EMERGENCY FIRST AID INSTRUCTIONS

Bleeding and Wounds:

• Control bleeding by applying direct pressure with sterile dressing on wound.
• Clean minor injuries with soap and water after washing your hands and apply dry sterile dressing/bandages.
• If bleeding continues, apply additional sterile dressing and treat for shock.

Use disposable gloves & other personal protective equipment

Breathing Emergency:

• Call 911.
• Tilt head back, look-listen-feel with your ear near victim's nose and mouth for air exchange from victim's nose and/or mouth.
• If not breathing: pinch nose and make a tight seal over victim's mouth with your mouth and give 2 breaths.
  • Adult-breathe once every 5 seconds
  • Child-breathe once every 3 seconds
  • Infant-breathe once every 3 seconds
• Continue until medical help arrives.

Burns:

• Remove person from the source of the burn.
• Immerse burned area under cool running water.
• For deeper tissue destruction, immerse burned area under cool water until pain is relieved.  Apply a dry loose sterile dressing. Seek medical help.
• For electrical burns, cover with dry sterile dressing.  Seek medical help
• Watch for signs of shock.

Fractures, Dislocations, Sprains or Strains:
General care includes following R.I.C.E.
- Rest-Do not move or straighten the injured area.
- Immobilize-Stabilize the injured area in the position found. Splint the injured part ONLY if the person must be moved
- Cold-Apply ice to the injured area for 20 minutes.  Place a thin barrier between the ice and bare skin.and it does not cause more pain.
- Elevate-Do not elevate the injured part if it causes more pain.

• Call 911.
• If an open fracture is present, apply sterile dressing around the open fracture as would for an embedded object. Bandage the dressing in place around the fracture.
• Monitor and watch for signs of shock.

Heart Attack
Symptoms: Persistent chest pain or pressure, chest pain spreading to shoulders, neck, jaw or arms, trouble breathing or shortness of breathe, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, light-headedness or fainting, pale, ashen (grayish) or bluish skin, sweating and denial of signals.

• Call 911.
• Have victim rest in comfortable position. Loosen tight clothing.
• Closely watch the person until the emergency medical services (EMS) arrives. Comfort the person. Try to obtain information about the person's condition.
• Assist with medication, if prescribed. Offer an aspirin if medically appropriate. Do not give aspirin if the person: is allergic to aspirin, has a stomach ulcer, taking blood thinner or has been told not to take aspirin by their doctor.
• Be prepared to do CPR if you are trained.

Heat Related Emergencies:
Heat Exhaustion:
Symptoms: Cool, moist, pale, ashen or flushed skin, headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, exhaustion and heavy sweating.
Heat Stroke:
Symptoms: Red, hot, dry skin, changes in level of consciousness and vomiting.

• Remove from heat.
• Loosen tight clothing.  Remove perspiration-soaked clothing.
• Apply cool, wet towels to skin.  Fan the person.
•  If conscious, give small amounts of cool water.
• If the person refuses water, vomits, or starts to lose consciousness: Call 911, place on his or side, continue to cool the person and monitor the person's breathing, and signs of life (coughing or movement in response to rescue breaths or pulse).

Hypothermia:

• Remove from the cold to a warm environment.
• Monitor airway, breathing and circulation.
• Give rescue breathing or CPR-if needed and if trained in CPR.
• Remove any wet clothing. Dry the person and wrap in blankets. If alert, may give small amounts of warm water.
• If not improving, seek medical help. 

Poisoning:
Any substance that can cause injury, illness or death when introduced to the body.

• Call poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.
• If person is unconscious, level of consciousness changes or becomes  life-threatening, call 911.

Stroke:
Sudden signals of a stroke, Think F.A.S.T.
- Face-Weakness on one side of the face.  Ask victim to smile.
- Arm-Weakness or numbness in one arm.  Ask victim to raise both arms.
- Speech-Slurred speech or trouble getting the words out.
- Time-Note time signals of first observed and call 911.

Shock
Symptoms: Restless or irritability, altered level of consciousness, nausea or vomiting, rapid breathing or pulse, pale, cool, moist or ashen skin and excessive thirst.

• Call 911.
• Continue to monitor the person’s ABC (airway, breathing and circulation).
• Control any external bleeding.
• Keep the person from getting chilled or overheated.
• Elevate the legs 8 to 12 inches if a head, neck or back injuries or if broken bones of the hip or legs is not suspected.
• Comfort and reassure until help arrives.

Conscious Choking:
If a conscious adult or child cannot speak, cough or breathe..

• Call 911.
• Place your arm across the victim's chest. Lean them over and do 5 back blows with the palm of your hand between their shoulder blades.
• Stand behind the victim and do 5 abdominal thrusts just above the victim's belly button in an upward motion.
• Continue back blows and abdominal thrusts until: The object is forced out, person can breathe or cough or becomes unconscious.

For more information on First Aid Tips call 920-468-8535.