FIRST AID

Goals for this class• Identify Emergencies

• Personal Safety

• Basic care

• Hygiene

Identifying an Emergency

What has happened?

• Personal Safety – “Am I in danger?”• Personal Protection – “What can I do to protect

myself?”• What specifically is going on?• Additional resources – Do I need help

Hazards and Protection

• Blood and body fluids – Wear Gloves or use something to create a barrier

• Unsafe scene – Don’t enter unless the scene is safe, or you can do something to remove the hazard

Unseen hazards – Pay attention to your surroundings (Look up, look down, look all around)

Possible Solutions

I can deal with this

Begin treatment

I can’t deal with this

Get help immediately

If at any time you begin to feel unsure about managing a problem get help

Life threatening emergencies

• Unconsciousness

• Not Breathing

• Severe Bleeding

• Neck injuries

Not breathing

If you find that a person is unconscious send someone to get help then check if they are

breathing.

• Look, Listen, Feel

Open their airway using the head tilt/chin lift or jaw thrust

Severe Bleeding

• Control Bleeding

• Call for help

• If they have lost a significant amount of blood have them lie down and elevate their

feet

Types of Bleeding

• Venous – Dark, oozing

• Arterial – Bright red, spurting

• Internal – Bruising

• External – Abrasions, laceration, punctures, amputations

General Bleeding Control

• Remember to try and protect yourself from contact with blood and other body fluids

Steps to control bleeding•Direct pressure•Elevation•Ice – for bruising•Pressure points

Bleeding control cont.

• Do not remove bandages once they have been applied

• Do not use a tourniquet unless all other efforts have failed to stop bleeding

• Remember applying a tourniquet means that the person will probably lose that limb

Wound Management

Abrasions• Involve top layer of skin• Blood is dark and oozing• Classic scraped knee

Care• Clean with soap and water• Use antibiotic ointment• Bandage wound and change the dressing once or

twice a day (Change dressing if you get it wet)

Lacerations• Cuts through various layers of skin

• Blood can be venous or arterial

Care• Clean wound by irrigation

• After cleaning wound needs to be held shut with some sort of bandage (i.e. butterfly bandage or tape)

• Once closed keep it closed (That’s why we clean it first)

• Once wound is closed, use antibiotic ointment on the surface and bandage

• Decide if stitches are needed (if you feel stitches are necessary you should get them within about 8 hrs)

Punctures• Usually involves minimal bleeding• Poses high risk of infection

Care• If object is still impaled stabilize in place• Clean with water• Consider if tetanus shot is needed

Amputations• Bone and skin are removed from body

Care• Control bleeding• Wrap amputated part in gauze or clean cloth then

put it on ice

Strains and Sprains cont.

Treatment for strains and sprains – H I R I C E

Heat

Ibuprofen

Rest

Ice

Compression

Elevation

Fractures

Basic care for fractures• Support injured limb• Leave in position of comfort• Protect from further injury/damage• Get medical assistance

Splinting – Do not attempt to splint the injury unless the patient must move to get medical assistance

Fractures cont.

Simple splinting techniques• Anatomical splints• Sling and SwatheCautions when splinting• Do not cut off circulation by tying bandages

too tight• If you use something hard to splint an

extremity, be sure to pad around it

Hypothermia = Low Body Temperature

Ways we lose heat -Radiation – Heat lost to a colder environment

Convection – Circulating Air

Conduction – Direct contact with cold objects

Evaporation – Moisture on the body

Respiration - Breathing

Environmental factors

• Cold air

• Water immersion

Contributing factors

• Old Age

• Lack of exercise

• Illness

• Injury

Signs of hypothermia

• Cool skin

• Decreased mental function

• Stiff muscles

• Shivering in mild cases

• No Shivering in severe cases

• “Umbles” – Mumbles, Stumbles, Fumbles, Grumbles, Tumbles

Treatment for hypothermia

• Remove victim from the cold environment• Remove wet clothing• Cover with a blanket• Handle victim gently• Don’t allow victim to exert themselves• Do not attempt to massage extremities• If victim is drowsy, do not let them eat or drink

Treatment cont.

