First aid and health

Materials

• Disposable gloves(optional)
• First-aid kit (household)(optional)
• Headlamp / flashlight(optional) – In the dark: see and be seen

Steps

1. 1

   Take in the scene

   Pause briefly: what has happened? How many people are affected? Are there dangers to you or others – traffic, fire, electricity, gas, water, a fall?

2. 2

   Make safe

   Secure the scene as far as you can without endangering yourself, for example with a high-visibility vest and warning triangle on the road. Only move the person out of the danger zone if they are in acute danger and you can reach them without endangering yourself.

   With electricity, gas, fire or floodwater keep your distance and inform the emergency services.

3. 3

   Call the emergency number

   Call the local emergency number (112 in the EU) or address someone directly: "You there, call 112!" Calmly say where you are, what has happened and how many people are affected. Switch on the speaker so your hands are free and wait for questions.

4. 4

   Have an AED and helpers fetched

   If a person does not respond, send other bystanders to fetch an AED (defibrillator). Many public buildings, stations and workplaces have one; the dispatcher can often tell you where the nearest one is.

5. 5

   Speak to and check the person

   Speak to them, touch their shoulders gently. If the person does not respond, check breathing and proceed as in the entry on the unresponsive person. If they respond, ask about their complaints and look for injuries.

6. 6

   Look after them until help arrives

   Stay with the person, reassure them, protect them from cold, wet or heat and watch for changes. If their condition changes, call the dispatcher again. Briefly tell the responders what happened and what you did.

Common mistakes

• ×Running into the danger zone yourself
• ×Delaying the call to "try something yourself" first
• ×Assuming someone else has already called
• ×Hanging up before the dispatcher has finished
• ×Leaving the casualty alone

Limits and risks

• –Does not replace a first-aid course
• –Not a treatment guide – only the first organisational steps
• –Check emergency numbers outside the EU before travelling

Sources

1. [1]

   European Resuscitation Council – Resuscitation (journal) (2021): European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Basic Life Support

2. [2]

   International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) – Global First Aid Reference Centre (2020): International First Aid, Resuscitation, and Education Guidelines 2020

3. [3]

   European Commission: 112 – the European emergency number

   https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/112

Rev. 1 · Online version: https://survivebetter.com/en/explore/first-aid/fa-emergency-actions

Materials

• AED (automated external defibrillator)(optional) – If available, have it fetched as quickly as possible
• Disposable gloves(optional)

Steps

1. 1

   Check safety

   Check that you can reach the person safely.

2. 2

   Speak and touch

   Speak loudly ("Hello, can you hear me?") and gently touch or shake their shoulders. If the person does not respond, shout for help so that others notice.

3. 3

   Open the airway

   Turn the person onto their back, gently tilt the head back and lift the chin.

4. 4

   Check breathing

   For no more than about ten seconds look, listen and feel whether the person is breathing normally: does the chest rise and fall? Can you hear or feel breath?

5. 5

   Call and AED

   If the person is not breathing normally: immediately call the local emergency number (112 in the EU), switch on the speaker and send someone to fetch an AED. If you are alone, call first.

6. 6

   Resuscitation as instructed

   Start chest compressions in the centre of the chest, following the dispatcher's instructions exactly. If you have learned rescue breaths on a course and are willing, combine them with compressions as taught.

7. 7

   Attach the AED

   As soon as the AED arrives: switch it on and follow the voice and picture prompts. Only interrupt compressions when the device tells you to.

8. 8

   Breathing normally: recovery position

   If the person is breathing normally but not responding, place them in the recovery position, call the emergency number and keep checking breathing. If they stop breathing normally, turn them onto their back at once and start resuscitation.

Common mistakes

• ×Mistaking gasping for normal breathing
• ×Spending too long searching for a pulse or for breathing
• ×Postponing the emergency call
• ×Not starting at all for fear of mistakes
• ×Not having the AED fetched because you think it is only for professionals

Limits and risks

• –Does not replace a first-aid course with hands-on practice
• –Deliberately without figures for compression depth, rate or breathing ratio – these are taught on courses and by the dispatcher
• –Guidelines change; check the current version

Sources

1. [1]

   European Resuscitation Council – Resuscitation (journal) (2021): European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Basic Life Support

2. [2]

   International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) – Global First Aid Reference Centre (2020): International First Aid, Resuscitation, and Education Guidelines 2020

Rev. 1 · Online version: https://survivebetter.com/en/explore/first-aid/fa-unresponsive-person

Materials

• Wool blanket / duvet(optional) – To cover and protect against ground cold
• Emergency blanket(optional)

Steps

1. 1

   Kneel beside the person

   Kneel beside the person lying on their back. Remove glasses and bulky objects from their pockets. The legs are straight.

2. 2

   Bend the near arm

   Place the arm nearest you at a right angle to the body, elbow bent, palm facing up.

3. 3

   Far arm to the cheek

   Bring the other arm across the chest and hold the back of the hand against the cheek nearest you. Keep holding the hand there.

