Emergency First Aid
Knowing basic emergency steps can make a difference. Always remember that your first priority is to stay safe and call for professional help.
In Any Emergency, Remember Three Things
Before anything else, these three priorities apply — always, in this order.
Stay Safe First
You cannot help others if you become a victim. Check that the scene is safe before you enter or act.
Call for Help
Get emergency services involved immediately. They are the best-equipped people to handle any crisis.
Stay Calm
Keeping yourself calm helps you think clearly and genuinely helps the injured person too.
What to Do When It Happens
Follow these four steps in order. Stay calm, move quickly, and always prioritise getting professional help.
Check for Danger
Before helping anyone, make sure the scene is safe for you. Look for hazards — traffic, fire, falling objects, unstable structures. If there is active danger you cannot control, do not enter. Call for help from a safe distance.
Call for Help Immediately
Call the emergency number — or direct someone nearby to call — for any serious injury, fire, unconsciousness, or breathing difficulty. Give your location clearly and calmly, and stay on the line if instructed to do so.
Stay Calm and Comfort the Person
If someone is conscious and has a minor or moderate injury, encourage them to sit or lie down in a safe position. Speak calmly and reassure them help is on the way. Don’t leave them alone if you can help it.
Do Not Move the Person (Unless Absolutely Necessary)
If the person has a potential head, neck, or back injury, do not move them — unless they are in immediate, life-threatening danger like a fire. Moving someone with a spinal injury incorrectly can cause permanent, serious harm.
Find Help Near You
Explore our interactive map to locate youth-friendly services, polyclinics, counseling centers, and community resources across Barbados.

