In an emergency situation, every second matters and the right question can make all the difference. Before you take any action, a few clear, focused questions can quickly reveal what’s wrong, what’s needed, and how to help safely.

Whether you’re a scuba diver, a family member, or simply someone who wants to be prepared, knowing what to ask can turn panic into purpose—and help save a life. Dive in with us to know essential life-saving questions (which is referred to SAMPLE Questions).

What are the Essential Life-Saving Questions and How Do You Use Them in an Emergency?

Whether you’re a scuba diver on a dive boat, at the beach, or just walking down the street, if you come across someone showing signs and symptoms of a medical problem or illness, use the SAMPLE acronym in order to remember the questions to ask to know about their medical history and what led up to this potential illness. If the patient is unresponsive, ask any nearby friend or family member.

S (Signs and Symptoms)

“How do you feel now?” this question is one of the essential life-saving questions that will help you to learn the symptoms that the patient suffer from. Also, make notes of the signs that you observe yourself.

A (Allergies)

Do you have any known allergies? Are you allergic to any medications?

M (Medications)

Ask the victim if he is taking any medications or not and how he recently took his medication(s).

P (Pre-existing Medical Conditions)

Ask the patient for any known, pre-existing medical conditions he had. Record anything that the patient tells you of and inform this information to the Emergency Medical Service workers once they arrive.

L (Last Meal)

Knowing what the patient ate or drank and how can be helpful. If the last thing he ate was from 12 hours ago and he is feeling dizzy now, he may have low blood sugar.

If the victim suffered from diarrhea within 1-6 hours after the last meal, this may be an indication to food poisoning. Always remember that you aren’t diagnosing, you are just collecting information.

E (Events Leading Up to the Injury or Illness)

“What were you doing when you started to feel ill?” This question can give you valuable causes to what exactly led the patient to feel unwell. On hot weather, if the patient has been expelling a lot of energy (In diving), he may be experiencing heatstroke or dehydration.

If you have unconscious victim or showing signs of a medical emergency, the first action you should take is activating emergency medical services. These SAMPLE questions are designed to help you know valuable information from breathing, conscious, patients to inform it to professional medical responders (Not for diagnosing medical problems).

Are You Prepared to Help in an Emergency?

If you faced a problem in remembering the SAMPLE questions we mentioned above, you probably need to take an Emergency First Response (EFR) refresher course. Losing skills or forgetting some steps is considered a completely normal thing.

Less than 50% of the students can pass a skill test after finishing their course by 12 months according to a Research by the American Red Cross Scientific Advisory Council. So, It’s good to refresh your CPR and first aid skills every 24 months, and that’s we talk about on the EFR Refresher course.

This course focuses on key skills to enable you to stay up-to-date and ready to help and make a difference when needed.

Still Interested? Enroll Now in the Emergency First Response Course with DRAR

If it is first time to take an EFR course, and want to be prepared when you practice scuba diving – sign up now for the PADI Emergency First Response course online through eLearning.

Or you can enroll today in the Emergency First Response Course with DRAR DIVING Center and learn from our team of highly experienced instructors. They bring years of real-world knowledge and hands-on training to ensure you gain the confidence and skills to handle any emergency—both in and out of the water.

Additional ways to be prepared:

Here are a few extra tips to help you stay ready for any situation:

• Taking a Rescue Diver Course and become a PADI Rescue Diver.
• Learn more about how to do a proper dive buddy check with BWRAF.