Emergency Tracheotomies Tips: From Delivering a Baby to Setting a Broken Limb

Various emergencies can crop up at any point - someone is about to commit suicide or have a baby, someone breaks their arm... Could you handle anything life throws at you? Here's a few tips for getting through all kinds of emergencies.

You can tell if a woman is going into labor by the frequency and intensity of their contractions. Dilation of the cervix is another clue, but if you're not a doctor you may not know how to accurately measure it. Once a woman's water breaks, you're obviously in for some excitement. At this point, you should take the woman to a doctor. But what if you can't?

In general, things should go fine and you will just need to guide the baby and protect it. The mother should push with each contraction for as long as she can. Once the baby's shoulders are out, a gush of fluid is normal. Ensure the umbilical cord does not strangle the baby. Continue guiding the baby along; once they are completely out, clear their mouth of fluid. They should cry and breathe on their own. Otherwise, CPR may be necessary.

Tie off the umbilical cord and cut it two to three inches from the belly button. Once the baby is wrapped up in a blanket and situated comfortably, be prepared for afterbirth. Pull on the umbilical cord (the mom's end of it, of course) while the mother pushes, and things should slide out.

If you come across a person about to commit suicide, talk. Talk a lot. Stall until police or other professional help arrives. Begin by introducing yourself. Keep a calm and friendly conversation going, even though the individual may be angry.

Ask them questions - you may find common ground, such as money problems. Try to let them know they are not the only person with their specific problem. Try to earn their trust. Once they trust you, and you are able to get them to put the gun down or step away from the ledge, don't immediately abandon them.

If you're stranded with someone who breaks a bone, keep a few things in mind. Do not set the break. If you do not know how, you could unwittingly cause more damage than good. The best course of action is to make a makeshift splint that will immobilize the limb until you can get help.

If someone cannot breathe because their air passage is blocked, an emergency tracheotomy may be called for. Locate the Adam's apple and you should feel a notch. This notch is where your incision should be. Make the hole just big enough to insert the tube (this could be a hollow pen, plastic straw, or even an eye-dropper tube). Insert the tube, and see if you hear/feel air passing through it. If you do, your tracheotomy was a success. Otherwise, you'll need to do CPR. Make sure to pack the area around the tube with bandaging.

Sources:
Come Back Alive; Pelton, Robert Young; Broadway Books, 2000.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Surviving Anything; Sauer, Patrick and Zimmerman, Michael; BookEnds, LLC, 2001.