Work in progress – outline mostly
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, call 911 or have someone else call them. This reduces the time until help arrives, and they can walk you through what you need to do to help the person while you wait for professionals to arrive.
Have a good First Aid kit ready to go so you don’t waste time finding what you need to help someone or yourself.
CPR
- It is important to restore blood flow to deliver oxygen to dying cells
- It could save a life, but at a minimum it will buy the person more time so advanced care can arrive
- Ways to learn or get certified (Red Cross, local classes, online/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. Is their pulse strong and regular?
How to spot a Stroke and what to do
- Have them stick out their tongue. Is it straight out or to one side?
- Have them hold out arms. Are they evenly lifted?
- Have them smile. Is it even or sagging on one side?
- Is their speech slurred?
- If any of the above is an issues,they may have had a stroke. If appropriate, have them chew 2 aspirin to help dissolve and prevent blood clots.
Signs of a Heart Attack
- Chest pain that may feel like pressure, tightness, pain, squeezing or aching.
- Pain or discomfort that spreads to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, jaw, teeth or sometimes the upper belly.
- Cold sweat.
- Fatigue.
- Heartburn or indigestion.
- Lightheadedness or sudden dizziness.
- Nausea.
- Shortness of breath
What to do for a Heart Attack
- Call 911
- Take aspirin if needed to prevent blood clots
- Take Nitroglycerin as prescribed
- Start CPR if needed
- Use an AED (automated external defibrillator) if available
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.