3 steps for emergency situations

If you encounter an emergency situation, follow these three basic steps:

1. Check the scene for danger

Look for anything that might be dangerous, like signs of fire, falling debris, or
violent people. If your safety is at risk, remove yourself from the area and call
for help.

If the scene is safe, assess the condition of the sick or injured person. Don’t
move them unless you must do so to protect them from danger.

2. Call for medical help, if needed

If you suspect the sick or injured person needs emergency medical care, tell a
nearby person to call 911 or the local number for emergency medical
services. If you’re alone, make the call yourself.

3. Provide care

If you can do so safely, remain with the sick or injured person until
professional help arrives. Cover them with a warm blanket, comfort them, and
try to keep them calm. If you have basic first aid skills, try to treat any
potentially life-threatening injuries they have.

Remove yourself from danger if at any point in the situation you think your
safety might be at risk.
First aid bandage
In many cases, you can use an adhesive bandage to cover minor cuts,
scrapes, or burns. To cover and protect larger wounds, you might need to
apply a clean gauze pad or roller bandage.

To apply a roller bandage to a wound, follow these steps:

1. Hold the injured area steady.

2. Gently but firmly wrap the bandage around the injured limb or body part,
covering the wound.
3. Fasten the bandage with sticky tape or safety pins.
4. The bandage should be wrapped firmly enough to stay put, but not so
tightly that it cuts off blood flow.

To check the circulation in a bandaged limb, pinch one of the person’s

fingernails or toenails until the color drains from the nail. If color doesn’t return
within two seconds of letting go, the bandage is too tight and needs to be
adjusted.
First aid for burns
If you suspect that someone has a third-degree burn, call 911. Seek
professional medical care for any burns that:

 cover a large area of skin

 are located on the person’s face, groin, buttocks, hands, or feet
 have been caused by contact with chemicals or electricity

To treat a minor burn, run cool water over the affected area for up to 15
minutes. If that’s not possible, apply a cool compress to the area instead.
Avoid applying ice to burned tissue. It can cause more damage.

Over-the-counter pain relievers can help relieve pain. Applying lidocaine or

an aloe vera gel or cream can also reduce discomfort from minor burns.

To help prevent infection, apply an antibiotic ointment and loosely cover the
burn with clean gauze. Find out when you should contact a doctor for follow-
up care.
First aid CPR
If you see someone collapse or find someone unconscious, call 911. If the
area around the unconscious person seems safe, approach them and begin
CPR.

Even if you don’t have formal training, you can use hands-only CPR to help
keep someone alive until professional help arrives.

Here’s how to treat an adult with hands-only CPR:

1. Place both hands on the center of their chest, with one hand on top of
the other.
2. Press straight down to compress their chest repeatedly, at a rate of
about 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
3. Compressing the chest to the beat of “Staying Alive” by the Bee Gees or
“Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé can help you count at the correct rate.
4. Continue performing chest compressions until professional help arrives.

Learn how to treat an infant or child with CPR and how to combine chest
compressions with rescue breathing.
First aid for nosebleed
To treat someone with a nosebleed, ask them to:

1. Sit down and lean their head forward.

2. Using the thumb and index finger, firmly press or pinch the nostrils
closed.
3. Continue to apply this pressure continuously for five minutes.
4. Check and repeat until the bleeding stops.

If you have nitrile of vinyl gloves, you can press or pinch their nostril closed for
them.

If the nosebleed continues for 20 minutes or longer, seek emergency medical

care. The person should also receive follow-up care if an injury caused the
nosebleed.

Learn when professional care is needed for a nosebleed.

First aid for heatstroke

When your body overheats, it can cause heat exhaustion. If left untreated,
heat exhaustion can lead to heatstroke. This is a potentially life-threatening
condition and medical emergency.

If someone is overheated, encourage them to rest in a cool location. Remove

excess layers of clothing and try to cool their body down by doing the
following:

 Cover them with a cool, damp sheet.

 Apply a cool, wet towel to the back of their neck.
  Sponge them with cool water.

Call 911 if they develop signs or symptoms of heatstroke, including any of the
following:

 nausea or vomiting
 mental confusion
 fainting
 seizures
 a fever of 104°F (40°C) or greater

If they’re not vomiting or unconscious, encourage them to sip cool water or a

sports drink. Take a moment now to learn about other strategies to help
someone with heat exhaustion or heatstroke recover.

First aid for heart attack

If you think someone might be experiencing a heart attack, call 911. If they’ve
been prescribed nitroglycerin, help them locate and take this medication.
Cover them with a blanket and comfort them until professional help arrives.

If they have difficulty breathing, loosen any clothing around their chest and
neck. Start CPR if they lose consciousness.
First aid kit list
You never know when you might need to provide basic first aid. To prepare for
the unpredictable, considering storing a well-stocked first aid kit in your home
and car. It’s also a good idea to have a first aid kit available at work.

You can buy preassembled first aid kits from many first aid organizations,
pharmacies, or outdoor recreation stores. Alternatively, you can create your
own first aid kit using products purchased from a pharmacy.

A standard first aid kit should include:

 adhesive bandages of assorted sizes

 roller bandages of assorted sizes
 absorbent compress dressings
 sterile gauze pads adhesive cloth tape
 triangular bandages antiseptic wipes
 aspirin acetaminophen or ibuprofen
 antibiotic ointment hydrocortisone cream
 calamine lotion nitrile or vinyl gloves
 safety pins scissors
 tweezers thermometer
 breathing barrier instant cold pack
 blanket first aid manual

It’s also smart to include a list of your healthcare providers, emergency

contact numbers, and prescribed medications in your first aid kits.
Outlook
It’s important to protect yourself from contagious illnesses and other hazards
when providing first aid. To help protect yourself:

 Always check for hazards that could put your safety at risk before
approaching a sick or injured person.
 Avoid direct contact with blood, vomit, and other bodily fluids.
 Wear protective equipment, such as nitrile or vinyl gloves when treating
someone with an open wound or a breathing barrier when performing
rescue breathing.
 Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after providing first
aid care.

In many cases, basic first aid can help stop a minor situation from getting
worse. In the case of a medical emergency, first aid might even save a life. If
someone has a serious injury or illness, they should receive follow-up care
from a medical professional.