U.S. Department of Health & Human Services


Overview
About Us	Join and Connect	Stay Up-To-Date
Strategic Plan \| 2022-2026	ASPR Careers	Newsroom
Leadership Biographies	Boards and Committees	Blog
Organization Chart	Partnering with ASPR
Budget and Funding


Overview
Join. Train. Respond.	Response Resources	Law and Strategy
National Disaster Medical System	Cybersecurity	Public Health Emergency Declarations
Medical Reserve Corps	At-Risk Individuals	Section 1135 Waivers
ESAR-VHP	Disaster Behavioral Health	National Response Framework and Emergency Support Function 8
	Emergency Prescription Assistance Program	Legal Authorities, Policies, and Strategies
	National Emergency Telemedicine Network
	ASPR TRACIE


Overview
Health Care Readiness	Programs and Activities	Resources and Funding	Related Programs
Stories from the Field	Hospital Preparedness Program	Health Care Readiness Funding	Critical Infrastructure Protection
Health Care Readiness Near You	Regional Disaster Health Response System	COVID-19 Health Care Preparedness and Response	Health and Social Services Recovery
	National Special Pathogen System	Health Care Readiness Program Webinars
	Workforce Capacity and Capability	Performance Measures, Guidance, and Reports


Overview
Medical Countermeasures	Biodefense
Project NextGen	Industrial Base Expansion
BARDA	S3: Science, Safety, and Security
Doing Business with BARDA	Strategic Planning and Committees
Strategic National Stockpile	Legal Authorities, Policies, and Strategies


Overview
Partnership Opportunities	Professional Resources	Join Us
Medical Countermeasures TechWatch	ASPR TRACIE	National Disaster Medical System
EZ-BAA: BARDA DRIVe Easy Broad Agency Announcement	National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center	Medical Reserve Corps
BARDA Broad Agency Announcement	Critical Infrastructure Protection	ESAR-VHP
IBx Connect	Boards and Committees
Blue Knight	NACCD - Children and Disasters
CARB-X	NACIDD - Disabilities and Disasters
BARDA Ventures	NACSD - Seniors and Disasters
BARDA DRIVe Accelerator Network	NBSB – Biodefense
Project BioShield
Find Us On SAM
ASPR Grant Opportunities


Overview
Technical Assistance and Information Management	GIS-Based Tools
ASPR TRACIE	HHS emPOWER Program
Regional Emergency Coordinators	GeoHEALTH
ASPR Ready	COVID-19 Test to Treat Locator
Training	COVID-19 Therapeutics Locator
HHS emPOWER Program Web-Based Training	Threat-specific Tools
Strategic National Stockpile Course Listing	CHEMM: Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management
Addressing the Needs of Older Adults in Disasters Web Based Training	REMM: Radiation Emergency Medical Management
Access and Functional Needs Web-Based Training
Risk Assessment Tools
Risk Identification and Site Criticality (RISC 2.0)


ASPR COVID-19 Response
For Health Care Professionals
For Patients
Test to Treat

NAVIGATION

Blog Home

ASPR Blog

Author: Elizabeth Jarrett, HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

The bombing of the Boston Marathon was a tragedy by any measure. But even as bombs continued to go off, there were brave individuals who ran towards the danger, not away from it, to help those in need. These people showed the vital role the community plays during any disaster and their bravery should inspire everyone to recognize the critical role that the community plays in planning for, responding to, and recovering from a tragedy.

When an emergency happens, whether it is a major disaster or smaller local incident, bystanders are the first people on the scene and their actions can help protect and save lives – often times, these are the lives of their friends, families or community members.

How can you get ready to provide urgently needed care in a disaster? What can you do to be a bystander who doesn’t stand by?

Learn First Aid and CPR: Sometimes, injured people can’t wait for the EMTs to arrive on the scene. But learning CPR and First Aid is fast and relatively easy. Many classes only take a few hours and it is easy to find a class. To get started, check out Red Cross’s Take a Class and find out how you can learn lifesaving skills.
Put First Aid Apps on Your Phone: Whether or not you’ve taken a first aid class, having a first aid app on your phone can help give you the information you need to act quickly in an emergency. Check out Red Cross’s free First Aid app for Android and iPhone/iPad.
Be Willing to Help: You don’t always need to have formal training to save someone’s life or provide them with the care that they desperately need at that moment. Sometimes, you just need to be willing to help carry someone who is hurt to safety, provide comfort to someone who is frightened, or help someone find the medical care they need.
Start a Conversation and Spread the Word: Talk to the people around you – your friends, your family, you co-workers and members of your community – about preparedness. Learning to take the steps outlined above – but getting a friend to join you when you take that First Aid class or take any of the other actions outline above is even better.

Simply put: bystanders who don’t stand by – the ones that jump in to help others in need – save lives. Take some time during National Preparedness Month to plan on ways that you, your friends, your family and your community can be better prepared to help out during the next disaster. Got ideas? Share them as a comment on this blog post.