A stab scene – how to act

Stay calm
Call 999 and ask for an ambulance
State location. Are you close to a road junction or outside a shop front?
(Have someone wait outside to help show the ambulance crew where to go)
Say what’s happened?
Is the attacker still on scene?

Is the person breathing and conscious?
Where is the stab wound? (Neck, chest, abdomen, limbs etc)
This is very important, a stab to the chest, back, abdomen, neck or groin has the potential to cause more damage and bleeding and be more serious than others. The person taking the 999 call needs to know as much information as possible to help send the right resources to help
Try to get the person out of the house or into a big room so that the paramedics have lots of room to work and can get the person quickly into an ambulance

The ambulance will be on its way while you are talking and that the more information you give the better the emergency response
Stay near the scene as the ambulance service might call you back to get more information

Immediate care
Lie the person down
Talk to them and reassure them
If the knife is still in place, leave it there. Don’t take it out.

Stop the bleeding
If the wound is bleeding apply pressure. Use a clean towel etc. push down hard over the wound
If the injury is in an arm or leg, elevate the bleeding point higher than the heart and keep pressure over the wound

Let the ambulance crew do their job and help them by getting out of the way.  The ambulance may need to leave the scene very quickly to get to hospital.
Help the police by giving as much information as possible.