All emergency guidescritical Call 999 where appropriate
Emergency
Knife / Stab Injuries
Treat stab wounds while managing ongoing threat. Assume more casualties.
Priorities
- Ensure attacker is contained or scene evacuated.
- Dial 999 — request police + ambulance, state 'stabbing'.
- Preserve life first — treat catastrophic bleeding.
Treatment
- Apply firm direct pressure to wound.
- Chest wound: use a chest seal or plastic (credit card, cling film) taped on three sides.
- Neck / groin / armpit: pack and press — do not tourniquet.
- Limb arterial bleed: tourniquet high and tight.
- Keep casualty still, warm, talking.
Scene preservation
- Do not clean the area
- Note witnesses, direction of exit, description of suspect
- Preserve CCTV — do not overwrite
What NOT to do
- Don't remove knife if still in wound
- Don't move casualty unnecessarily
- Don't chase attacker alone
Call 999
- Always — police and ambulance
GuardAssist provides operational decision support. It does not replace formal training, employer procedures, assignment instructions or professional judgement. In a life-threatening emergency, dial 999.