Personal
Safety - Handy First Aid Tips
When someone
is injured or suddenly becomes ill, there is usually a critical
period before you can get medical treatment and it is this
period that is of the utmost importance to the victim. What
you do, or what you don't do, in that interval can mean the
difference between life and death. You owe it to yourself,
your family, and your neighbors to know and understand procedures
that can be applied quickly and intelligently during an emergency.
Every
household should have some type of first aid kit. If you do
not already have one, you can assemble your own supplies now.
Tailor the contents to fit your family's particular needs.
Don't add first aid supplies to the jumble of toothpaste and
cosmetics in the medicine cabinet. Instead, assemble them
in a suitable, labeled box (such as a fishing tackle box or
a Tupperware container), so that everything will be handy
when needed. Label everything in the kit clearly, and indicate
what it is used for. Keep an extra first aid kit in your car
for mishaps away from home.
Items
worth having in every first aid kit include: various sizes
of band aids, anti-bacterial ointment, alcohol prep pads,
gauze pads, tape, paper clips, safety pins, scissors, hand
sanitizer, small flashlight, antacid, aspirin, and ibuprofen.
Be sure
not to lock your first aid box... otherwise you may be hunting
for the key when an emergency occurs. Place the box on a shelf
beyond the reach of small children, and check it periodically.
Small mishaps occur all the time, so you will appreciate having
everything you need in a convenient kit. Be sure, however,
to restock items in the kit as soon as they run low.
Keep all
medications, including non-prescription drugs such as aspirin
and ibuprofen, out of the reach of children. When discarding
drugs, be sure to dispose of them where they cannot be retrieved
by children or pets--we recommend rinsing them down the faucet
or flushing them in the toilet.
When a
serious emergency occurs, make sure the injured victim's airway
is not blocked by the tongue and that the mouth is free of
any secretions and foreign objects. It is extremely important
that the person is breathing freely. And if not, you need
to administer artificial respiration promptly. CPR classes
are offered by charities, hospitals, fire departments, municipalities,
and businesses across the country and around the world. If
you don't have current CPR training, you should enroll in
a class near you. Don't put it off because you never know
when you will need this training. A person's life can depend
on it.
See that
the victim has a pulse and good blood circulation as you check
for signs of bleeding. Act fast if the victim is bleeding
severely, has swallowed poison, or is unable to breathe. Remember,
every second counts.
Although
most injured persons can be safely moved, it is vitally important
not to move a person with serious neck or back injuries unless
you have to save him from further danger. Keep the patient
lying down and quiet. If he has vomited and there is no danger
that his neck is broken, turn him on his side to prevent choking
and keep him warn by covering him with blankets or coats.
Look for
an emergency medical identification card or an emblematic
device that the victim may be wearing to alert you to any
health problems, allergies or diseases that may require special
care.
Call for
an ambulance. Better yet, if someone else is around to help,
have that person place the emergency call. That person should
explain the nature of the emergency and ask what should be
done pending the arrival of the ambulance. You concentrate
on helping the victim and on reassuring him/her to remain
calm because the paramedics are on the way. Use the items
contained in your first aid kit, as appropriate to the situation.
Don't
give fluids to an unconscious or semiconscious person; fluids
may enter his windpipe and cause suffocation. Don't try to
arouse an unconscious person by slapping or shaking.
