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| Q1.
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Why
we need to learn CPR |
| Ans: |
If
you have family member/friends who have heart diseases,
we recommend you to learn Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR). In case heart attack has occurred, the patient
will become unconscious and absent of breathing and
pulse. If you are able to perform CPR on the patient
timely and properly until the arrival of ambulance crew,
he/she may regain his/her heartbeat and breathing and
have a better chance of survival.
In countries like USA, Canada and Australia, there are
CPR courses designed for family members of high-risk
cardiac patients. Researches indicate that these CPR
trainees are able to display a positive attitude towards
learning CPR and master the essential techniques in
applying CPR confidently.
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| Q2.
|
How
to sign up for the Community CPR training course organized
by FSD? |
| Ans:
|
Hong
Kong Fire Services Department has launched a Community
CPR training programme which is free of charge. Please
call the Fire and Ambulance Services Academy
at 2640 3708 for details and specify yourself as "family
member of cardiac patient".
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| Q3.
|
What
are the basic principles in the care of the elderly?
|
| Ans: |
For
the human, physiological and psychological changes occur
with aging. When we are caring for the elderly patients,
we should deal appropriately with these changes. This
pamphlet aims at introducing some physiological and
psychological condition of the elderly, and also the
“basic principles” for caring the elderly: patience
and respect.
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|
Q4.
|
How
to prevent children and toddlers from falls? |
| Ans: |
Cause:
Unstable
gait of the toddler, presence of objects on floor, lack
of supervision, curiosity of the children, etc.
Prevention:
- Keep
floors free of toys and obstructions.
-
Exercise close supervision when toddler learns to
walk.
-
Never leave babies unattended on raised surfaces.
-
Check constantly floor surface for wear and tear.
-
Keep floor dry.
-
Always ensure bed-rail of the baby cot is raised
when the baby is in the cot.
-
Always use a securely fitted safety harness in a
pram, pushchair or highchair.
-
Windows and doors must be locked to avoid misadventure
by children.
-
Avoid placing “step-stones” such as a chair next
to a window.
-
Take extra care to avoid side-turning of a baby
chair.
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|
Q5.
|
How
to prevent children and toddlers from choking? |
| Ans: |
Cause:
Accidental
swallowing of foreign body, strangulation, covering
of head by blankets, accidental suffocation by pillow
while baby sleeps in a prone position, near-drowning
etc.
Prevention:
-
Choose toys appropriate to the age of children. Avoid
toys with detachable small parts.
-
Ensure small objects are kept out of reach of children.
-
Pull cords on curtains and blinds should be kept short
and out of reach of children.
-
Strings and plastic bags should be kept out of reach
of children.
-
Foldable furniture should be properly placed and locked.
Instruct children not to play with them.
-
Instruct children not to play while eating.
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Never let children use milk bottle by themselves without
adult’s supervision.
-
Never use pillow for baby under one year of age. Do
not use large and heavy blanket.Never let the blanket
cover the face of children during sleep.
-
Avoid sleeping with baby on the same bed.
-
Children, especially baby, should sleep in a lateral
position rather than supine.
-
Avoid sleeping on a mattress on the floor. The head
of the baby may get dangling outside the mattress,
causing injury to the neck and thus suffocation.
-
Never leave children alone in a bath tub or basin
filled with water.
-
Bucket filled with water must be covered and keep
children away from it.
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|
| Q6.
|
How
to prevent elderly persons from fall at home?
|
| Ans: |
Cause:
Environmental
factors, gait instability, impaired vision, etc.
Prevention:
-
Keep floors free of obstructions.
- Ensure
adequate lighting in household area.
- Avoid
stepping on foldable chair.
- Keep
floor dry. Constantly check floor surface for any
wear and tear.
- Avoid
standing on “step” next to windows when posting
out bamboo to sun dry clothing.
- Place
non-slippery mattress on the floor of bathroom.
- Exercise
regularly to strengthen gait and power.
- Ensure
length of trousers and shirts not being too long.
- Ensure
a balanced gait during walking. Walk slowly. If
necessary, use walking aids.
- Use
suitable corrective lens to ensure a good vision.
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| Q7.
|
How
to prevent Heatstroke?
|
| Ans: |
-
Avoid undergoing prolonged strenuous activity in
hot and humid weather as far as possible.