4. 4

   Raise the far leg

   With your free hand, grasp the leg on the far side just above the knee and bend it up, keeping the foot on the ground.

5. 5

   Roll towards you

   Pull on the bent leg and roll the person towards you onto their side, while the hand stays at the cheek.

6. 6

   Stabilise the position

   Adjust the upper leg so that hip and knee are bent at roughly right angles.

7. 7

   Tilt the head, mouth downwards

   Tilt the head slightly back to keep the airway open; adjust the hand under the cheek so that the mouth points towards the ground and fluid can drain.

8. 8

   Cover, call, monitor

   Cover the person, call the emergency number (if not done yet) and check breathing regularly until the ambulance arrives.

Common mistakes

• ×Placing the person on their side without checking breathing first
• ×Leaving the person alone
• ×Letting the head drop forward onto the chest
• ×Not covering them – cooling down, especially on cold ground

Limits and risks

• –Does not replace a first-aid course
• –If spinal injury is suspected, ask the dispatcher
• –Breathing must continue to be monitored

Sources

1. [1]

   European Resuscitation Council – Resuscitation (journal) (2021): European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: First Aid

2. [2]

   European Resuscitation Council – Resuscitation (journal) (2021): European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Basic Life Support

Rev. 1 · Online version: https://survivebetter.com/en/explore/first-aid/fa-recovery-position

Materials

• Disposable gloves – If available – protection against infection
• Sterile dressings and bandages – Otherwise a clean cloth
• Cotton cloth / T-shirt(optional)
• First-aid kit (household)(optional)
• Emergency blanket(optional)

Steps

1. 1

   Protect yourself

   Put on disposable gloves if immediately available. Do not search for long – with heavy bleeding time counts.

2. 2

   Call

   Call the emergency number or explicitly ask someone to do it (112 in the EU). Switch on the speaker.

3. 3

   Press directly on the wound

   Place a dressing or a clean cloth directly on the bleeding point and press firmly with your hand. If nothing is to hand, have the person press themselves or use your gloved hand.

4. 4

   Keep the pressure on

   Keep up the pressure without interruption. If blood soaks through, leave the first dressing in place, add more material on top and press harder.

5. 5

   Bandage, if learned

   If you have learned to apply a pressure bandage on a course, you can use it to maintain the pressure. Then check whether bleeding continues and press with your hand again if needed.

6. 6

   Lie down and keep warm

   Have the person lie down, cover them and protect them from ground cold. Reassure them, stay with them, give nothing to eat or drink and report changes to the dispatcher.

Common mistakes

• ×Repeatedly releasing pressure to check
• ×Removing soaked dressings
• ×Pulling out embedded objects
• ×Improvised tying-off with a belt or cord without training
• ×Only calling once the bleeding does not stop

Limits and risks

• –Does not replace a first-aid course
• –No wound care, no closing of wounds
• –Tourniquets only with training
• –Internal bleeding cannot be treated this way – ambulance

Sources

1. [1]

   European Resuscitation Council – Resuscitation (journal) (2021): European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: First Aid

2. [2]

   International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) – Global First Aid Reference Centre (2020): International First Aid, Resuscitation, and Education Guidelines 2020

Rev. 1 · Online version: https://survivebetter.com/en/explore/first-aid/fa-severe-bleeding

Materials

• Emergency blanket – As a wind and vapour barrier over the insulation
• Sleeping pad(optional) – Insulation from the ground
• Wool blanket / duvet(optional)
• Dry spare clothing(optional)
• Double-wall insulated bottle(optional) – Warm, sweet drink – only for alert people

Steps

1. 1

   Recognise the signs

   Look for shivering, cold and pale skin, clumsiness, stumbling, apathy and declining concentration. Confusion, slurred speech, drowsiness or shivering that stops while the person is still cold are warning signs.

2. 2

   Call for help

   With warning signs, injury or if the person cannot get to warmth on their own, call the emergency number immediately (112 in the EU). When in doubt, call early.

3. 3

   Shelter from wind and wet

   Move them into a building, vehicle or a sheltered spot – in severe hypothermia carry them gently rather than letting them walk.

4. 4

   Insulate from the ground

   Put a sleeping mat, backpack, clothing or branches underneath the person. Cold ground draws away a lot of heat.

5. 5

   Replace wet clothing

   In shelter carefully remove wet clothing and replace it with dry clothing without moving the person much. If that is not possible, leave the wet clothing on and wrap them well on the outside.

6. 6

   Wrap up, cover the head

   Wrap in blankets or a sleeping bag, cover head and neck and add an emergency blanket or plastic sheet on the outside as a wind and vapour barrier.

7. 7

   Add heat gently

   Place heat sources such as hot-water bottles or heat packs wrapped in cloth on the chest, armpits and back, never directly on the skin. If the person is fully alert and can swallow safely, give warm, sweet drinks.

