Archive for December 2008



Drowning

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  • Pull the victim out of the water and place him on land or the deck of the boat.
  • If he/she is coughing or sputtering, it means that the victim is breathing. Put him in the recovery position. This drain the water from his lungs and airways.
  • If the victim is not breathing but there is a pulse, do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
  • If the victim is not breathing and there is no pulse, do cardiopulmonary resuscitation or (CPR).



Electric Shock

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    A person who accidentally touches frayed wires or faulty electrical appliances with wet hands or while standing on a wet ground will get an electric shock. A mild shock is merely painful, but a severe shock is life threatening.
  • The first thing to do is cut off the electrical current by pulling out the plug or switching off the power mains.
  • If this cannot be done, push the victim away from the point of contact with wooden or rubber – coated object (ex. Baseball bat, chair). Do not used metallic object. Stand on insulating material, such as phone book, while doing this.
  • Make sure that you do not come in direct contact with the source of electrical current or with the victim until he has been separated from the source of shock.
  • If the victim is breathing put him in the recovery position.
  • If he is not breathing but there is a pulse, do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
  • If the victim has no breathing and there is no pulse, do cardiopulmonary resuscitation or (CPR).
  • If there are burns, treat them.
  • If the shock comes from high-voltage source (ex. Power mains, electric train rails, etc), do not approach or attempt to rescue the victim. Maintain a distance of at least 18 meters. Go for expert help.



Choking

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Choking occurs when a piece of food of foreign object blocks the wind pipe and the person is unable to breathe. If the obstruction is only partial, the victim can usually breathe in enough air to cough and dislodge the object. Quick action is needed when the airway is totally blocked.





For children and adults:

  • Open his mouth and sweep a hooked finger deep inside to remove the obstruction.
  • If none is found,slap the victim hard between the shoulder blades four times with the heel of your hand.

  1. If the victim is a small child, raise your leg (e. g. by stepping on a stool)
    and drape him face – down over your thigh, with his head lower than his chest while slapping. Support his chest with one hand.

2. If the victims is a bigger child or an adult, hold his head lower than his chest while slapping.

  • If this fails to remove the obstruction, do the Heimlich maneuver.
  • If the blockage remains, do the Heimlich maneuver up to five times more, as necessary.
  • If the obstruction is still not dislodged, lay the victim on his back, place the heel of one hand above the navel, place your other hand on the top of it, then press downward and slightly upward in one quick motion.
  • If this fails, do mouth – to – mouth resuscitation.

  1. Have the person stand and support him from behind.
  2. Clench a fist and put it right under the breastbone, with the angle of the thumb against the abdomen.
  3. Grasp the fist firmly with the other hand.
  4. Jerk your hands inward and slightly upward, giving the victim a hard squeeze.

  • If the blockage remains, do the Heimlich maneuver up to five times more, as necessary.
  • If the obstruction is still not dislodged, lay the victim on his back, place the heel of one hand above the navel, place your other hand on the top of it, then press downward and slightly upward in one quick motion.
  • If this fails, do mouth – to – mouth resuscitation.



For Infants/babies:




After checking the baby's mouth for debris, put him face down on your forearm with his behind towards you. Slant your forearm downwards so that his head is lower than his body, while holding hi jaws to support his head. Slap him four times between the shoulder blades. Do not slap him as hard as you would an adult. If the obstruction remains, lay him on his back and do four chest compressions. If this fails, do mouth – to – nose or mouth – to – mouth resuscitation.



First Aid

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We do not know when we will need to react quickly to an emergency situation. And we do not know how we will react or if we are certain of what course of crucial. It could very well turn out to be a life-saver. This section is not intended to train you in the skill of first aid. However, it can help you cope with any possible emergency at home, at work or at play, until professional medical help arrives.

First Aid
First aid is the skilled application of treatment, using facilities or materials available at the time, that any trained individual gives an ill or injured person while waiting for medical assistance to arrive.
One who gives first aid always strives to:
  • Preserve the victim,s life.
  • Prevent complications or keep the condition from worsening.
  • Aid recovery.
  • Assure the victim by comforting him and relieving pain.
Anyone who gives first aid must know exactly what to do in different situations, as the wrong treatment could aggravate a victim's condition instead of improving it.

Accidents
Accidents here refer to unexpected mishaps. If the resulting injuries are severe, send someone to call for a doctor or ambulance immediately while you begin firs aid. Time is of vital importance; any delay in medical attention increases the risk of complications or death.
If you are alone, however, you may need to administer first aid before going for help if the person's life is in danger.

Follow this steps

  • Check for DANGER
    to you , others and the casualty. Move casualty only if necessary.
  • Check for RESPONSE
    Gently shake the casualty. If victims is an infant or young child, look for eye-opening response.
  • Call for HELP
    call an ambulance or EMS
    to call for ambulance assistance just dial 117 / 911.
    If the casualty must be moved or pulled to safety, move his body length-wise (not sideways). A blanket, rug or long coat under him may be used to pull him along. If he must be lifted, get the help of two or three people to support his body in a straight line.
    A stretcher is the best mode of moving an accident victims. You can improvise one from a door or a wide board; or you can make one out of poles and two buttoned jackets with the sleeves turned inward so that the poles may be run through the armholes. Never bundle a seriously injured person into a car to take him to the nearest hospital.

If the victim is conscious and complains that he/she cannot feel or move his limbs, he/she may have a spinal injury. A victim with severe head injury must be presumed to have neck spine injury. Immobilize the neck with sand bags or apply a Philadelphia collar or cervical collar (if available). Do not move a person with spinal injury without trained help unless his life is in immediate danger. The person should be covered to keep him warm and any tight clothing should be loosened. Check for severe bleeding and try to stop it. If possible, raise hi legs for better blood circulation in the brain.

If the victim is unconscious do ABC.
  • AClear AIRWAY
    Remove debris from the mouth (ie, blood, vomitus, knocked teeth, dentures) and tilt the head backward after ensuring there is no spinal injury.
  • B Check for BREATHING
    Look for chest rise and fall; listen for breath sounds; feel for breath on your own hand.
    If casualty is NOT breathing but there is a pulse, give two blows or do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
    If casualty is unconscious but breathing, put him in the recovery position to prevent suffocation.
  • C Check for CIRCULATION
    Take hi pulse. Place two fingers at the wrist or just below the angel of the jaw or at the groin. A normal adult has 60-80 heart beats per minute.
    If there is no pulse, do Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or CPR.
See how to do CPR.
    You can only stop doing CPR when the victim have pulse and breathing
    or the AMBULANCE has arrive.




The Recovery Position

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The recovery position is the correct position in which to place a victim who is breathing, while waiting for help to arrive. Do not put a person in the recovery position if you suspect that he has a spinal injury or severe fractures.
  • Lie the victim on his back and kneel beside him. Tilt the head back and lift the chin to open the airway. If he/she is wearing glasses, remove them; loosen his shirt, belt and pants. If the victim is female ask permission to the relatives before proceeding to the steps
  • Straighten both legs and place the arm nearest to you at right angles to the victim's body, elbow bent, with the palm of the hand upper most.
  • Bring the far arm across his chest and hold the hand against the victim's cheek, palm outwards.
  • With the other hand, grasp the furthermost thigh and pull the knee up, keeping the foot on the ground.
  • Support the victim's head by keeping the hand pressed against his cheek with one hand. Roll him towards you with the other hand holding the bent knee of the farthermost leg.
  • Tilt the head back to open the airway, adjust the hand to support the head.
  • Adjust the uppermost leg so that the hip and knee are at right angles.
  • Check that the victim's breathing and pulse are regular.