PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TRAINER

CLASS XII
UNIT 2
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

2.1 Emergency response

Emergency response is sometimes a cyclical process, involving repeated assessment, planning, action
and review. It starts with an initial assessment and may be triggered spontaneously by the disaster
event, or officials may authorize the mobilization of people and resources.
Emergency Action Plans are essential to properly manage injuries and illnesses in physical education
and sport.
2.2 Need and importance of emergency response
Emergency action plans provide a systematic approach to addressing medical, environmental, and
security emergencies. In schools, emergency action plans are designed to guide people to respond
quickly to sports-related injuries and medical conditions that are serious or life-threatening. Emergency
action plans help ensure that sports organizations are prepared for serious medical events by putting
critical training, equipment, and protocols in place before they are needed.
Heatstroke
Heatstroke occurs when your body temperature rises rapidly and you're unable to cool down. It can be
life-threatening by causing damage to your brain and other vital organs. It may be caused by strenuous
activity in the heat or by being in a hot place for too long. Heatstroke can occur without any previous
heat-related condition, such as heat exhaustion.
Signs and symptoms
• Fever of 104 F or greater
 Changes in mental status or behavior, such as confusion, agitation, slurred speech
• Hot, dry skin or heavy sweating
• Nausea and vomiting
• Flushed skin • Rapid pulse
• Rapid breathing
• Headache
Emergency first aid for Heatstroke
• Place in a tub of cool water or a cool shower.
• Spray with a water pipe.
• Sponge with cool water.
• Fan while misting with cool water.
• Place ice packs or cool wet towels on the neck, armpits and groin.
• Cover with cool damp sheets.
Allergic reactions (anaphylaxis)
Symptoms

 difficult or noisy breathing ü swelling of the tongue

 swelling or tightness of the throat
 difficulty talking
 persistent cough
 persistent dizziness or collapse paleness and floppiness in young children
 abdominal pain and vomiting.
Emergency responses are:

 lay the person flat. Do not allow them to stand or walk

 administer adrenaline with an auto injector (such as an EpiPen®)
 call an ambulance in a medical emergency.
Asthma
Symptoms of asthma attacks

 finds it very difficult to breathe

 is unable to speak comfortably or if their lips are turning blue
 has symptoms that get worse very quickly
 is getting little or no relief from their reliever inhaler.
Emergency first aid

 relievers that act quickly to relax the muscles around the airways – this is the medication used
during an asthma attack
 preventers that slowly make the airways less sensitive to triggers and reduce inflammation inside
the airways – they are taken daily to help keep you well
 combination therapies that are preventers containing two different medications.
Cardiac Arrest
CPR is executed during an emergency when someone to save a person’s life if their heart stops beating
from sudden cardiac arrest. CPR can increase the chances of survival if performed immediately.

First Aid
First Aid is a combination of simple but quite effective and active measures to prevent possible
complications. First Aid means the treatment given to a ‘patient’ till proper medical aid comes.
ABC in first aid is part of St Johns Ambulance DR ABC, a general set of first aid steps. The ‘DR’ part
makes sure that the person is safe from further harm, but if not, ABC is used to diagnose a problem
DRABC of first aid

 D for Danger Make sure that the general area is free of risks
 R for Response Check if the person is unconscious or not by trying to talk to them – check for
responses to alerts, voice, in addition to placing hands on the body
 A for Airways. If a person is unconscious, it is possible that his/her airway is blocked. This is
because the tongue can fall back into the mouth and block the throat. Airways must be clear.
 B for Breathing Check if person is breathing. If you find the person breathing abnormally or not at
all, calmly move onto checking for circulation.
 C for Circulation Check for signs of a heartbeat and blood circulation. The person is most likely
unconscious if the previous two signs are absent.
Purpose and basic principles of First Aid
The purpose of First Aid is to preserve life, assist recovery and prevent aggravation of the injury, until the
services of a doctor can be obtained or during transport to hospital or to the patient’s home. Always send
someone to call for help while you perform first aid.
Principles:
1. Do first things first quickly, quietly and without panic
2. Guard against or treat for shock by moving the patient as little as possible.
3. Do not attempt too much
4. Reassure the patient and those around in order to reduce tension
5. Stop any bleeding
6. Give artificial respiration if breathing has stopped
Cuts and Bruises
Cuts and bruises are part of growing up. If cuts are deep and do not stop bleeding, seek medical help.
What to do? •

 Rinse the wound clean with water

 If the wound is bleeding, then apply pressure to stop the blood flow.
• Use a sterile gauze or bandage to do that.
• Raise the injured part to above the heart level to slow down the bleeding.
• When the bleeding stops, cover the wound, if necessary with a clean bandage.
Prevention:
• Teach the children to handle sharp objects with the right technique.
• Make the children’s environment in school and at home safe, i.e. avoid sharp corners, glass
furniture, access to sharp objects like knives etc.
Heat Exhaustion
Signs and Symptoms
• Severe Thirst • Muscle weakness
• Nausea, sometimes vomiting • Headache
• Increased sweating • Difficulty in breathing
• Decreased responsiveness or loss of consciousness