8. 8

   Monitor and stay

   Stay with the person, monitor consciousness and breathing and report changes to the dispatcher.

Common mistakes

• ×Overlooking early signs such as clumsiness and irritability
• ×Letting the person keep walking despite warning signs
• ×Rubbing or massaging arms and legs
• ×Giving alcohol "to warm up"
• ×Putting hot objects directly on the skin
• ×Forgetting insulation from the ground

Limits and risks

• –Does not replace a first-aid course
• –No treatment of frostbite
• –Severe hypothermia belongs in hospital
• –No temperature thresholds – assessment is based on signs

Sources

1. [1]

   Wilderness & Environmental Medicine (Wilderness Medical Society) (2019): Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Out-of-Hospital Evaluation and Treatment of Accidental Hypothermia: 2019 Update

2. [2]

   International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) – Global First Aid Reference Centre (2020): International First Aid, Resuscitation, and Education Guidelines 2020

Rev. 1 · Online version: https://survivebetter.com/en/explore/first-aid/fa-hypothermia

Materials

• PET bottle (clear, max. 2 litres)(optional) – Water for drinking and for wetting the skin
• Cotton cloth / T-shirt(optional) – Wet cloths on the skin

Steps

1. 1

   Stop the exertion

   Stop the activity immediately and move the person into shade or a cool room.

2. 2

   Assess the condition

   Is the person awake, clear and oriented? With confusion, change in behaviour, a seizure or unconsciousness call the emergency number at once (112 in the EU).

3. 3

   Lie down, loosen clothing

   Have them lie down, loosen or remove excess and tight clothing.

4. 4

   Cool

   Wet the skin with cool water and fan; place wet cloths or cold packs (wrapped in cloth) on the neck, armpits and groin. If heatstroke is suspected, cool continuously until the ambulance crew takes over – the dispatcher can give further instructions.

5. 5

   Drink if alert

   Let alert people drink water or an electrolyte drink in small sips.

6. 6

   Monitor

   If heat exhaustion does not improve quickly or the condition worsens, call the emergency number. Unconscious person breathing normally: recovery position, keep cooling, monitor breathing.

Common mistakes

• ×Dismissing confusion as "just tired"
• ×Assuming heatstroke always means dry skin
• ×Only starting to cool once the ambulance is there
• ×Forcing drinks on people with altered consciousness
• ×Going straight back into the heat after improving

Limits and risks

• –Does not replace a first-aid course
• –No medication recommendations
• –No temperature thresholds – assessment by signs
• –Water immersion only under supervision

Sources

1. [1]

   European Resuscitation Council – Resuscitation (journal) (2021): European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: First Aid

2. [2]

   Wilderness & Environmental Medicine (Wilderness Medical Society) (2019): Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Heat Illness: 2019 Update

3. [3]

   World Health Organization: Heat and health (fact sheet)

Rev. 1 · Online version: https://survivebetter.com/en/explore/first-aid/fa-heat-illness

Materials

• First-aid kit (household)
• Disposable gloves
• Sterile dressings and bandages
• Emergency blanket
• Medication supply(optional) – Only as agreed with a doctor or pharmacist
• Document folder (waterproof)(optional) – Emergency contacts and medical information

Steps

1. 1

   Basic contents

   Disposable gloves (several pairs), sterile dressings in various sizes, wound dressing packs, gauze or elastic roller bandages, plasters, triangular bandage, adhesive tape, bandage scissors, emergency blanket.

2. 2

   Useful additions

   Tweezers, instant cold pack, hand sanitiser, notepad and pen, torch. For people who have learned rescue breaths on a course: a CPR face shield.

3. 3

   Add information

   Card with emergency numbers (local emergency number, 112 in the EU), your country's poison control line, family doctor and emergency contacts, plus a list of household members' allergies and regular medication.

4. 4

   Personal medication

   Keep regular medication and anything doctors have prescribed for specific people (for example for severe allergies) within reach. Discuss with a doctor or pharmacist what else belongs in the kit.

5. 5

   Store

   Dry, cool, quick for adults to reach, medication out of children's reach. Everyone in the household knows where the kit is.

6. 6

   Check and restock

   Restock after every use and check expiry dates and completeness at least once a year.

7. 7

   Take a course

   Take a first-aid course and refresh it regularly – only then does the kit become truly useful.

Common mistakes

• ×Forgetting the kit in the cellar or at the back of a cupboard
• ×Not restocking after use
• ×Using expired medication
• ×Buying lots of specialist products but not taking a course
• ×Not packing gloves

Limits and risks

• –Does not replace a first-aid course or medical advice
• –No medication recommendations or dosages
• –Check regional legal requirements for vehicles

Sources

1. [1]

   Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe (BBK), Deutschland: Ratgeber für Notfallvorsorge und richtiges Handeln in Notsituationen

   https://www.bbk.bund.de

2. [2]

   Ready.gov – U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Build A Kit

Rev. 1 · Online version: https://survivebetter.com/en/explore/first-aid/fa-first-aid-kit