First Aid 101: What to Do in the First 5 Minutes of An Emergency
We all have heard about the ‘golden hour’ in emergency medicine, the first 60 minutes after an injury or critical emergency that determines the patient’s chances of survival. Any action taken or avoided during this hour can significantly impact the patient’s life. But here’s another important part most people tend to overlook: within the golden hour lies an even smaller emergency window, the first 5 minutes. These 5 minutes are extremely critical and can often be the deciding factor between recovery and tragedy.
Most emergency services take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to reach the patient’s location. By then, that critical 5-minute window is long gone. This is where the responsibility falls on the people present near the patient; it could be a family member, a close friend, or even a stranger who rushed to help. You become the ‘first responder’ before the actual first responders arrive. The upside is that you do not require any advanced training or professional experience to make a difference.
Following simple first aid steps can stabilise the patient until professional help arrives, improving their overall chances of survival. In this blog, we help you understand what to do within the first 5 minutes of an emergency, the actions to take, and mistakes to avoid in order to save a life before professional help arrives.
1st Minute - Stay Calm & Assess the Surroundings Before You Act
One of the most common mistakes everyone makes is to panic and scramble for help before addressing and understanding the situation. Take a few seconds to check the surroundings to make sure it is safe for the patient, for yourself, and for everyone around. Ensure that there aren’t any hazards like smoke, fire, or live electrical wires around. Rushing blindly into a risky environment could worsen the situation.
2nd Minute - Call for Help Immediately
Once you have confirmed that the surroundings are safe, call for medical help or ask someone nearby to do so while you attend to the patient. Share accurate details regarding the location, what happened, the number of people injured, and their condition. Dial the local emergency helpline numbers 108 or 102, or contact private ambulance service providers like Zenzo at 1800 102 1298. If the patient isn’t breathing, convey that to the emergency helpline executive. These operators are trained to walk you through the CPR process over the phone. Follow each and every instruction clearly to ensure the best possible outcome for the patient until help arrives.
3rd Minute - Check Patient’s Responsiveness
Tap the patient gently and ask “Are you okay?” If there isn’t a response, check for breathing by looking at their chest or listening closely for a heartbeat. If they show no response, this could be critical; begin CPR immediately.
Here’s how to perform CPR
- Ensure the patient is lying on their back on a flat surface.
- Place the heel of one hand on the centre of their chest and the other hand on top of it, interlocking the fingers.
- Push hard and fast, at least two inches deep, at the rate of 100-120 compressions per minute. (A helpful tip that most healthcare providers use is to match the compressions to the beat of the song Staying Alive)
- Keep performing CPR until the person starts to breathe again or help arrives.
- If trained in CPR, follow a cycle of 30 compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths.
If they are breathing and are unconscious, gently place them in the recovery position, lying on their side, to keep their airway clear and prevent choking.
4th Minute – Control Severe Bleeding
If the patient is breathing but has heavy bleeding, this becomes your next priority. Severe bleeding could cause death within minutes; therefore, it is crucial to control and manage it. Apply direct and firm pressure on the wound using a clean cloth or a bandage. Do not remove the cloth even if it gets soaked entirely. Add more layers on top of it and continue applying firm pressure to control bleeding. Lifting the soaked cloth to check can cause excess bleeding. If possible, raise the injured portion above the heart level to slow the bleeding. Lastly, if an object is embedded in the wound, do not try to remove it. Instead, keep applying firm pressure around it.
5th Minute – Ensure Continuous Monitoring While Waiting for Help to Arrive
Even if the patient seems stable, keep watch until professional help arrives. Most often, the body tends to go into shock after a while due to blood loss or intense pain. Watch out for signs like pale skin, nausea, rapid or slow breathing, or dizziness. If any of these signs are observed, try to:
- Lay the person down (given that they don’t have any spinal injuries)
- Keep them warm
- Avoid giving them any food or water (this could lead to choking)
- Keep talking to them.
What Could Go Wrong
Most often, even with the best intentions, a small mistake could cost someone their life. Therefore, it is best to act cautiously. Avoid rushing into the scene, giving the patient food or water, or moving the patient unnecessarily, especially if a spine or head injury is suspected. Performing CPR with shallow compressions or stopping too soon because it doesn’t seem to be working is also a common mistake. CPR can take several minutes to work, and giving up midway can be a costly error. Lastly, do not delay calling for help while handling the situation all by yourself. This can cost precious time that professional responders could have used to take over and provide advanced care.
Conclusion: Why First Aid Matters
Every second is critical during a medical emergency, and not knowing how to respond can be life-threatening. The difference between life and death comes down to what happens in those first few minutes, long before an ambulance reaches the scene. You do not have to be a doctor or a trained paramedic to save a life; knowing basic first aid and CPR is sufficient. Today, with AHA training widely available for CPR, First Aid, and AED skills, learning to save a life has never been more accessible.
Learn the skills and be prepared, because in those crucial moments, your action can be a lifeline for someone in need.
FAQ’s
- What are the first 5 things to do in a medical emergency?
Remain calm and check the surroundings for safety, call emergency services, assess the patient’s responsiveness and begin CPR, control any bleeding, and wait for medical help to arrive.
- Can I perform CPR without training?
Yes, if the situation calls for it, anyone can perform CPR without training. Call the emergency helpline and request an ambulance while ensuring that you convey that the patient isn’t breathing. Emergency operators are trained to guide you through hands-only CPR step by step over the phone. Follow their instructions clearly, right from hand placement to the compression rate, so you can act correctly even without prior training.
- How do you know if someone needs CPR?
If a patient is unresponsive or is only gasping for air, they are in need of immediate CPR. Tap them gently and ask them if they’re okay. If they show no signs of normal breathing or are completely unresponsive, call for medical help and begin CPR right away.
