Help given to a sick or injured person until full medical treatment is available

FIRST AID

FIRST AID EQUIPMENT DEFINITION

First Aid Equipment:

is the temporary or the immediate care to a burn, wound, injury, etc that a victim has obtained from an accident. is used to ease the pain of an injury, to prevent the worsening of the injury, to stop the loss of blood from bleeding and to prepare the victim for bringing to the hospital.

FIRST AID EQUIPMENT DEFINITION

First Aid Equipment:

is the initial basic treatment of an injured or ill person. requires an observer first to evaluate the injured or ill person and then to intervene, using a small amount of supplies

A well-stocked first-aid kit can help you respond effectively to common injuries and emergencies.

FIRST AID EQUIPMENT

Keep at least one first-aid kit in your home and one in your car.
Store your kits in easy-to-retrieve locations that are out of the reach of young children. Children old enough to understand the purpose of the kits should know where they are stored.

Basic supplies :

FIRST AID EQUIPMENT

* Adhesive tape * Antibiotic ointment * Antiseptic solution or towelettes * Bandages, including a roll of elastic wrap (Ace, Coban, others) and bandage strips (Band-Aid, Curad, others) in assorted sizes * Instant cold packs * Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs * Disposable latex or synthetic gloves, at least two pairs * Duct tape

Basic supplies : * Gauze pads and roller gauze in assorted sizes * Eye goggles * First-aid manual * Petroleum jelly or other lubricant * Plastic bags for the disposal of contaminated materials * Safety pins in assorted sizes * Save-A-Tooth storage device containing salt solution and a travel case * Scissors, tweezers and a needle * Soap or instant hand sanitizer * Sterile eyewash, such as a saline solution * Thermometer * Triangular bandage * Turkey baster or other bulb suction device for flushing out wounds

FIRST AID EQUIPMENT

Medications :

* Activated charcoal (use only if instructed by your poison control center) * Aloe Vera gel * Anti-diarrhea medication * Over-the-counter oral antihistamine (Benadryl, others) * Aspirin and non aspirin pain relievers (never give aspirin to children) * Calamine lotion * Over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream * Personal medications that don't need refrigeration * If prescribed by your doctor, drugs to treat an allergic attack, such as an auto-injector of epinephrine (EpiPen) * Syringe, medicine cup or spoon

FIRST AID EQUIPMENT

BASIC RULES OF FIRST AID

Check for BREATHING : Lack of oxygen intake can lead to brain damage or death in very few minutes. Check for BLEEDING : Life cannot continue without an adequate supply of blood to carry oxygen to the body. Check for SHOCK : Unless shock is prevented or treated, death may result even though the injury would not otherwise be fatal

BURN & SCALD

Burns and scalds are damage to the skin caused by heat. Both are treated in the same way. A burn is caused by dry heat, from an iron or fire for example. A scald is caused by something wet, such as hot water or steam. Burns can be very painful and can cause blisters and charred, black or red skin

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

Severe burns Treatment 1. Start cooling the burn immediately under running water for at least 10 minutes 2. Dial 999 for an ambulance 3. Make the casualty as comfortable as possible, lie them down 4. Continue to pour copious amounts of cold water over the burn for at least ten minutes or until the pain is relieved 5. Whilst wearing disposable gloves, remove jewellery, watch or clothing from the affected area - unless it is sticking to the skin 6. Cover the burn with clean, non-fluffy material to protect from infection. Cloth, a clean plastic bag or kitchen film all make good dressings

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

Minor burns Treatment For minor burns, hold the affected area under cold water for at least 10 minutes or until the pain subsides. Remove jewellery etc. and cover the burn as detailed above. If a minor burn is larger than a postage stamp it requires medical attention. All deep burns of any size require urgent hospital treatment.

Clothing on fire Treatment

Stop the casualty panicking or running any movement or breeze will fan the flames Drop the casualty to the ground If possible, wrap the casualty tightly in a coat, curtain or blanket (not the nylon or cellular type), rug or other heavy-duty fabric. The best fabric is wool

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

Roll the casualty along the ground until the flames have been smothered.

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

On all burns : Do not use lotions, ointments and creams Do not use adhesive dressings Do not break blisters

BLEEDING
Minor bleeding episodes are common, easy to treat, and have no long-term consequence. Major bleeding can be very dangerous. Significant bleeding can occur in many situations, even underwater or in the wilderness. Accidental cuts, lacerations, or puncture wounds from sharp objects could cause extensive bleeding. Extensive bleeding can cause a drop in; and decreased organ blood flow, which could lead to shock.

