In an emergency you may not be able to rely on anyone else for your personal health and safety. A few hours of training before an emergency event could save your life or the lives of others. Even if you just learn the proper way to perform CPR, and how to handle a few basic types of medical emergencies, you can save a life.
First and foremost, in any emergency, call 911 or have someone else call them for you. This reduces the time until help arrives, and the operator can walk you through what you need to do to help the person while you wait for professionals to arrive.
Be sure to have a good First Aid kit ready to go so you don’t waste time finding what you need to help yourself or someone else. See our article here for some guidelines to help you build your first aid or first responder kit.
CPR
CPR stands for CardioPulmonary Resuscitation. CPR, when performed properly, can help save a life during cardiac arrest, which is when the heart stops beating or beats too ineffectively to circulate blood to the brain and other vital organs. Even when a person has stopped breathing, there is still some oxygen in their blood. By performing chest compressions, you will stimulate their heart enough to move blood through their body to deliver oxygen and delay cell death. Using CPR you could possibly resuscitate the person, but at a minimum you will buy them more time until advanced care can arrive to take over.
Ways to learn CPR or get certified (click the links below)
Sign up for training with the Red Cross
Search for classes in your local area online
Watch videos on YouTube
The ABC’s (airway, breathing, circulation)
- Establish an Airway (clear mouth and throat, Heimlich, etc.)
- Are they Breathing? If not, start CPR.
- Check their Circulation. Do they have a pulse, and if so is it strong and regular/steady?
How to spot a Stroke and what to do
Signs of a stroke will appear suddenly and often follow the BE FAST acronym:
Balance loss – are they having a hard time standing or walking?
Eyesight changes (sudden loss of sight, blurred or double vision)
Face drooping or numbness on one side. Does part of their face appear uneven or abnormal?
Arm weakness or numbness on one side. Can they lift both arms straight out?
Speech difficulty (slurred or nonsensical). Do they sound drunk, are they using the wrong word for things, does their speech sound like gibberish?
Time: If you see ANY of these signs, it’s time to call 911 immediately. Don’t hesitate, just call. There is no penalty if you are wrong, but if you don’t call it could cost someone their life.
How to check for signs of a stroke
- Have them stick out their tongue. Is it straight out or to one side? If it is not straight, it could be a sign of a stroke.
- Have them hold out arms. Are they evenly lifted? If not, it could be a sign of a stroke.
- Have them smile. Is it even on both sides, or dropping on one side? If it is uneven, it could be a sign of a stroke.
- Is their speech slurred? If it is, it could be a sign of a stroke.
- If any of the above checks result in a possible stroke indicator, call 911 immediately to get medical assistance on the way. Ask the 911 operator if you should have them chew 2 aspirin to help thin their blood and dissolve or prevent further blood clots while you wait for help to arrive. Be sure to tell any responders what you gave them (exactly) when they arrive.
Signs of a Heart Attack
- Chest discomfort that may feel like pain, pressure, tightness, squeezing or aching
- Upper body pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or stomach
- Cold sweat
- Fatigue
- Heartburn or indigestion
- Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness
- Nausea or vomiting
If you see ANY of these signs, it’s time to call 911 immediately. Don’t hesitate, just call. There is no penalty if you are wrong, but if you don’t call it could cost someone their life.
What to do for a Heart Attack
- If you or someone near you may be having a heart attack, Call 911 immediately
- Follow the operators instructions
- Have the person chew some aspirin if advised to do so to help prevent blood clots
- Have the person having a heart attack take their Nitroglycerin if it has been prescribed to them
- Start CPR if needed
- Use an AED (automated external defibrillator) if available. An AED will give you verbal instructions on how to use it once it is turned on. It will not shock the person unless it detects a reason to do so.
When to Use an AED, CPR, or Both
If a person collapses and is unresponsive and not breathing normally, the first step is to call emergency services (911 or your local emergency number) and start CPR. You should use both CPR and an AED for any victim of suspected Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) as soon as possible. CPR is for unresponsiveness and lack of normal breathing, while the AED is used to correct a life-threatening heart rhythm. They are not competing techniques; they work together as part of the “Chain of Survival”.
After initiating CPR, if an AED is available, it should be brought to the person’s location and turned on. Once it is on, it will give you voice instructions on its use. AEDs are specifically designed to treat “shockable rhythms” like ventricular fibrillation (VF) and pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT). These are irregular heart rhythms that prevent the heart from pumping blood effectively enough to deliver oxygen to your body. Once the AED is attached, it will analyze the victim’s heart rhythm and determine if a shock is needed to correct their condition. You will know when to resume CPR after using an AED because the device will tell you to. This may be immediately after delivering a shock, or if it determines a shock is not needed. Continue with chest compressions for another 2 minutes, or until the AED prompts you to stand clear and analyze the heart rhythm again.
Be sure to see our article on
First Aid Kit Supplies
More information to come, possibly in other articles
Bandages, dressings, compound pressure – Know how to stop bleeding and protect wounds.
Hygiene – Secondary to stopping death. You have more time to deal with an infection than you do to stop heavy bleeding.
Protecting yourself from bodily fluids. Also secondary, but important if time allows.
SAM splints (structural aluminum malleable) can be used to make splints and other supportive devices to immobilize injuries. They are cheap, easy to use, and can be cut to size.
Steri-Strips or butterfly bandages can be used as temporary stitches or to keep minor wounds closed until they can heal.