First Aid

In an emergency, first aid is the care given to a person who becomes injured or ill until regular medical care can be supplied. The most important time in an emergency is the first five minutes. You need to remain calm and follow the first aid steps that we will discuss today.

Knowing What To Do1. Rescue the victim. Move the victim only if

s/he is in an unsafe location. If you must move the victim, do it as gently as possible.

2. Check the victim’s breathing. Look, listen, and feel for about 10-15 seconds. Check the victim’s airway. If it is blocked, try to clear it by doing a finger sweep. Turn the victim’s head to the side so that they don’t choke on the obstruction.

Knowing What To Do (cont.)

3. Control severe bleeding. If the victim is losing a large amount of blood (a life-threatening situation), you need to stop or slow down the bleeding by applying direct pressure.

4. Get medical help. Emergency Medical Services (“EMS”) can be summoned in most areas by dialing 9-1-1. If possible, stay with the victim and ask a passerby to call for help.

Rescue BreathingRescue breathing is a substitute for normal

breathing in which someone forces air into the victim’s lungs.

1. Open the airway using the head tilt/chin lift method. The same hand that tilts the head backwards also pinches the nostrils shut as you deliver a breath.

2. Place your mouth over the victim’s mouth, making a tight seal. Give the person two full breaths. Pause between breaths (and let go of the nostrils) to let the air flow out.

Rescue Breathing (cont.)

3. Repeat this procedure, giving breaths as follows:

• 1 breath every 5 seconds for an adult• 1 breath every 4 seconds for a child• 1 breath every 3 seconds for an infant.4. Once you’ve completed about a minute of

rescue breaths, check for breathing again. If the victim is not breathing, continue rescue breathing.

Rescue Breathing (cont.)

When performing rescue breathing on infants and small children, tilt the head back just slightly. Place your mouth over the victim’s mouth and nose, and form a tight seal. Give short breaths or puffs of air.

Severe Bleeding1. Using a sterile bandage or clean cloth to

cover to wound, apply direct and steady pressure to the wound. If the blood soaks through, apply another layer- do not remove the first layer.

2. Carefully raise the bleeding body part above the level of the victim’s heart. This position slows down the movement of blood to the injured body part. If the body part contains a broken bone, however, do not move it.

ChokingChoking is a condition that occurs when a

person’s airway is blocked. As a result, air cannot get into the lungs, and the victim will die within a few minutes. The universal sign for choking is grabbing the throat between the thumb and forefinger. Other signs are coughing and difficulty speaking. Choking victims may also turn reddish, then bluish.

First Aid For Choking

• For infants and very small children, turn the victim on his or her side (or stomach for infants), and give several blows with the heel of your hand between the victim’s shoulder blades. Then do a finger sweep. For an infant, you can also turn them on their back, place two fingers in the middle of their breast bone, and compress lightly. Then do a finger sweep and repeat the steps if necessary.

First Aid For Choking (cont.)

• For older children and adults, use the Heimlich maneuver (abdominal thrusts). This method uses quick, upward pulls into the diaphragm to force out the substance blocking the airway. Standing behind the victim, wrap your arms around their waist. Put the thumb side of your fist against the victim’s abdomen, just above the navel. Hold your fist with your other hand. Give quick, upward thrusts. Repeat until the object comes out.

First Aid For Choking (cont.)

• If you are the victim, use the universal sign for choking. If you are alone, you must perform abdominal thrusts on yourself. Besides the method previously described, you could also lean yourself over the arm or back of a chair for force.

First Aid For Poisoning

1. Call 9-1-1, your family physician, or the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222). You will be asked for your location and information about the victim and what happened. Listen for instructions and follow them.

2. If an ambulance is needed, make sure that the victim is breathing properly while you wait for it.

First Aid For Poisoning (cont.)

3. Save the container of poison. Show it to the ambulance team, and explain what you know about what happened.

4. Use a damp, clean cloth wrapped around your finger to remove extra bits of poison from around the victim’s mouth.

BurnsBurns are identified by how much they have

injured the skin. The kind of first aid that you use depends on the type of the burn.

• A first-degree burn is the least harmful type in which only the outer layer of skin is burned (and turns red). Treatment includes immersing the burn in cold water for about 10 minutes. Then wrap the burn loosely in a clean, dry dressing.

Burns (cont.)

• A second-degree burn is a more serious burn in which the burned area blisters. Treatment for this type of burn includes cooling the burn with cold water, but not ice. Then wrap the burn loosely in a clean, dry dressing. Do not pop the blisters or peel away loose skin. Elevate the burned area above the level of the victim’s heart.

Burns (cont.)• A third-degree burn is a very serious burn

in which deeper layers of skin and nerve endings are damaged. The victim of a third-degree burn needs immediate medical attention. While waiting for help to arrive, cover the burn with a clean, dry dressing. Do not apply cold water or ice or remove any burned clothing. Elevate burned feet or arms above the level of the victim’s heart. Allow victim to sip fluids.