Article

First Aid

Emergency
Cheklist

Extracts from
site: http://www.drlockie.com/

Don’t become a casualty yourself This may sound facetious, but you Cannot
help anyone if you yourself are hors de combat. Don’t jump into the water
to save someone if you cannot swim. Think twice about dragging someone
clear of a burning car – the petrol tank may be about to explode. Cool
logic is often forgotten in emergencies.2 Remove the casualty and yourself
from immediate danger. If there is no danger, do not move the casualty –
you may cause further injury. The condition which is most life-threatening
is the condition which should be dealt with first.

Remove the casualty and yourself from immediate danger. If there is no
danger, do not move the casualty – you may cause further injury. The
condition which is most life-threatening is the condition which should be
dealt with first.

Make sure that the person is breathing and that the heart is beating. If
not, give artificial respiration and/or cardiac resuscitation (see Breathing below
and Circulation).

Check for and stop severe Bleeding.

If the person is unconscious or shows signs of failing consciousness, put
him or her in the recovery position and check the pulse at regular
intervals (see Unconsciousness).
Never leave an unconscious person alone unless this is unavoidable.

Treat any serious Wounds or Burns and
immobilise any Fractures
or Dislocations.

When the casualty’s condition is stable, take steps to prevent SHOCK and
place in the recovery position (see Unconsciousness).
Keep the person warm but not too hot. Do not give anything to eat or
drink, except in specific situations such as at Burns,
Heatstroke or Hypothermia.
There may be internal injury, or the person may need a general anaesthetic
in hospital later.

Getting medical help

Away
from home, dial 999 in the UK, 199 in the US. Otherwise try
and get hold of your GP; if he is not immediately available, dial 999.
Only if you are in an isolated situation, and there is likely to be
considerable delay before help can get to you, should you consider taking
the casualty to hospital yourself.

If
possible, get someone else to phone the emergency services, otherwise dial
999 at the first opportunity. Usually the person who answers the telephone
will ask a series of questions designed to extract the most vital
information first. Respond calmly, answer clearly, and be prepared to give
details of how many casualties are involved, the types of injuries, the
kind of help needed, the exact location, and your phone number.

If the
emergency services are not required, arrange for transport to the nearest
Accident and Emergency (formerly ‘Casualty’) department, or ring your
local GP.

Examining the casualty
Check immediately for breathing and pulse Breathing,
and continue to check and record the pulse every 5 minutes. Try to find
out from the casualty, or from a witness, exactly what happened. If the
injured person is conscious, ask if there is pain and where, and examine
the body very gently but firmly for bleeding, bruising, or limb
deformities, comparing both sides of the body.

Note the
colour of the person’s skin. Pallor may indicate Shock.
Feel the forehead with the palm of your hand. If it feels very hot, the
casualty may have a fever; if it feels cold, he or she may be going into
shock. Examine the pupils of the eyes. Are they very large or unequal in
size? Smell the breath for alcohol. Look for any ‘Medic-alert’ cards,
bracelets, or neck chains which warn of a medical condition such as Epilepsy, Diabetes, or Haemophilia; these
usually indicate the kind of help that is required.

Record
the results of your examination if you can, and pass then on to the
medical helpers when they arrive

Breathing

If the
airway to the lungs (mouth, throat, or windpipe) is obstructed, the person
will not be able to breathe (see Asphyxia).
Breathing can also cease because the lungs are damaged or full of fluid,
or contain gases other than air. Or there may be a brain or heart
malfunction. If breathing stops, the brain becomes starved if oxygen and
irreversible damage may occur. Hold your ear close to the casualty’s nose
and mouth for 10 seconds. If he or she is breathing you should hear or
feel the movement of air. While you are doing this, look at the chest wall
to see if it is rising and falling. If the skin looks very pale, or
bluish, especially around the lips, this is more evidence that breathing
has stopped or that circulation is impaired.

Artificial
respiration

If
breathing has stopped, place the casualty on his or her back on a firm
surface. Tilt the head backwards and bring the lower jaw upwards and
forwards to open the throat and keep the tongue from blocking the airway.
Clear out any material from the, mouth and throat. Pinch the casualty’s
nose. Take a deep breath, seal your mouth around the casualty’s mouth and
blow into the lungs, just enough to make the chest rise. Then take your
mouth away and watch the chest fall. If the heart is bearing, the casualty
should regain a healthy colour after the first inflations. Give the first
6-12 breaths quickly, then slow down to a rate which is enough to keep the
casualties colour normal-looking – about the same as your own breathing
rate.

Once the
casualty is breathing strongly and unaided, place him or her in the
recovery position (see Unconsciousness
and monitor breathing until medical help arrives. If breathing falters or
does not continue unaided, carry on giving artificial respiration unto
medical help arrives. If, after 2 breaths of artificial respiration, the
casualty does not respond, give cardiac resuscitation (Circulation).

Homeopathic
remedies if you are on your own, do not give any remedies until the
casualty is breathing regularly and unaided. However, if there is someone
else present who can carry on with the resuscitation, select a remedy from
the list below.