What to do?
• Bring the child under shade, undress him and make him lie with his feet elevated.
• If the child is alert, use a cold sponge on his head.
• Give him sips of cool water or sports drinks
• If he vomits, turn him to the side to prevent choking.
• In the case of heatstroke seek medical help immediately.
Breathing Difficulties
If someone stops breathing, see if the person can speak or respond when touched on the shoulder. If
not, call for help – and immediately begin first aid. Send bystanders for help. But if you're alone, perform
basic life support for one minute before going for help.
1. Place the person on his or her back on the floor.
2. Tilt the head, so that the chin is pointing upwards.
3. Keep holding the head in this way while checking for breathing. Only check for 10 seconds.
4. If there's normal breathing, hold the head as described above until help arrives. If there's no
breathing or gasping breaths, start basic life support (CPR).
Cuts & Bleeding
With all types of bleeding, it's important to stop the flow of blood as quickly as possible.
Small cuts
Small cuts in the veins stop bleeding and clot within a few minutes. The area should then be washed,
and a plaster placed gently on top.
Deep cuts
Deeper cuts in the veins produce dark blood that seeps out slowly and steadily. It can be stopped by
gentle pressure on the wound with a sterile or clean cloth, followed by the application of a clean or sterile
bandage. Often, these wounds need sewing or gluing, and therefore medical treatment will be necessary
after first aid.
Choking
Choking is the mechanical obstruction of the flow of air from the environment into the lungs. This usually
occurs when food that has not been thoroughly chewed gets stuck. It also occurs when a foreign body or
object is lodged in the throat or wind pipe. In such a case he/she will definitely need help, so summon
assistance for him/her. Because choking cuts off oxygen to the brain, first aid should be administered as
quickly as possible.
First Aid
Perform abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver), as given below:

 Stand behind the person. Wrap your arms around the waist. Tip the person forward slightly.
 Make a fist with one hand. Position it slightly above the person's navel.
 Grasp the fist with the other hand. Press hard into the abdomen with a quick, upward thrust — as
if trying to lift the person up.
 Perform a total of 5 abdominal thrusts, if needed. If the blockage still isn't dislodged, repeat the
five-and-five cycle.
To clear the airway of an unconscious person:
• Lower the person on his or her back onto the floor.
• Clear the airway. If a blockage is visible at the back of the throat or high in the throat, reach a
finger into the mouth and sweep out the cause of the blockage.
• Begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if the object remains lodged and the person doesn't
respond after you take the above measures.
 The chest compressions used in CPR may dislodge the object. Remember to recheck the mouth
periodically.
Basic Sports Injuries
Sports injuries are injuries that typically occur while participating in organised sports, training sessions or
fitness activity. These injuries may be caused due to lack of proper safety equipment, improper training,
etc. Injury could be acute traumatic or chronic injury.
Acute traumatic injury are caused by a single application of force, for example a strain, sprain, fracture
etc. whereas chronic injury happens over a period of time due to repetitive incorrect training. These
include stress fracture, tendinitis etc.
Sprain
Ligaments are tissues that stabilize and support the body’s joints. A sprain is an injury to a ligament
caused by tearing of the fibres of the ligament. The ligament can have a partial tear, or it can be
completely torn apart. Sprained ligaments swell rapidly and generally, the greater the pain and swelling,
the more severe the injury is.
Muscle strain:
A muscle strain is injury to muscle as a result of strenuous activity. A strain is a twist, pull or a tear of a
muscle or tendon.
First Aid for Sprains
Follow the instructions for R.I.C.E.
1. Rest the injured limb and avoid all activities.
2. Ice the area. Use a cold pack to help limit swelling after an injury. Try to ice the area as soon as
possible after the injury and continue to ice it for 15 to 20 minutes, four to eight times a day, for
the first 48 hours or until swelling improves. Do not to use it too long, as this could cause tissue
damage.
3. Compress the area with an elastic wrap or bandage.
4. Elevate the injured limb above your heart whenever possible to help prevent or limit swelling.

First aid kit

A well-stocked first-aid kit is as important as props for every physical education classes. The first aid kit
should be within an easy reach for the teacher to use in case 45 there any emergencies. A well-stocked
first aid kit will enable you to respond effectively to common injuries during a physical education class.
Usually a first aid kit is available in all medical stores. Though it is available in the medical stores, it is
essential for a physical education teacher to know what are the items included in a first aid kit.
The list of few items required for a first aid kit:
• First-aid manual • Sterile gauze pads of different sizes • Adhesive/ glue tape
• Adhesive bandages • Elastic bandage • Antiseptic wipes
• Antibiotic ointment • Antiseptic solution • Sharp scissors
• Safety pins • Disposable instant cold packs • Thermometer
• Plastic non-latex gloves • Mouthpiece for administering CPR • Blanket