First Aid: Introduction
If you observed an accident or injury, would you know what to do?
You may have heard of people who witnessed an emergency who could have assisted, but still did nothing. Why? Some people are afraid of being sued or held accountable for well-intentioned mistakes. To avoid this, many states have passed laws, called Good Samaritan Laws, protecting the person who assists in an emergency.
Some states require the first person on the scene of an accident to report the accident and if involved in the accident, to assist in getting medical attention. (Notice that these laws do not require you to provide first aid—only to report and assist.) Failure to do those minimums can be considered negligent or even criminal, and the witness could be held responsible.
In this unit, you will learn some first aid techniques that may help you be of assistance in emergency situations.
