First Aid

Social Awareness
Program

Submitted To :
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Acknowledgement
I am highly indebted to internet, teachers and
my friends for their guidance and constant
supervision as well as for providing necessary
information regarding the project and also for
their support in completing the project.
I would like to express my special gratitude
and thanks to my parents and my group
members for their kind co-operation and
encouragement which helps me in completion
of this project.
My thanks and appreciations also go to my
batch-mates in developing the project and
people who have willingly helped me out with
their ability.

Introduction

First aid is the assistance given to any person

suffering a sudden illness or injury, with care
provided to preserve life, prevent the condition
from worsening, and/or promote recovery. It
includes initial intervention in a serious condition
prior to professional medical help being
available, such as performing CPR while awaiting
an ambulance, as well as the complete
treatment of minor conditions, such as applying
a plaster to a cut. First aid is generally performed
by the layperson, with many people trained in
providing basic levels of first aid, and others
willing to do so from acquired knowledge. Mental
health first aid is an extension of the concept of
first aid to cover mental health.
There are many situations which may require
first aid, and many countries have legislation,
regulation, or guidance which specifies a
minimum level of first aid provision in certain
circumstances. This can include specific training
or equipment to be available in the workplace
(such as an automated external defibrillator), the
provision of specialist first aid cover at public
gatherings, or mandatory first aid training within
schools. First aid, however, does not necessarily
require any particular equipment or prior

knowledge, and can involve improvisation with

materials available at the time, often by
untrained persons.

In Short First Aid Sometimes

May Even Save Someones Life.

Aims
The key aims of first aid can be summarized in three
key points, sometimes known as 'the three P's'

Preserve life: the overriding aim of all medical care

which includes first aid, is to save lives and minimize
the threat of death.

Prevent

further

called prevent

the

harm:

also

sometimes

condition

from

worsening,

or danger of further injury, this covers both external

factors, such as moving a patient away from any
cause of harm, and applying first aid techniques to
prevent worsening of the condition, such as applying
pressure to stop a bleed becoming dangerous.

Promote recovery: first aid also involves trying to

start the recovery process from the illness or injury,
and in some cases might involve completing a
treatment, such as in the case of applying a plaster to
a small wound.

First Aid For Some For

Some Common Issues

General Guidance:
Learn CPR: If you are interested in learning
CPR, go to the UCOP emergency management
webpage at the link on the slide and complete
the training request form.
Spinal/Neck Injuries: If you suspect spinal or
neck injuries Do NOT move the person.
Moving the person can result in permanent
injuries. The only time you should move the
person is if the person is exposed to an
immediate imminent danger.

Trust Your Instincts: When you are assessing

the situation, always trust your own initiative,
good judgment, and common sense. 99% of the
time you initial instincts are usually correct.

In case of tongue fallen backwards, blocking the airway,

it is necessary to hyperextend the head and pull up the
chin, so that the tongue lifts and clears the airway.

Bleeding:
Direct Pressure: If you are cut and bleeding,
apply steady firm direct pressure to the wound
using a clean cloth or bandage. Avoid direct
contact with the wound.
Maintain Pressure: Maintain direct pressure
on the wound for 15 minutes. If needed, add
more layers of clean cloth or bandages.
Elevate Extremities:
If it is a bleeding
extremity and there are no fractures, lie down
and raise the extremity.

Burns:

First Degree Burn: A first degree burn results

in minor redness of the skin. Treatment for a
first degree burn is to run cold water over the
burn for at least 5 minutes. Never put ice on the
burn. This can result in frostbite which can
further damage the skin. Do not apply butter or
ointments to the burn. This could prevent proper
healing. Place a sterile gauze bandage over the
burn and allow it to heal.

Second Degree Burn: A second degree burn is

a burn into the second layer of the skin and will
eventually blister. Do not break the blisters!
Broken blisters are vulnerable to infection. If the
blister should break, clean the burn and apply an
antibiotic ointment. Cover the burn with a
sterile gauze bandage. Do not use fluffy
cotton, which may irritate the skin. Wrap the
gauze loosely to avoid putting pressure on

burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the burned

skin, reduces pain, and protects the blistered
skin.

Third Degree Burn A third degree burn is the

most serious type of burn which results in
charred skin. Immediately call 911 if a person
has a 3rd degreeburn.

Poisoning:
Identify The Substance: For poisonings, you
should try to identify the substance which was
ingested. Identification can be done by looking
for the container or other clues such as stains,
odors, or residues.

Contact
The
Poison
Control
Center:
Immediately contact the poison control center
for advice.
Induce Vomiting:
If directed by the poison
control center, induce vomiting.
You should
never induce vomiting if the victim is
unconscious or if the victim has ingested
corrosives or caustics.
If Vomiting Roll To TheSide:If the victim is
vomiting, they should be rolled onto their side to
allow for drainage.

