Mind Set

Firefighter - Wikipedia — Emergency Professionals like Fire Fighters are widely respected for being able to stay calm when things get hairy. It's not impossible for you to do the same.

In Part 1 of Handling Emergencies Like a Pro, we talked about how to make a quick plan on the way to the casualty. Professionals do this all the time and it’s a great way to get past a lot of the indecision. But, to come up with a workable plan, you need to be trained.

Any high-level professional will tell you they are constantly training. Developing and maintaining skills takes a big stress load off your shoulders by allowing you to focus on the bigger, more dynamic picture. Since you have applied a Tourniquet (TQ)so many times in training, you aren’t thinking about each and every step when you do. Instead you’re thinking ahead about the next problem.

Leap into action with a calm, but aggressive decisiveness.

It’s easy to understand that dealing with trauma is stressful. Emergencies are usually unexpected, and the surprise of a life-threatening injury can throw even a normally calm person into panic.

This is especially the case when you don’t have any training in first aid since you aren’t sure what to do. I know well what that particular feeling is like. I have been the one standing there looking at a life-threatening injury and not knowing what to do about it. It’s a terrible feeling and one I work to avoid whenever I can.

Fortunately, it’s possible to avoid that feeling of helplessness, and since it’s affected me so strongly, I’ve put a lot of thought into how it can be dodged. Here’s one technique for how to manage panic in an emergency.

Tag: Mind Set

Handling Emergencies Like a Pro: Part 2

A War Medic’s Tips for Avoiding Panic