If no shelter is immediately available –

• Build one

• Start fire

• Warm some water and place warm water bottles around the neck armpits and groin

• Try to get the victim to medical help as soon as possible

Hyperthermia = High body temperature

Environmental factors• High temperature and humidity• High activity levels

Other factors• Very young or old• Dehydration• Illness• Obesity

Heat Exhaustion ranges from mild to severe

Sign and symptoms• Muscle Cramps• Weakness• Dizziness, faintness• Altered mental statusMild cases – skin is moist and normal to cool

in temperatureSevere cases – skin is dry and hot

Treatment for heat exhaustion

• Remove from hot environment

• Loosen or remove clothing

• Cool with moist towels and fanning

• If pt is responsive give them water

• Apply cool packs to neck, armpits, and groin

• If unresponsive get help immediately

Bites and Stings

Primary concerns here in Texas regarding bites and stings:

Snakes

• Water moccasins, Rattlesnakes, Copperheads, Coral Snakes

Spiders

• Black Widow, Brown Recluse

General Bite and Sting management

• Try to identify what bit you

• Wash area with soap and water

Snakes

Identification of poisonous snakes

• Typically have a triangular shaped head

• Coral Snakes can be identified by the colored bands found on their body (Red touch yellow, kill a fellow)

Treatment of Snakebites

• Wash with soap and water

• Immobilize bitten limb

• Apply cold pack to slow blood flow in the area of the bite

• Seek medical attention immediately

Identification of poisonous Spiders

Black widow

• Black spider with rounded abdomen

• Distinct red hourglass shape on the underside of the abdomen

Signs of a Black Widow bite

• Minor discomfort following bite

• Painful muscle cramps within 15 min starting at the site of the bite and spreading throughout the whole body

• Weakness and intense painful muscle spasms

Toxins eventually attack the brain causing:

• Sweating

• Nausea

• Dizziness

• Labored breathing

• Slurred speech

• Convulsions

Brown Recluse identification• Brown in color

• Distinct violin shape on its head

Signs of a Brown Recluse bite• May have localized pain• Over time develops into a bullseye look with a

dark center surrounded by a red area• Forms blister • After several days blister ruptures and turns black

or brown• Dead tissue falls off and forms a crater in the skin

Brown Recluse cont.

While Brown Recluse bites are not typically fatal they can result in the loss of a limb if not properly treated.

Hygiene

• Proper hand washing techniques

• Foot care

• Sanitation

Frequent, proper hand washing is your number one defense against transmission of

disease

How should your hands should be washed• With water and soap• Work up lather and coat your palms, top of your

hands, and between your fingers with soap• Rub hands together vigorously for about 15 sec• Rinse thoroughlyWhen should they be washed – • Prior to eating • After using the bathroom• After touching animals or raw meat • After touching blood or body fluids• Any other time you feel like it. It never hurts to

wash your hands

Proper Showering

Similar principles to hand washing

Key areas which should be thoroughly cleaned• Hair• Armpits• Groin• Feet

Foot care

• Regularly trim toenails• Scrub feet when showering• Allow feet to air out as you get a chance• Change socks regularly (i.e. socks should not be

worn more than one day and should be washed between each use)

• Socks should be changed more frequently when feet are subjected to wet conditions

• Take care of blisters early on

Foot care cont.

Jungle Rot and Athletes Foot

• Soak feet it epsom salts or a diluted bleach solution

• Don’t walk around barefoot (this will prevent getting it or passing it on to squad mates

Poison Ivy/Poison oak

• Wash area with soap and water• Wash hands after touching it, since you can

spread it around your body by touching it then other areas

• Resist the urge to scratch or rub on the effected areas

• Try to dry out areas with a diluted bleach solution or alcohol

Question and Answer time