How to Treat a Stab Wound
Knife crime injuries and fatalities are reported in the news on a daily basis.Sadly and worryingly, it is now endemic in our communities and is a threat to everyone. Would you know how to help with major bleeding while also keeping yourself safe?
In London alone, there were more than 10,000 offenses across 2020/2021. But not everyone is fatally stabbed and often if they receive immediate and appropriate first aid in the first vital minutes following the stabbing then they can go on to make a full recovery. However, not many people have the skills or confidence to help.
The Value of First Aid
Attending a structured first aid course will teach you valuable techniques, strategies, and thought processes for helping casualties. You will be trained how to administer first aid to people who are choking, in shock, bleeding or unconscious, as well as how to deliver CPR, and how to use first aid equipment properly. You’ll also be given extensive training on how to assess situations and circumstances, and how to act safely and proactively in an emergency. This is now a licensing requirement in the security industry but we really recommend that everyone equips themselves with these skills.
In the event that you come across someone who has been stabbed, it is important to know how to help. This will allow you to react calmly and effectively. Catastrophic bleeding is usually associated with stab wounds, but it can also occur outside of crime scenes, and can happen with many different types of accidents. For example, among the causes of this type of injury are DIY accidents, kitchen accidents, or even the slipping of a saw while cutting branches in the garden.
Taking a few simple steps could prove invaluable and save lives. This article will outline some simple steps you can take to help should you be the first on the scene of this sort of event.
How to Help Someone Who's Been Stabbed
A victim of a stab wound needs immediate assistance as their life could be at risk. Helping someone who has been stabbed is not as complicated as you may think.
Sit or lay the person down. This will help to manage shock and prevent them from feeling faint.
Examine the area to see if there is anything in the wound. If there is, do not remove it.
Put pressure on the wound with whatever is available to slow down or stop the flow of blood. You are acting as a “plug” to stop the blood escaping. The pressure you apply will help the blood clot and stop the bleeding. When someone is bleeding the priority is to stop the blood coming out. Where possible, always wear gloves when dealing with bleeding, or avoid direct contact with blood. It is never a priority to wash a major injury, it will be cleaned in the hospital.
Call 999. If you are unable to do so yourself, ask someone else to do it. It is always better to identify and ask a specific person to do so to ensure that someone calls immediately.
If the person looks pale, feels cold, may be thirsty, and is dizzy. This means there is not enough blood flowing through the body and is a physical response called shock. Shock can be life threatening. If you suspect that this is the case:
Continue to apply pressure to the wound
Call 999 if you haven’t already done so
Lay them down and lift their feet higher than the rest of their body. This keeps their legs higher than their heart, which helps increase blood flow to their brain and heart.
Is there anything else you can do?
The best thing you can do is to keep applying pressure to the wound, reassure the victim, and wait for an ambulance arrive.
This video is a great resource that gives you a visual on what we have discussed in this article.
About Us
At FFA Security Group, we offer bespoke security solutions, tailored to your every need. In order to provide the best possible service for our customers, we believe in supporting our employees with the best possible training.
That's why, in addition to only employing carefully vetted, fully licensed staff, we go over and above the minimum legal requirements to obtain a SIA license. Our staff receive additional training in multiple fields, including customer service, sexual harassment and diversity and inclusion.
So if you need flexible security solutions in the London area and want a supplier whose core values are diligence, professionalism and reliability, contact FFA Security Group today. Call 0208 050 7671 or email hello@ffasecuritygroup.com for a quote.
