an assessment of the patient. 

Consider taking a First Aid and CPR course, in which you can learn and practice life-saving and other emergency techniques, and can be more confident in your abilities in the event of a medical emergency. 

If the emergency requires immediate medical attention or is life-threatening

  • Call 9-911 from SMCCCD phones (911 from non-campus phones). Provide the following information:
    • Your name
    • Telephone number
    • Location (using building address, floor, and room number, if possible)
    • Description of the situation

Note: Do not hang up until the dispatcher advises you to disconnect

  • Do not attempt to move a person unless they are in immediate danger (i.e., fire, building collapse, etc.)
  • Public Safety personnel will respond with first aid equipment and will render basic first aid and/or summon additional assistance as required 
  • Clear the area of any bystanders to give the person privacy
  • Avoid unnecessary conversation with the ill or injured person. You might add to the person’s distress or fears, possibly increasing the risk of medical shock. Limit your communication to quiet reassurances
  • Do not discuss the possible cause of an accident or any conditions that may have contributed to the cause
  • Do not discuss any insurance information
  • After the person has recieved aid and the incident has resolved, remain available to provide the investigating Public Safety officer with pertinent information for a medical report or, if applicable, a Workers’ Compensation report

Drug Overdose

Drug emergencies are not always easy to identify. If you suspect someone has overdosed, or if you suspect someone is experiencing withdrawal symptoms, provide first aid (if safe to do so) and call 911 for immediate medical assistance.

If possible, try to determine which drug(s) were taken and when. Save any available pill bottles or other drug containers. Relay this information to emergency medical personnel.

  • Do NOT jeopardize your own safety. Some drugs can cause violent and unpredictable behavior. Call for professional assistance.
  • Do NOT try to reason with someone who is on drugs. Do not expect them to behave reasonably.
  • Do NOT offer your opinions when giving help. You do not need to know why drugs were taken in order to render effective first aid.

Check the person’s airway, breathing, and pulse. If necessary, and if you are trained to do so, begin CPR. If the person is unconscious but breathing, carefully place him or her in the recovery position (on their side). If the person is conscious, loosen the clothing, keep the person warm, and provide reassurance. Try to keep the person calm. If an overdose is suspected, try to prevent them from taking more drugs.

Seizures

Seizures can be caused by a number of different conditions and disorders. While some individuals have needed to manage their seizure condition over years or their lifetime, others may  suffer from their first seizure while on campus. 

Seizure symptoms can be terrifying to witness for anyone who has never done so. They can also be embarassing to the person having the seizure, who is often unaware of what is occuring, and who is around them, and it may be several minutes before they are able to speak.

Contrary to popular belief, you should never put something in the mouth of a person who is having a seizure. A person having convulsions is not choking. However, putting something in their mouth can cause them to choke. 

Bleeding

Cuts can be small and present no immediate danger, or they can be large and an cause an immediate threat to a person’s life. Regardless of the size of the injury, there is always a potential for infection when the skin barrier has been compromised. Whenever possible, cuts should be cleansed and bandaged with sterile dressings, and the person should be encouraged to see their physician to assess for possible infection.

A skin injury to the face or head can bleed copiously, even if the cut itself is small. These injuries can also present an increased danger if on or near the eyes, nose, or mouth. Any cuts in these areas should be referred immediately to medical professionals.

If there is an object still inside the wound (such as a stick, knife, or piece of glass), it should be left in place. Do not attempt to remove the object. Instead, without touching or disturbing the object, bandage around it - this will stabiize it, and prevent it from moving and causing further injury. Seek immediate treatment from a medical professional. 

Bone Fractures

A broken bone requires medical attention. Call 911.

  • If an open fracture has ocurred (in which the bone has broken through the skin), apply a sterile dressing around the wound, as you would for an embedded object. Bandage the dressing in place around the fracture.
  • Monitor the individual and watch for signs of shock.

Fractures, Dislocations, Sprains or Strains: General care includes following R.I.C.E.

  • Rest - Do not move the injured area
  • Immobilize - Stabilize the injured area in the position found. Splint the injured part ONLY if the person must be moved
  • Cold - Apply ice to the injured area for 20 minutes. Place a thin barrier between the ice and bare skin, if not painful for the individual
  • Elevate - Elevate the affected area above the level of the heart, if possible. Do not elevate the injured area if this causes more pain

If poisoning is suspected

If poisoning is suspected, contact the Poison Control Center immediately at 800-222-1222.

If the medical emergency is not life-threatening

Immediately contact your supervisor and/or appropriate Human Resources staff with any questions regarding illness or injury at work.