The first few minutes of a medical emergency are always critical, but nearly two thirds of us admit we wouldn’t know what to do.
First aid is something we should all know how to give – so familiarise yourself with these simple steps and you could make the difference between life and death.
Someone cuts their hand deeply
DO apply firm pressure with a clean cloth and raise their arm above their heart to reduce the bleeding. Continue to apply pressure until the bleeding is controlled and apply a dressing. If the cut is very deep and blood is flowing heavily, apply an extra dressing. Continue to apply pressure and get someone to drive you both to A&E.
DON’T remove the original dressing if blood seeps through. Just apply another dressing over the top.
On a meal out, a friend starts choking
DO Encourage them to cough, advises St John Ambulance training officer Clive James. If this doesn’t remove the obstruction and they can’t speak, breathe or are going blue, they’re being deprived of oxygen.
Bend them over and slap sharply between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand up to five times. If that doesn’t work, try abdominal thrusts.
Stand behind them and place your fist between their navel and the bottom of their ribcage. Grasp your fist with your other hand and forcefully press inward and upward.
Repeat up to five times. If the blockage persists, ask someone to call 999 while you alternate back slaps and abdominal thrusts until the ambulance arrives.
DON’T put your fingers in their mouth to try and remove the object – you may push it further down the throat. And don’t make the person drink to try and flush the object down. This will only add to the obstruction.
Someone scalds their hand with boiling water
DO cool the burn under cold running tap water for at least 10 minutes, advises Clive James. Carefully remove jewellery or clothing from the affected area, unless it is stuck to the skin.
After cooling, cover the burn with a clean, non-fluffy dressing (a clean tea towel or freezer bag will do). Any burn or scald bigger than a postage stamp needs medical attention.
DON’T attempt to break blisters or apply adhesive dressings. They may tear the damaged skin when removed.
You witness an epileptic seizure
DO remove all potential hazards from the immediate area and put something soft under the person’s head so they can’t hurt themselves. Call 999, stay calm and simply watch over and reassure them.
Once the seizure is over, put them in the recovery position until the ambulance arrives, advises British Red Cross first-aid expert Joe Mulligan.
Lay them on their side, with one leg higher than the other so they can’t roll back or forwards. Then tilt their chin up to keep their airway open.
DON’T try to restrain them or put anything in their mouth. It could block the airway or damage their teeth and, if the jaw spasms, you could get bitten.
A person collapses in the street
DO If they are unconscious, check their “ABC”, says Clive James. Airway – Ensuring there’s nothing in their mouth, lay them on their back, tilt their head backwards and lift their chin to open the airway.
Breathing – listen for breaths and look to see if their chest is moving. If it isn’t, get someone to call 999.
Circulation – If the person is not breathing, start CPR: with the heel of one hand and the other hand on top, press firmly on the breast bone (where the lower ribs meet in the
middle). Depress the chest by one third of its depth, then release.
Repeat 30 times at a rate of two compressions per second, then give two “rescue breaths”. Pinch their nose, take a big breath, cover their mouth with yours and breathe out. When their chest rises, remove your lips and repeat.
Continue with 30 compressions followed by two rescue breaths until they start breathing or help arrives. If they are conscious and have chest pain, sit them up with their back and knees supported in a comfortable position and reassure them until the ambulance arrives.
DON’T lie them down if you think they’re suffering from a heart attack – it makes it harder to breathe.
A toddler is found fa