Read this if…
- you are hurt or injured
- someone else is hurt or injured
- you or someone else has harmed themselves intentionally
- you or someone you know has attempted suicide
In an accident or emergency you need to assess the situation. If there is immediate danger that someone will be harmed or has been harmed seriously
- call 000 (or 112 from a mobile) if you live in Australia.
Information emergency services might want to know:
- the location of the emergency including nearby landmarks
- the telephone number from where the call is being made
- what happened
- how many people require assistance
- condition of the people
- what assistance is being given
It’s important not to hang up the phone until the phone operator says so, as they may need to tell you more information.
If a person is unconscious
- Do they respond in any way when you squeeze their ear lobe or shoulders?
- Are they breathing? If not, you need to check their airways (mouth and nose) and begin mouth to mouth resuscitation.
- Do they have a pulse? If not, you need to begin Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
When you call emergency services they will be able to explain how to perform emergency CPR, so don’t worry if you don’t know how to do it.
If someone has self-harmed
If someone has harmed themselves intentionally, get medical help immediately. If the person does not want to be helped or is likely to be violent then ring the police immediately on
'000' (or 112 on a mobile) in Australia.
If the person is happy to go to hospital, then it is best if you call an ambulance on
'000'
At the hospital, after they have been physically checked, they will usually be assessed by a mental health professional. In big hospitals this person will probably be a psychiatrist. Check out the fact sheet
all about health professionals here.