How to Deal With Accidents in School

With a school full of children, an accident is bound to happen. While most school districts go to great lengths to prevent accidents, not all students follow instructions all of the time. In rural areas, something like a snake bite may require emergency assistance. When an accident does occur, it helps to know what to do and where to go to get help. With a severe accident, how you react can make a difference in saving someone's life.

Know your school's policy for handling accidents. All schools publish a handbook or document that details procedures for handling accidents. Make sure you know these policies before an accident occurs.

Examine the scene of the accident and the person or people involved to determine the seriousness of the accident. Was there a fall from a height of more than a few feet? Were weapons such as knives, clubs or guns involved? If need be, remove clothing to examine the seriousness of injury.

If needed, call 911 immediately or ask someone to summon the nearest teacher or administrator to do so.

Inform the principal's office right after calling 911. Someone may need to assist emergency crews in gaining access to the accident site. Send a responsible student or another adult to the office.

Keep crowds away from the accident scene so that emergency officials can get to the patient.

Administer first aid to victims in you are qualified, or find someone who is. Apply shock treatment measures such as keeping the victim warm and lying down, and wrapping all wounds in sterile cloth. Never move an accident victim to prevent further injury, unless the victim is still in danger and needs to be moved.

Secure equipment involved in the accident and do not let anyone else near the equipment. The equipment will require inspection to determine whether or not equipment failure was the cause.

Write an accident report detailing what happened and the response by school officials and emergency responders in accordance with your schools policy.