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Proper casualty rescue
Page 6 Guidelines for Rescue Services, smart, 2006
Overview
Whereas formerly priority was given to quickly
rescuing the trapped casualty from his predicament,
the primary concern nowadays is medical and
psychological assistance. The aim of this is to
prepare the casualty as well as possible for the
rescue work.
The medical and rescue personnel can then work in
concert to free the casualty from the vehicle.
The most urgent immediate measures at the
scene of the accident are:
• Maintaining or restoring the vital functions
(respiration/circulation)
• Keeping the respiratory passages clear and
rectifying any breathing difficulties
• Assessing shock and initiating measures to
stabilize the casualty
• Rendering psychological support to the casualty
• Treating lifethreatening injuries
• Stopping major bleeding
• Immobilizing certain body parts
Immobilizing the neck
As the head often experiences extreme movements
in traffic accidents, there is an increased risk of
spinal injury in the neck region. To prevent further
damage to the cervical vertebrae, it is essential to
immobilize the neck before any further rescue
action is undertaken. The most common method of
immobilization is to use a cervical collar ("Stifnek").
This is a plastic collar which is placed around the
neck and closed with a velcro fastener.
If access to the casualty is difficult, the head
restraint can be removed first before fitting the
cervical collar.
i The main priority is to render medical and
psychological aid to the casualty!
i The safety of the medical and rescue crews
themselves should not be neglected:
• Wear protective clothing
• Wear eye protection
• Wear protective mouth mask
• Secure the accident vehicle
i The head restraints should only be cut away
in exceptional cases!
• Cutting the head restraints away exposes the
casualty to additional movements
• The head restraint can no longer be used to
stabilize the casualty's head
• Cutting away the head restraints produces
sharp edges