Editing Emergency (section)

===Key emergency principle===

The key [[principle]] taught in almost all [[systems]] is that the [[rescue]]r, whether a lay person or a [[professional]], should [[Risk assessment|assess]] the situation for [[Risk|danger]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg347.pdf|title=UK Health and Safety Executive publication on dealing with emergencies - Danger assessment is the first point|access-date=2007-05-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice/life-saving-procedures/primary-survey.aspx|title=St John Ambulance UK Primary Assessment guide|access-date=2007-05-30|archive-date=2007-05-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070523163806/http://www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice/life-saving-procedures/primary-survey.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The reason that an assessment for danger is given such high priority is that it is core to emergency [[management]] that rescuers do not become secondary victims of any incident, as this creates a further emergency that must be dealt with.

A typical assessment for danger would involve [[observation]] of the [[wikt:surroundings|surroundings]], starting with the cause of the [[accident]] (e.g. a falling object) and expanding outwards to include any situational [[hazard]]s (e.g. fast moving traffic) and history or secondary information given by [[witnesses]], bystanders or the emergency services (e.g. an [[Assault|attacker]] still waiting nearby).

Once a primary danger assessment has been completed, this should not end the system of checking for danger, but should inform all other parts of the process.

If at any time the risk from any hazard poses a significant danger (as a factor of [[likelihood]] and seriousness) to the rescuer, they should consider whether they should approach the scene (or leave the scene if appropriate).