-
If it is unavoidable for you to work in a hot environment,
you should take the following precautionary measures:
-
wear light-weight, loose-fitting clothing
-
take rest in a cool place intermittently
-
replenish body fluid by regularly taking lightly-salted
water or fruit juice
-
not to consume alcoholic beverages
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| Q8.
|
What
are the causes of seizures? |
| Ans: |
There
are different types of seizures, and they can be caused
by many factors including:
-
Epilepsy
- Fever
-
Heatstroke
-
Poisoning
-
Alcohol intoxication
-
Hypoglycemia
-
Head injury
-
Cancer
-
Stroke
-
Complications of pregnancy
-
Unknown causes
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| Q9.
|
How
to treat a convulsing person?
|
| Ans: |
When
you witness a seizure
- Stay
calm. Remember you cannot stop a seizure once it
has started.
-
Keep the patient from falling and assist him/her
to lie down
-
Roll the patient on his/her side to drain any saliva
or blood from mouth
-
Clear the area of hard, sharp, or hot objects to
protect the patient from injury.
-
Loosen the patient’s tight neckwear.
Do not:
- Do
not restrain the movement of patient as this may
cause injury to the patient
- Do
not put anything between his/her teeth as this may
result in dental damage or aspiration or injury
to your intervening materials e.g. fingers.
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| Q10.
|
What
shall you do when you come by a person who is unconscious?
|
| Ans: |
If you come by a person who is unconscious
you should:
- Stay
calm and dial ‘ 999 ’ for an ambulance immediately
- Roll
the victim on his/her side to drain any saliva or
vomitus from mouth
- Loosen
any constricting clothing around the neck, chest
and waist.
- Keep
the patient warm and cover the patient with blanket
or clothing
- Stay
with the patient until the ambulance personnel arrive
Do not:
- Do
not place anything such as pillow under the patient’s
head
- Do
not sit him/her up
- Do
not give him/her anything by mouth
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What
is “EMA Ambulance” and what kind of service is it providing? |
| Ans: |
EMA – Emergency
Medical Assistant provides the level of paramedic
ambulance care equivalent to that of British Columbia
in Canada. EMA ambulances are equipped with medications
for chest pain & asthmatic attack, normal saline
and dextrose fluid infusion as well as Narcan injection
for overdosed patients. Some EMA ambulances are also
equipped with drugs for children epilepsy and hypersensitivity,
as well as advanced airway adjuncts for cardiac arrest
patients.
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| Q12.
|
Would
one receive earlier medical consultation when he/she
is conveyed by ambulance to the Accident & Emergency
Department of hospital? |
| Ans: |
No. All Accident
& Emergency Departments in hospitals of the Hospital
Authority have adopted the triage system, which classify
patients according to their conditions. Despite being
conveyed by ambulances, patients may be classified
as semi-urgent or non-urgent by hospital staff, who
may then need to wait for a longer time.
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| Q13.
|
Is
non-emergency ambulance service provided by the Fire
Services Department? |
| Ans: |
No. Non-emergency
ambulance service in Hong Kong is provided by the
Hospital Authority and some voluntary organizations
whereas emergency ambulance service is provided by
the Fire Services Department.
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|
Q14. |
What
is the duty shift pattern of ambulancemen? |
| Ans: |
The duty shift
pattern of most ambulancemen is: Two “Day Shift”,
then one “Night Shift” followed by two “Day Off”.
Day shift starts from 8:30 am and ends at 8:30 pm.
Night shift starts from 8:30 pm and ends at 8:30 am
the next morning.
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|
Q15. |
Apart
from ambulance aid knowledge and skills, what do ambulancemen
learn? |
| Ans: |
Apart
from ambulance aid knowledge and skills, ambulancemen
also learn mountain rescue technique, ambulance driving,
emotional quotient (EQ), etc. Some ambulancemen would
be arranged to have specialized skill training such
as Special Rescue Squad Training, Breaking-in skills
training, etc.
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Q16. |
On
average, how many emergency patients are treated by
ambulancemen every day? |
| Ans: |
On average, about
2,048 emergency patients were treated by ambulancemen
every day. In the year 2014, a total of 747,437 ambulance
calls had been handled.
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