If you’re intrigued by the role of first raiders, chances are you have a whole bunch of questions surrounding the subject.
Perhaps you’ve previously heard someone calling themselves a first aider, and are wondering what this really means.
How easy is it to become a first aider, and what exactly does the role involve?
Perhaps one of the most common questions that people ask when it comes to first responders is whether or not they are actually allowed to prescribe medicine.
Is this something that’s reserved specifically for medical personnel only? Or, in an emergency situation, would a first responder be able to intervene and prescribe medicine?
On an even wider scale, what does being a first responder really mean, and which specific jobs fall under this category?
If you’re curious about the subject, and what to find out more, then we’d recommend that you keep reading below, as we take a closer look at the subject in hand.
What Is A First Responder?
Now, before we jump straight into the titular question, first, it’s a good idea to cover what a first responder really is.
Some of you might have heard this role used as an umbrella term for a number of different jobs.
In general, a first responder is considered to be an individual who takes action and travels to the scene of the incident where a person is in distress or requires medical treatment.
This covers a whole host of different job roles that aren’t limited to ambulance departments.
Instead, first responders also refer to police officers, firefighters, and even equipment operators, all of whom can partake in recovery options.
The first responder will be the first person to respond to the scene where the incident has taken place, in order to provide the public with emergency support.
So, for example, the role of a firefighter would be to extinguish any health hazards, secure the scene, and provide emergency medical care if need be.
Those who are in the first response sector will often work together as a team in order to serve the public.
Are First Responders Allowed To Prescribe Medicine?
Now that we’ve covered what roles fall under the category of ‘first responders’, we can move on to discuss the subject of this article, and this is whether or not first responders are allowed to prescribe people medicine.
The simple answer to this question is, no, first responders are not able to prescribe medicine, as this doesn’t fall under their job role, and they have not been trained to do so.
Some first raiders, however, will carry medicine that has been prescribed by doctors for emergency patients, such as inhalers if somebody is experiencing an asthma attack.
In addition to this, if a patient needs to take a dose of medicine that has been prescribed by their primary care physician, the first aider is able to help them do so if they’re unable to themselves.
The most important role that a first aider performs is to make sure that the patient remains stable until they’re able to safely get them in an ambulance, and take them to a doctor who’s able to treat their condition.
What Are The Responsibilities Of First Responders?
Now that we’ve covered what first responders aren’t able to do within the capacity of their job role, we can begin to discuss the responsibilities they’re required to perform as a part of their role.
Of course, the specific job requirements will vary depending on the specific individual, and we’re going to be outlining each of these below.
1. Firefighters
The most important and obvious job requirement for this role is to respond to any fires in the area.
Firefighters are required to extinguish the blaze, and rescue and protect any individuals who might be trapped.
They’re also, however, required to help individuals who have been victims of a car collision, using specialized equipment in order to free them if they’re trapped.
They also help areas that are experiencing issues with flooding, as well as managing any chemical spills.
Firefighters have also been well trained to perform any tasks requiring first aid, and will know how to resuscitate individuals.
2. Police
The next first responder role we’re going to be taking a closer look at, is that of a police officer.
The first and foremost role for a police officer is to protect and serve the public, and restore order at crime scenes.
They’re responsible for making their communities a safe place to live.
They’re also tasked with making sure that all potential witnesses have been questioned, and conducting interviews with individuals who are suspected of committing a crime.
In addition to this, police officers are trained in basic first aid, and may be required to perform CPR on individuals if need be.
3. Paramedics
Paramedics are also considered to be first responders, and are tasked with aiding a patient who is in need of medical assistance, and requires immediate attention.
They’re tasked with providing basic first aid at the scene, and stabilizing the patient so that they’re able to make it safely to the hospital.
The Training Procedures For First Responders
Now that we’ve covered what the roles for each of the first responders consist of, we can move on to discuss some of the training procedures.
Both police officers and firefighters will be training in order to perform emergency medical care, with the latter requiring this qualification in order to join the academy.
Police officers, on the other hand, will receive first aid training during their course.
However, the majority of the focus of police training is preventing crime in the first place, rather than conducting first aid work.
In order to become a first aid worker in any capacity, you will require a high school diploma, as well as attending the relevant academy.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, first responders are not allowed to prescribe medication to individuals within an emergency setting.
This is reserved for doctors and healthcare professionals only.
However, first responders are trained to perform emergency medical procedures, such as CPR, and are tasked with keeping individuals safe and stable, until they’re able to reach someone qualified to treat them, and prescribe any necessary medication.
First responders make up a number of different job roles, with the three most common being police officers, firefighters, and paramedics.
They’re all tasked with protecting and aiding the public within some capacity.
