How Your Actions Could Save a Life
When someone suddenly becomes seriously ill or injured, your first instinct is often to call 999 and wait for help to arrive. While making that call is absolutely the right thing to do, many people don’t realise that the minutes between calling for an ambulance and the crew arriving can be some of the most important moments in an emergency. What to do while waiting for an ambulance
It is natural to feel frightened, unsure of what to do, or worried about making things worse. Many people believe there is little they can do until the ambulance arrives. In reality, those first few minutes can have a significant impact on the person’s outcome.
Whether someone has suffered a cardiac arrest, is choking, has experienced a stroke, has severe bleeding, or has become unconscious, the actions taken before paramedics arrive can make the difference between life and death, or between a full recovery and long-term complications.
This is why first aid is so valuable. It isn’t about replacing paramedics or doctors. It is about providing immediate care that keeps someone alive, prevents their condition from worsening, and gives them the very best chance of recovery.
In this article, we’ll explain exactly what you should do while waiting for an ambulance, the common mistakes to avoid, and how simple first aid skills can help save a life.
Why the First Few Minutes Matter
Ambulance crews work incredibly hard to reach patients as quickly as possible. However, there are many factors that can affect response times, including:
- Multiple emergency incidents occurring at once.
- Traffic congestion.
- Rural or difficult-to-access locations.
- Severe weather.
- The seriousness of other ongoing emergencies.
While emergency services prioritise the most life-threatening calls, there may still be several minutes before help arrives.
For some medical emergencies, every minute counts.
For example:
- During a cardiac arrest, the chance of survival decreases by around 10% for every minute without CPR and defibrillation.
- Severe bleeding can become life-threatening within minutes.
- A stroke requires urgent treatment because brain cells begin to die quickly when deprived of oxygen.
- A blocked airway can cause permanent brain damage in just a few minutes.
This is why emergency call handlers don’t simply dispatch an ambulance and end the conversation. They stay on the line because they know the care provided before paramedics arrive is often critical.
Step One: Stay Calm
This may sound easier said than done.
Seeing someone collapse or become seriously ill is frightening, especially if it is a family member, friend or colleague.
However, remaining as calm as possible helps you think clearly and reassures the casualty.
Take a slow breath and remember:
- You have already called for help.
- Professional assistance is on its way.
- The emergency call handler will guide you through what to do.
- Doing something is almost always better than doing nothing.
People often worry they might make a mistake.
In reality, failing to act is usually the greater risk.
Step Two: Make Sure the Area Is Safe
Before helping anyone, quickly assess whether the scene is safe.
Ask yourself:
- Is there moving traffic?
- Are there electrical hazards?
- Is there fire or smoke?
- Has there been a chemical spill?
- Are there aggressive people nearby?
- Could the casualty or rescuer be injured further?
You cannot help someone if you also become injured.
If possible:
- Switch off electrical equipment.
- Move hazards if safe to do so.
- Keep bystanders away.
- Wear disposable gloves if available, particularly if blood is present.
If the area remains dangerous, wait for emergency services and inform the call handler.
Step Three: Call 999
If you believe the situation is life-threatening, call 999 immediately.
Examples include:
- Someone is unconscious.
- They are not breathing normally.
- They have collapsed.
- Severe chest pain.
- Signs of stroke.
- Major bleeding.
- Serious injuries after an accident.
- Severe allergic reaction.
- Seizure lasting longer than five minutes or repeated seizures.
- Significant burns.
- Serious head injuries.
If someone else is present, ask them to make the call while you remain with the casualty.
If you are alone and have a mobile phone, put the phone on loudspeaker so you can continue helping while speaking with the emergency operator.
What Information Will the Call Handler Need?
The emergency operator will ask several important questions.
Try to answer as clearly as possible.
You may be asked:
- What is the exact location?
- What has happened?
- Is the person conscious?
- Are they breathing?
- Approximately how old are they?
- Do they have any known medical conditions?
- Are there any immediate dangers?
If you don’t know the answer to a question, simply say so.
Never guess.
The information you provide helps determine the most appropriate response and allows the call handler to give accurate first aid instructions.
Listen Carefully to the Call Handler
Many people don’t realise that emergency call handlers are trained to guide callers through life-saving interventions.
They may instruct you to:
- Begin CPR.
- Use a public access defibrillator (AED).
- Help someone who is choking.
