FIRST AID

Steps to Take in an Emergency If an emergency has occurred, call 911 or the emergency number in your area, or get someone else to do it. Knowing basic first-aid techniques will enable you to deal with emergencies until help arrives. First aid is the immediate care given to someone who becomes injured or ill until regular medical care can be provided.

The ABCs of CPR Suppose that a person’s heart stopped pumping, cutting off blood flow to the brain. The victim would fall to ground and stop breathing normally. A rescuer would check for responsiveness by gently shaking the victim and shouting, “Are you okay?” If the person were unresponsive, she or he might need cardiopulmonary resuscitation until professional help arrives. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a first aid procedure to restore breathing and circulation.

The first steps of CPR, as recommended by the American Heart Association, are called ABCs. A= Airway Look inside the victim’s mouth. If you can see anything blocking the victim’s airway, remove it. Gently roll the person onto his or her back. Tilt the head back as you lift up the chin. This will open the airway. B= Breathing Next look, listen, and feel to find out if the victim’s is breathing. Look for the rise and fall of the chest. Place your ear next to the victim’s mouth and nose and listen for breathing.

Feel for the exhaled air on your cheek Feel for the exhaled air on your cheek. If the person is not breathing normally, perform rescue breathing. Rescue breathing is a first aid procedure in which someone forces air into the lungs of a person who is not breathing. 1. Keeping the victim’s head and chin in the proper position, pinch the person’s nostrils shut. 2. Place your mouth over the victim’s mouth, forming a seal. Give two slow breaths, each about 2 seconds long. The victim’s chest should rise with each breath.

C= Circulation Check for signs of circulation. These signs include normal breathing, coughing, or movement. If the victim shows no signs of circulation, start chest compressions. If the victim responds ( coughs or moves, for example) but is still not breathing normally, continue rescue breathing. Give one breath every 5 seconds.

First Aid for Choking Choking occurs when a person’s airway becomes blocked. Food or accidentally swallowed objects create an obstruction in the airway that prevents air from entering the lungs. If the obstruction is not removed, the person can die within a few minutes. Recognizing the signs of choking is the first step toward helping the victim. The person clutching his or her neck, which is the universal sign for choking. The victim may also cough, gag, have high-pitched noisy breathing, or turn blue in the face.

If someone appears to be choking but can cry, speak, or cough forcefully, do not attempt first aid. A strong cough can remove the object from the airway. For an adult or older child who is choking, use abdominal thrusts. Abdominal thrusts are quick, inward and upward pulls into the diaphragm to force an obstruction out of the airway. To perform this procedure, place your arms around the victim from the back , and use both hands to pull inward and upward.

If an infant is choking, hold the infant facedown on your forearm and hit the area between the shoulder blades five times with the heel of your other hand. Then turn the infant over and perform chest thrust instead of abdominal thrusts. Chest thrust are quick presses into the middle of the breastbone to force an obstruction out of the airway.

Stopping Severe Bleeding Severe bleeding is a serious emergency. Cover the wound with a clean cloth and press firmly against the wound with your hand. If the cloth becomes soaked with blood, add a second cloth. Do not remove the first one. Elevate the wound above the level of the heart to slow blood flow. If you think that the injury involves a broken bone, do not move it. If the bleeding does not stop, apply pressure to a main artery leading to the wound. Squeeze the artery against the bone.

Treating Burns First- degree burn. A burn in which only the outer layer of skin is burned and turns red. This can be treated by flushing the burned area with cold water for at least 15 minutes. It then should be wrapped loosely in a clean, dry dressing. A sunburn is a type of a first- degree burn. Second- degree burn. A moderately serious burn in which the burned area blisters. Treatment of minor second-degree burns calls for flushing the affected area with cold water and elevating the burned area. Wrap the cooled burn loosely in a clean, dry dressing. Do not pop blisters or peel loose skin.

Burns Third-degree burn is a very serious burn in which all layers of the skin are damaged. Such burns are usually caused by fire, electricity, or chemicals, and they required immediate medical attention. Call 911 or an ambulance at once. Do not remove burned clothing. Apply ice only to the affected area, unless the burn was caused by electricity. In that case, just apply a dry, sterile dressing. While waiting for medical help to arrive, keep the victim still, and have her or him sip fluids.

Other Emergencies Poisoning. Call 911 or a poison control center and follow directions. Check the ABCs. Broken bones. A break in a bone is called a fracture. Have the person to remain still until medical assistance arrives. A train helper can then immobilize the fractured bone. Sprains and Bruises. Tell the victim not to use the injured body part. Then use the R.I.C.E. formula: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.