First aid for a heart attack

Key skill: Ensure they are sitting and call 999 immediately

1. The person may have persistent, vice-like chest pain, which may spread to their arms, neck, jaw, back or stomach.

 2. Call 999 immediately or get someone else to do it.

 

3. Ensure they are sitting e.g. leaning against a tree or the legs or back of another walker.

 

4. Give them constant reassurance while waiting for the ambulance.

 

First aid for a stroke

Key skill: Carry out the FAST test

1. Think FAST. Face: is there weakness on one side of the face? Arms: can they raise both arms? Speech: is their speech easily understood? Time: to call 999.

 

2. Immediately call 999 or get someone else to do it.

First aid for shock

Signs and symptoms:  A rapid pulse

Pale grey skin, especially inside the lips

Sweating and cold clammy skin

 

The most common cause of shock is severe blood loss. This life threatening condition occurs when vital organs do not get enough oxygen due to reduced blood circulation.

 

1. Treat the cause (i.e. if due to severe blood loss apply pressure on the wound)

2. Help them lie down

3. Raise and support the legs

4. Loosen any tight clothing

5. Reassure them, but do not give anything to eat or drink

6. Call 999 (or 112) and prepare to resuscitate if necessary

 

First aid for someone who’s bleeding heavily

Key skill: Put pressure on the wound

1. Put pressure on the wound with whatever is available to stop or slow down the flow of blood.

 

2. Check whether there is an object embedded in the wound

 

3. If there is an object embedded in the wound, take care not to press on the object, instead press firmly on either side of the object and build up padding around it before bandaging to avoid putting pressure on the object itself

 

4. As soon as possible call 999 (or 112) or get someone else to do it

 

5. Keep pressure on the wound until help arrives.

 

 

First aid for someone who’s unconscious and not breathing

 

Key skill: The delivery of chest compressions

1. Check breathing by tilting their head backwards and looking and feeling for breaths.

 

2. Call 999 as soon as possible, or get someone else to do it.

 

3. Push firmly downwards in the middle of the chest and then release.

 

4. Push at a regular rate until help arrives.

First aid for someone who’s unconscious and breathing

Key skill: Place the person on their side and tilt their head back

1. Check breathing by tilting their head backwards and looking and feeling for breaths.

 

2. Move them onto their side and tilt their head back.

 

3. As soon as possible, call 999 or get someone else to do it.

First aid for a head injury

1. Ask them to rest and apply a cold compress to the injury.

2. If they become drowsy or vomit, call 999 or get someone else to do it.

First aid for strains and sprains

 

Strains and sprains should be treated initially by the ‘RICE’ procedure.

 

R – rest the injured part

I – apply ice or a cold compression

C – comfortably support

E – elevate the injured part

 

This treatment may be sufficient to relieve the symptoms, but if you don’t know how severe the injury is, treat as a fracture and seek medical advice.

 

First aid for a broken bone

Key skill: Immobilise the affected part

1. Encourage the person to support the injury with their hand, or use a cushion or items of clothing to prevent unnecessary movement.

2. As soon as possible, call 999 or get someone else to do it.

3. Continue supporting the injury until help arrives.

First aid for burns

Key skill: Cool the affected area

1. Cool the burn under cold running water for at least ten minutes.

 

2. Loosely cover the burn with cling film or a clean plastic bag.

 

3. If necessary, call 999 or get someone else to do it.

First aid for seizures (epilepsy)

Key skill: Make them safe and prevent injury

1. Do not restrain them but use a blanket or clothing to protect their head from injury.

2. After the seizure, help the person rest on their side with their head tilted back.

First aid for choking

Key skill: The delivery of back blows

1. Hit them firmly on their back between the shoulder blades to dislodge the object.

2. If necessary, call 999 or get someone else to do it.

 

First aid for poisoning and harmful substance

Key skill: Establish what? When? And how much?

1. Establish what they have taken. When? And how much?

 

2. As soon as possible, call 999 or get someone else to do it.

 

3. Do not make the person sick.

 

 

First aid for diabetes

Key skill: Give them something sweet to drink or eat

1. Give them something sweet to eat or a non-diet drink.

2. Reassure the person. If there is no improvement, call 999 or get someone else to do it.

First aid for an asthma attack

Key skill: Help them take their medication

1. Help the person sit in a comfortable position and take their medication.

 

2. Reassure the person. If the attack becomes severe, call 999 or get someone else to do it.

 

First aid for heat exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is caused by an abnormal loss of salt and water from the body. It is more likely to affect people who are not used to hot and humid conditions and those who are already ill.

 

1. Call 999 (or 112) or get someone else to do it

2. Help them into a cool place in the shade, get them to lie down and raise their legs

3. Give water in small amounts frequently until they recover

First aid for hypothermia

Hypothermia onset usually begins with shivering and continues with other mental and physical symptoms: exhaustion, slurred speech, memory loss, confusion, drowsiness

1. Call 999 (or 112)

 

2. Your aim is to warm them up gradually

 

3. Take them to a sheltered place, remove and replace any wet clothing

 

4. Wrap them in an emergency blanket or use any other insulating material, dry leaves, heather, remember to cover their head and put insulating items underneath them

 

5. Give them warm drinks and high energy foods

 

6.  If you have a source of warmth, use it to warm the centre of the body:  chest, neck, head, and groin (not the arms and legs, as this will push cold blood back toward the heart, lungs and brain). 

 

7. DO NOT  give alcohol .

 

8. DO NOT rub or massage the victim; doing so can increase risks of cardiovascular problems.