The Travel Hands
Safeguarding Measures
and Emergency Protocols

1. Crime

How can I be best prepared in case of street crimes?

Street crime is often opportunistic, so making yourself less of a target, moving with purpose and being aware of your surroundings will go a long way to keeping you safe. Here’s where you’ll discover more tips on how to stay safe and feel more confident when out and about.

1. Be prepared - Study the suggested route by us before the journey commences. Carry a charged mobile phone and some cash, and tell someone where you’re going.
   
2. Be assertive - From the moment you step out onto the street, look assertive and act and walk with confidence. This will always make you appear in control and less vulnerable.
   
3. Be aware - If using a mobile phone, making a call or texting, wearing a hood or listening to loud music, be aware of your surroundings.
   
4. Trust your instinct - Try to avoid walking alone at night in places such as parks and side streets or any unfamiliar environments. If you do have to walk, stick to busy places where there is a lot of activity, presence of CCTV and good lighting.
   
5. Be vigilant - Alcohol and drugs will reduce reaction times and inhibitions, which makes it harder to assess risks and decide how to deal with them.
   

Personal Robbery

If you're threatened with violence, don’t risk your personal safety. Property can be replaced, you can’t.

Knowing how to respond to a violent situation requires split-second decision making and presence of mind – this is not always easy. However, we’ve compiled a list of things you should do in the highly unlikely event that you find yourself in a violent situation.

It’s important to never lose sight of the fact that your personal safety is the most important thing. Your belongings can be replaced but you can’t. So, when responding to a violent situation, please try to remember the following:

1. Trust your instincts and if you think a situation is getting worse, try not to get involved.
2. Look for a way to leave.
3. If you’re in a building with security personnel, tell them immediately about what is happening.
4. Put distance between yourself and the other person.
5. If you are able to, call 999.
6. If you’re unable to call the police during the incident, then call as soon as you can.

If it comes to the worst, you are entitled to defend yourself using reasonable force, but you may be asked to account for and justify any action you take.

2. Medical Emergencies

What to do in case a Volunteer has an unexpected health issue?

If it comes to the worst, you are entitled to defend yourself using reasonable force, but you may be asked to account for and justify any action you take.

Someone Faints

If they faint, try to keep calm, if you can, lay them on their back and raise their legs. Usually, the person who has fainted will wake up within 20 seconds.

Call 999 if someone faints and they:

1. Cannot be woken up after 1 minute.
2. Have severely hurt themselves from a fall.
3. Are shaking or jerking because of a seizure of fit.

Someone has a seizure

If you see someone having a seizure or fit, there are some simple things you can do to help. You should call an ambulance if you know it's their first seizure or it's lasting longer than 5 minutes.

It might be scary to witness, but do not panic.

If you're with someone having a seizure:

1. Only move them if they're in danger – such as near a busy road.
2. Cushion their head if they're on the ground.
3. Loosen any tight clothing around their neck – such as a collar or tie to – aid breathing.
4. When their convulsions stop, turn them so they're lying on their side – read more about the recovery position.
5. Stay with them and talk to them calmly until they recover.
6. Note the time the seizure starts and finishes.

Do not put anything in their mouth, including your fingers. They should not have any food or drink until they fully recover.

Dial 999 and ask for an ambulance if:

1. It's the first time someone has had a seizure.
2. The seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes.
3. The person does not regain full consciousness, or has several seizures without regaining consciousness.
4. The person is seriously injured during the seizure.

Make a note of any useful information.

If you see someone having a seizure, you may notice things that could be useful for the person or their doctor to know:

1. What were they doing before the seizure?
2. Did the person mention any unusual sensations, such as an odd smell or taste?
3. Did you notice any mood change, such as excitement, anxiety or anger?
4. What brought your attention to the seizure? Was it a noise, such as the person falling over, or body movements, such as their eyes rolling or head turning?
5. Did the seizure occur without warning?
6. Was there any loss of consciousness or altered awareness?
7. Did any parts of their body stiffen, jerk or twitch? If so, which parts were affected?
8. Did the person's breathing change?
9. Did they perform any actions, such as mumble, wander about or fumble with clothing?
10. How long did the seizure last?
11. Did the person lose control of their bladder or bowels?
12. Did they bite their tongue?
13. How were they after the seizure?
14. Did they need to sleep? If so, for how long?

Someone has an heart attack:

Someone having a heart attack may:

1. Have crushing pain in the centre of their chest, that may spread to their jaw, and down one or both arms.
2. Be breathless or gasping for breath.
3. Be sweating profusely.
4. Experience pain similar to indigestion.
5. Collapse without warning.
6. Complain of dizziness.
7. Have a rapid, weak or irregular pulse.
8. Have a feeling of impending doom.

Call 999 or 112 for emergency help straight away and tell them you think someone is having a heart attack.

Help move the casualty into a comfortable position. The best position is on the floor, with their knees bent and their head and shoulders supported.

Ask the casualty to take their own angina medication, if they have some. Keep monitoring the casualty’s level of response until emergency help arrives.