Valley Health Journal

VHJ Fall 2007

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I'm in charge and there's an emergency. What should I do?

In situations where you're in charge, such as babysitting or caring for someone with a health condition, you need to be prepared in advance for emergencies. Here are some things you can do so you can respond quickly if something happens:

  • Make sure there's a list of emergency phone numbers near each telephone in the house. Most areas in the United States are covered by 911 service. You should also have numbers for the police department, the fire department and emergency medical services handy. If you have a cell phone, it's a good idea to program important numbers into your phone.
  • Keep on hand phone numbers for adults you should call. If you're babysitting, make sure you have the number and location where the child's parents will be and, if possible, a cell phone or pager number. If it's a true emergency – a child you're caring for has stopped breathing, for example – always call 911 first and then call the parent.
  • If you're looking after someone with a health condition, know when the person needs to take any medications – particularly medicines for breathing or heart problems. Have the person's insurance information on hand in case you need to rush to the hospital. It's a good idea to keep all this information written down near the phone so that you can find it quickly.
  • Make sure the home or building you're in has working smoke alarms.
  • Make sure your family or the family you're caring for has a fire escape plan and that children know their outdoor meeting point in case of an emergency.
  • Take a first-aid class to learn CPR so you'll be prepared to help someone in an emergency.
  • Make sure the poison control center phone number is handy. Some areas have toll-free numbers available.
  • Keep a first-aid kit in the house and know how to use it.

Dealing with an emergency can be scary for anyone. You can take away some of the fear factor by making sure you and other people in your house are prepared and know what to do if an emergency does come up.

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