- Place an unconscious person into the recovery position.
- Control severe bleeding.
- Assist with childbirth.
- Support someone having a seizure.
- Help someone experiencing an allergic reaction.
Stay on the phone unless instructed otherwise.
If your hands are busy performing first aid, keep the phone on speaker so you can continue listening.
Keep Reassuring the Casualty
If the casualty is awake, your words matter.
A calm voice can reduce panic, help slow breathing, and provide reassurance during what is often a frightening experience.
Simple phrases such as:
- “Help is on the way.”
- “Stay as still as you can.”
- “I’m here with you.”
- “Keep talking to me.”
can make a significant difference.
Avoid making promises such as:
- “Everything will be fine.”
Instead, offer honest reassurance.
For example:
“The ambulance has been called and they’re on their way. I’ll stay with you until they arrive.”
Monitor Their Condition
A person’s condition can change quickly during an emergency.
Continue observing:
- Are they still conscious?
- Are they breathing normally?
- Has their breathing become slower or faster?
- Has the bleeding increased?
- Are they becoming confused?
- Has their skin colour changed?
- Have they become less responsive?
If anything changes, tell the emergency call handler immediately.
This information may alter the advice you’re given and can also be passed directly to the responding ambulance crew.
Never Leave Them Alone
Unless your own safety is at risk, stay with the casualty until the ambulance arrives.
If you must leave briefly, for example, to unlock a door for the ambulance or collect a defibrillator, return as quickly as possible.
If other people are present, ask someone else to:
- Wait outside to direct the ambulance crew.
- Retrieve an AED if one is nearby.
- Bring blankets or coats.
- Move pets into another room.
- Gather any medications the casualty is taking.
Working together helps ensure the casualty receives the best possible care while professional help is on its way.
The Next Step Depends on the Emergency
Not every emergency is the same, and the first aid you provide should always match the casualty’s condition.
In the next section, we’ll look at the most common emergencies, including cardiac arrest, choking, severe bleeding, strokes, seizures, asthma attacks, heart attacks, anaphylaxis and diabetic emergencies—and explain exactly what you should do while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
Our current first aid courses – What to Do While Waiting for an Ambulance;
Our Emergency and First Aid at Work courses are for those working in an office, factory, warehouse, manufacturing or on a building site. These courses will set you up to know exactly what to do in an emergency. Completing our courses will help you understand the hazards and risks in your workplace to therefore prevent accidents.
Apprentices, staff who are unlikely to be left alone with children, and lunchtime supervisors are all candidates for our Emergency Paediatric First Aid Training. Our one-day course includes roles and responsibilities of a first aider, first aid kits, accident reporting, reasons of a life-threatening condition, CPR, defibrillator, causes of unconsciousness and recovery position, choking, bleeding, burns, and minor injuries.
Our Paediatric First Aid Training 2-day course includes all elements of the one-day first course including; broken bones, spinal injuries, head injuries, slings, sprains and strains, diabetes, febrile convulsions, hypothermia, hyperthermia, epilepsy, poisons, eye injuries, allergies and anaphylaxis, and asthma.
This course is ideal for those working alone with children, whether you are a Teacher or Teaching Assistant working in the Early Years or a childminder. Our Paediatric courses are fully accredited. We have open courses running at our Brownhills Centre or we can come to your setting.
Additionally, if you prefer to have a short session with us and complete a bespoke parents/grandparents course; our Parent’s first aid course is for you. These start from 2 hours up to 4 hours. Can include any modules of your choice, but we will cover: reasons of life-threatening conditions, CPR, Defibrillator, unconsciousness, recovery, choking and gagging, burns, and minor illnesses, including dangers within the home.
Our courses provide you with the peace of mind that you’ll know what to do in the event of an emergency, such as illnesses like asthma. Furthermore, getting first aid training will give you the skill set of knowing exactly what to do if your child, friend, or work colleague suffers from an injury or life-threatening condition. Never put yourself in a situation where you’re thinking, “Because Emergencies Don’t Only Happen at Work” Get First Aid Trained Today!
If you have any questions about this blog, we are happy to help. What to Do While Waiting for an Ambulance – if you want to know how, book onto an annual first aid course with us. Here is the link to our upcoming courses. https://www.hmbtrainingservices.co.uk/courses
For further enquiries, please call us on: 01543 453338 or email on info@hmbtrainingservices.co.uk
