Dr Michelle O'Driscoll: Be prepared for any family emergency

IT’S always when we least expect it that an emergency happens – and in the summer months when we’re out of usual routines, it’s easy for events to lead to something unforeseen.

It’s always a good idea to be prepared, in terms of knowledge, action plans and supplies. Here are some things you can do to help give you the peace of mind that you’re as ready as possible for the most anticipated eventualities, keeping your family safe and sound.

First aid skills

Everybody should have basic first aid skills in an ideal world. Particularly if you’ve got smallies in the house, you never know when a choking, a cut or a burn could happen.

Similarly, having elderly family members means that you may be more likely to need to deal with a fall, or a cardiac event.

Things that everybody should know, both for assisting children and other family members are CPR and rescue breathing, treating cuts and scrapes, managing burns and choking incidents, and how to deal with sprains or fractures.

Getting yourself prepared is as straightforward as booking a course. Some courses can be completed online, or lots of local groups offer them to the community. Having the opportunity to hands-on practice the skills required is really helpful to gain the confidence you’ll need to act under pressure.

See what’s available in your area and set aside an evening to upskill on the essential steps.

Put a plan in place

Chaos can take over if there isn’t a plan in place for certain events. A chat as a family to decide on an action plan and to run through the different potential scenarios, e.g. somebody being away, or not contactable, will help to clarify what to do.

Everybody in the house should know the most important contact numbers and the house Eircode to ensure swift assistance. 

Having numbers for the emergency services, local GP, a reliable neighbour, the national poison centre, and each family member’s contact number stuck somewhere and saved to everybody’s phones easily accessible is advised.

Teaching younger children these important phone numbers is good practice also, as is teaching them the unlock code on the adults’ phones in case they need to use them. As soon as they’re able to understand, they should be able to say their full name, address and contact number of a parent.

Create a Kit

Having the essentials in the house in case they’re needed is important. A pharmacy will help you compile the list and put together those important items. This may include pain relief, bandages, burn cream, antiseptic, tape, gauze, any special items for specific family members e.g. adrenaline pen for those who have severe allergies, or a supply of any other prescribed medication that might be needed. Children and adult versions of some of these items may be needed.

It’s important to update this kit regularly – check expiry dates, and suitability of any medicines in light of any change to health.

We all hope to never need any of the above in place, but the reality is that things can happen quickly and out of the blue. Preparation is key for successfully navigating the need for first aid or any family emergencies.

Any tangible steps that you can take now, your future self may well thank you for.