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

Minor cuts, scratches and grazes Treatment 1. Wash and dry your own hands. 2. Cover any cuts on your own hands and put on disposable gloves. 3. Clean the cut, if dirty, under running water. Pat dry with a sterile dressing or clean lint-free material. If possible, raise affected area above the heart. 4. Cover the cut temporarily while you clean the surrounding skin with soap and water and pat the surrounding skin dry. Cover the cut completely with a sterile dressing or plaster

Severe bleeding Treatment 1. Put on disposable gloves. Apply direct pressure to the wound with a pad (e.g. a clean cloth) or fingers until a sterile dressing is available. 2. Raise and support the injured limb. Take particular care if you suspect a bone has been broken. 3. Lay the casualty down to treat for shock. 4. Bandage the pad or dressing firmly to control bleeding, but not so tightly that it stops the circulation to fingers or toes. If bleeding seeps through first bandage, cover with a second bandage. If bleeding continues to seep through bandage, remove it and reapply. 5. Treat for shock. 6. Dial 999 for an ambulance.

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

Severe bleeding Treatment Remember : protect yourself from infection by wearing disposable gloves and covering any wounds on your hands. If blood comes through the dressing do not remove it bandage another over the original. If blood seeps through both dressings, remove them both and replace with a fresh dressing, applying pressure over the site of bleeding

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

SHOCK
Shock is a life threatening condition that occurs when the vital organs, such as the brain and heart, are deprived of oxygen due to a problem affecting the circulatory system.

Recognition and treatment

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

1. Look for - Pale face - Cold, clammy skin - Fast, shallow breathing - Rapid, weak pulse - Yawning - Sighing - In extreme cases, unconsciousness. 2. Lay the casualty down with legs raised - Treat any possible causes of shock - Help them to lie down - Raise and support their legs - Loosen tight clothing - Keep them warm 3. Call for help - Dial 999 or 112 for emergency help

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

BONE FRACTURES
Complete or incomplete break or a crack in a bone due to an excessive amount of force.

Recognition and treatment

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

1. Look for - Swelling - Unnatural range of movement - Immobility - Grating noise or feeling - Deformity - Loss of strength - Shock - Twisting - Shortening or bending of a limb 2. Support and immobilise - Support the injured limb - Immobilise the affected part 3. Call for help - Dial 999 or 112 for an ambulance - Treat for shock

POISONING
A poison - also called a toxin - is a substance which, if taken into the body in sufficient quantity, may cause temporary or permanent damage. Poisons can be swallowed, absorbed through the skin, inhaled, splashed into the eyes, or injected. Once in the body, they may enter the bloodstream and be carried swiftly to all organs and tissues. Recognition features vary with the poison - they may develop quickly or over a number of days

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

POISONING
Swallowed Poisoning Alcohol Poisoning Drug Poisoning Food Poisoning Poisonous Plants and Fungi Insect Stings

FOOD POISONING
is usually caused by consuming food or drink that is contaminated with bacteria or viruses. caused by poisons (toxins) from bacteria already in the food. (The salmonella or E. coli group of bacteria, which are found mainly in meat, are common causes of food poisoning.) Symptoms may develop rapidly (within hours), or they may not occur until a day or so after eating contaminated food.

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

FOOD POISONING
Toxic food poisoning is frequently caused by poisons produced by the staphylococcus group of bacteria. Symptoms usually develop rapidly, possibly with two to six hours of eating the affected food. One of the dangers of food poisoning is loss of body fluids. The dehydration that results from this fluid loss can be serious if the fluids are not replaced quickly enough. Dehydration is especially serious in the very young and the very old, and, in some cases, treatment may be required in hospital.

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

FOOD POISONING
Recognition features There may be : - nausea and vomiting - cramping abdominal pains - diarrhoea (possibly bloodstained) - headache or fever - features of shock - impaired consciousness. Your aims - to encourage the casualty to rest - to give the casualty plenty of bland fluids to drink - to seek medical help if necessary.

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

FOOD POISONING
Treatment 1. Advise the casualty to lie down and rest. Help them if necessary 2. Give the casualty plenty of bland fluids to drink and a bowl to use if they vomit 3. Call a doctor for advice.

BASIC FIRST AID & TREATMENT

4. If the casualty's condition worsens: Dial 999 for an ambulance

CARDIO PULMONARY RESUSCITATION

CPR
Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation is a lifesaving technique useful in many emergencies, including heart attack or near drowning, in which someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped

CPR IN THREE SIMPLE STEPS : 1. CALL

Check the victim for unresponsiveness. If the person is not responsive and not breathing or not breathing normally. Call 911 and return to the victim. In most locations the emergency dispatcher can assist you with CPR instructions.

CARDIO PULMONARY RESUSCITATION

2. PUMP

If the victim is still not breathing normally, coughing or moving, begin chest compressions. Push down in the center of the chest 2 inches 30 times. Pump hard and fast at the rate of at least 100/minute, faster than once per second.

3. BLOW Tilt the head back and lift the chin. Pinch nose and cover the mouth with yours and blow until you see the chest rise. Give 2 breaths. Each breath should take 1 second.
CONTINUE WITH 30 PUMPS AND 2 BREATHS UNTIL HELP ARRIVES
NOTE: This ratio is the same for one-person & two-person CPR. In two-person CPR the person pumping the chest stops while the other gives mouth-to-mouth breathing