How to prepare for medical emergencies while traveling?

How to prepare for medical emergencies while traveling?

Dealing with Medical Emergencies When you go on a trip, it is possible to feel a little worried about medical emergencies that may arise during the stay. Indeed, being in a country where you do not speak the language or in isolated places on the other side of the world are not the ideal conditions for having a health problem.

Of course, we don't want to think about it, but preparing for such situations can perhaps save your life, or that of others. Here are some simple tips to put into practice to leave with more peace of mind.

The health card

If you find yourself in an emergency situation and you cannot express yourself clearly (either because of the language barrier or your medical condition), preparing a medical form in advance can be very useful to you. . Slipped into your wallet, it can inform medical staff of medical data that can help them treat you faster and more efficiently.

Here are some examples of information you can include in your health record:

Last name, first name, nationality, date of birth
Main food or drug allergies
Blood group
Current treatment (if you are taking medication)
History of operations or surgeries
All other conditions that concern you: asthma, anemia, hemophilia, heart murmur, diabetes, hypertension, kidney failure, long-term or rare diseases, etc.
For maximum efficiency, it is best to write your health form in the language of the country visited. If you visit several countries, write it in English. You can also use talking pictograms to help you understand very important information. If, for example, you are very allergic to peanuts, do not hesitate to illustrate it with a crossed-out peanut or other meaningful design.

Here you can find the translation of the main sources of food allergies in the languages ​​used within the European Union.

Once you've written your health card, be sure to print it out in a convenient size, such as the size of a credit card so it can easily fit in your wallet. You can also laminate your document to ensure it has a longer life and so that it does not become completely unreadable and tearable at the first drop of water.

The emergency contact

Finding yourself alone and sick on the other side of the world can be agonizing for you, but also for your family who has no news. For them as for you, always remember to put in your telephone or paper directory an emergency contact to call if your state of health requires it.

Indeed, if the police or medical personnel arrive and find you in a state that does not allow you to express yourself, it will always be possible for them to telephone your emergency contact to find out more about you and hold your loved ones. informed.

The choice of your emergency contact is very important: it must be someone who can be reached, who knows you well (family, spouse or close friend) and above all who will be able to talk to the person at the end of the wire by giving clear and understandable information. It is therefore important that this person speaks English or, even better, the language of the country in which you are. Remember to inform this person that you are their emergency contact and give them your medical file, so that they have all the useful information about you.

Once your emergency contact has been selected, all you have to do is save it in your phone book. To make yourself understood around the world, you can call this contact ICE, which is an acronym for In Case of Emergency or ECU for En Cas d'Urgence.

Even better, some smartphones can highlight this contact so that caregivers can easily access it. For example, Android phones will put the ICE contact first in your phonebook, while iPhones allow you to fill out a health card with medical information and emergency contacts, which are available even if your phone is locked with a passcode. (Health app).

Applications

If you are traveling with a smartphone, it is possible to download some applications that can be very useful in an emergency. Here are a few :

Emergencies: Free application for Iphone
Emergencies allows you to make a medical form directly on your phone, to call the emergency services (the numbers are updated according to the country where you are thanks to your GPS data) and to find illustrations of first aid gestures. Important point, the application is the very first to integrate a service dedicated to the deaf and hard of hearing.

Staying Alive: Free app for Android
The major function of the Staying Alive app is to map defibrillators around the world, allowing you to locate the one closest to you and possibly save a life. The application also offers a reminder of lifesaving gestures and a practical guide on the use of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED). A real positive point is the “Good Samaritan” mode, which allows anyone trained in first aid gestures to help save a life by being alerted in the event of cardiac arrest nearby.

Rescue kit: Paid application for Iphone
This application allows you in one click to display your exact GPS coordinates so that you can notify the emergency services of the place where you are in the event of an emergency. An application to have in your phone if you are hiking in the countryside or in the mountains. The app also tells you the emergency numbers for the country you're in and even lets you use your phone's built-in flashlight to send an SOS in Morse code.

First aid training

First Aid Training Finding yourself in an emergency does not necessarily mean that you are the victim. It is quite possible that your travel companion, a member of your family or even a complete stranger is in a situation that requires first aid. For this reason, it can be useful, before embarking on a long journey, to train in lifesaving gestures.

The level 1 civic rescue prevention training (PSC 1) allows you to learn how to manage the most frequent emergencies and to adopt the right actions while waiting for help. She learns to sound the alarm effectively and to provide first aid in the event of choking, unconsciousness, discomfort, trauma, heavy bleeding...

The training lasts 8 hours which can be divided into days, half-days, evenings or weekends depending on the session. The price of this training varies between 50 and 60 euros and everyone, from 10 years old, can attend without prerequisites. This training can be given by the Red Cross or by the Fire Brigade.

Emergency numbers

Even if your phone can give you the number of emergency services around the world thanks to the applications we have seen previously, when you are in a critical situation it may not be of much help to you. : flat battery, no network, etc…

To overcome this, remember to have on you materially (in a notebook for example) the few emergency numbers of the country in which you are. Thus, even if your telephone no longer works, you can still contact the emergency services by another means (telephone booth, telephone of a passer-by, etc.).

The emergency numbers depend of course on the country where you are, but you can remember the 112, which is the only free number and valid throughout Europe as well as in certain neighboring countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Israel or Turkey.

You can also note the 911, the famous “nine one one” which works in the United States as well as in Canada.

It is also interesting to note the number of the representation of your country of origin (embassy or consulate) in your country of destination. They can, in some cases, help you in delicate situations or warn those around you.

The medicine kit

Taking a small first aid kit with you is never a bad idea. In addition to general medications such as aspirin or paracetamol which can help you in the event of headaches or other mild pain, the first aid kit allows you to treat yourself quickly so as not to aggravate a situation which, in the long run, can become a medical emergency.

So take a small kit with you with disinfectant wipes and bandages: nothing is worse than a small wound that becomes infected and can become serious. If you are allergic, add an antihistamine which can be life-saving. Ditto for other diseases such as asthma, always having your medicine with you can often save the situation and avoid an emergency.

The Ariane portal

If you are of French nationality and you are about to travel, it is really important to have the reflex to register on the Ariane portal. Once registered, you can indicate your dates and places of travel as well as the people who will accompany you and those to contact in case of emergency. This database was set up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to be able to know where French nationals are located anywhere in the world and how to contact them in the event of an extreme emergency.

Discover our article dedicated to the Ariane portal

Travel insurance

Buying travel insurance will not help you immediately in an emergency, and it is more important to contact local emergency services than your insurer in such cases. Nevertheless, the assistance platform of your insurance, which can be reached at any time, can help you find the doctor closest to you and organize your hospitalization, and even your repatriation if your condition requires it. In addition, travel insurance will take care of your care, wherever you are in the world, an argument that allows you to leave with peace of mind.

Buying travel insurance before you go is therefore another good thing to do, which can save you and your wallet from the costly care you may need while abroad.

You now know what simple steps to take to best manage medical emergencies that may occur while travelling. Without falling into anguish and seeing the danger everywhere, these few measures can reassure you and perhaps save your life or that of others.