Basic First Aid

Preparation Steps

• Take a certified first aid course. Knowledge and practice make the critical difference.
• Assemble a first aid kit. Keep one at home, in your car, and in your go-bag.
• Learn CPR. Hands-only CPR can double a cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival.
• Know your local emergency number. 911 (US), 112 (EU), 999 (UK), 000 (AU).
• Check your kit regularly. Verify medications and supplies haven't expired.

Immediate Actions

Bleeding Control

1. Call emergency services if the wound is severe.
2. Apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or bandage.
3. Do not remove the cloth if it soaks through — add more on top.
4. For limb wounds, apply a tourniquet 2–3 inches above the wound if bleeding is life-threatening. Note the time.
5. Elevate the limb above the heart if possible.

CPR (Hands-Only)

1. Check responsiveness — tap shoulders, shout "Are you okay?"
2. Call emergency services or have someone else call.
3. Position hands — heel of hand on center of chest (lower half of sternum).
4. Push hard and fast — compress at least 2 inches deep at 100–120 beats per minute.
5. Allow full chest recoil between compressions.
6. Continue until emergency services arrive or the person recovers.

Burns

1. Cool the burn with cool (not cold) running water for 10–20 minutes.
2. Do not use ice, butter, or toothpaste.
3. Cover loosely with a clean, non-fluffy material.
4. Seek medical care for burns larger than 3 inches, burns on face/hands/feet/genitals, or chemical/electrical burns.

Fractures

1. Immobilize the injury. Splint it in the position found — do not straighten.
2. Apply ice wrapped in cloth to reduce swelling.
3. Do not bear weight on a suspected fracture.
4. Seek medical care.

Shock

1. Lay the person down and elevate legs 12 inches (unless head/neck/spine injury suspected).
2. Keep the person warm with a blanket.
3. Do not give fluids.
4. Call emergency services immediately.

What to Avoid

• Do not remove embedded objects from wounds — stabilize them in place.
• Do not move a person with a possible spinal injury unless in immediate danger.
• Do not apply tourniquet unless bleeding is life-threatening and uncontrollable.
• Do not give aspirin to children.
• Do not use hydrogen peroxide or iodine directly on wounds — use clean water.

Supplies Needed

• Sterile gauze pads (various sizes)
• Adhesive bandages (various sizes)
• Medical tape
• Elastic bandage (ACE wrap)
• Tourniquet (CAT or SOFTT-W)
• Hemostatic gauze (e.g., QuikClot)
• Scissors and tweezers
• Disposable gloves (nitrile)
• CPR face shield
• Cold packs
• Antiseptic wipes
• Antibiotic ointment
• Pain reliever (ibuprofen, acetaminophen)
• Antihistamine (diphenhydramine)
• Emergency mylar blanket
• First aid manual

Recovery Steps

• Document the injury — what happened, time, treatment given — for medical handoff.
• Monitor for infection. Signs include increasing redness, warmth, swelling, pus, or fever.
• Change wound dressings daily or when soaked.
• Follow up with a doctor for serious injuries, even if the person seems stable.
• Psychological first aid. Trauma has mental impacts — check in with survivors.