Altitude Sickness:
Altitude sickness, which can begin in susceptible
people at altitudes as low as 5,000 feet, can
cause
potentially
fatal swelling
of
the
brain or lungs.

Give oxygen, if available.

Keep the person warm and have him or her
rest.

Give plenty of liquids.

Give acetaminophen (Tylenol) or
ibuprofen(Advil, Motrin) for headache.

Anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition in

which the airway can become constricted and
the patient may go into shock. The reaction
can be caused by a systemic allergic reaction
to allergens such as insect bites or peanuts.
Anaphylaxis is initially treated with injection
of epinephrine.

Battlefield first aid-This protocol refers to

treating shrapnel, gunshot wounds, burns,
bone fractures, etc. as seen either in the
traditional battlefield setting or in an area
subject to damage by large-scale weaponry,
such as a bomb blast.

Bone fracture, a break in a bone initially

treated by stabilizing the fracture with a splint.

Cardiac Arrest, which will lead to death unless

CPR preferably combined with an AED is
started within minutes. There is often no time
to wait for the emergency services to arrive as
92 percent of people suffering a sudden
cardiac arrest die before reaching hospital
according to the American Heart Association.

Choking, blockage of the airway which can

quickly result in death due to lack of oxygen if
the patients trachea is not cleared, for
example by the Heimlich Maneuver.

Cramps in muscles due to lactic acid build up

caused either by inadequate oxygenation of
muscle or lack of water or salt.

Diving disorders, drowning or asphyxiation.[14]

Gender-specific
conditions,
as dysmenorrhea and testicular torsion.

Heart attack, or inadequate blood flow to the

blood vessels supplying the heart muscle.

Heat stroke, also known as sunstroke

or hyperthermia, which tends to occur during
heavy exercise in high humidity, or with
inadequate water, though it may occur
spontaneously in some chronically ill persons.

such

Sunstroke, especially when the victim has been

unconscious, often causes major damage to
body systems such as brain, kidney, liver,
gastric tract. Unconsciousness for more than
two hours usually leads to permanent disability.
Emergency treatment involves rapid cooling of
the patient.

Heavy bleeding, treated by applying pressure

(manually and later with a pressure bandage)
to the wound site and elevating the limb if
possible.

Hyperglycaemia (diabeticcoma)
and Hypoglycaemia (insulin shock).

Hypothermia, or Exposure, occurs when a

persons core body temperature falls below
33.7 C (92.6 F). First aid for a mildly
hypothermic patient includes rewarming, which
can be achieved by wrapping the affected
person in a blanket, and providing warm drinks,
such as soup, and high energy food, such as
chocolate. However, rewarming a severely
hypothermic person could result in a
fatal arrhythmia, an irregular heart rhythm.

Insect and animal bites and stings.

Joint dislocation.

Poisoning, which can occur by injection,

inhalation, absorption, or ingestion.

Seizures, or a malfunction in the electrical

activity in the brain. Three types of seizures
include a grand mal (which usually features
convulsions as well as temporary respiratory
abnormalities, change in skin complexion, etc.)
and petit mal (which usually features twitching,
rapid blinking, and/or fidgeting as well as
altered
consciousness
and
temporary
respiratory abnormalities).

Muscle
strains and Sprains,
a
temporary dislocation ofa joint that immediately
reduces automatically but may result in ligament
damage.

Stroke, a temporary loss of blood supply to

the brain.

Toothache, which can result in severe pain

and loss of the tooth but is rarely lifethreatening, unless over time the infection
spreads into the bone of the jaw and starts
osteomyelitis.

Wounds and bleeding,including lacerations, in

cisions and abrasions, Gastrointestinal
bleeding, avulsions and Sucking chest wounds,
treated with an occlusive dressing to let air out
but not in.

Heat Stroke:
It, also known as sun stroke, is a severe heat
illness, defined as hyperthermia with a body
temperature greater than 40.6 C (105.1 F)
because of environmental heat exposure with
lack of thermoregulation. This is distinct from a
fever, where there is a physiological increase in
the temperature set point of the body. The term
"stroke" in "heat stroke" is a misnomer in that it
does not involve a blockage or haemorrhage of
blood flow to the brain. Preventive measures
include drinking plenty of cool liquids and
avoiding excessive heat and humidity, especially
in unventilated spaces, such as parked cars, that

can overheat quickly. Treatment requires rapid

physical cooling of the body.
Cars
Between 1998 and 2011, at least 500 children in
the United States died from being inside hot cars
and 75% of the victims were less than 2 years
old. When the outside temperature is 21 C
(70 F), the temperature inside a car parked in
direct sunlight can quickly exceed 49 C
(120 F).
Young children, elderly adults, or disabled
individuals left alone in a vehicle are at particular
risk of succumbing to heat stroke. "Heat stroke in
children and in the elderly can occur within
minutes, even if a car window is opened slightly."
As these groups of individuals may not be able to
open car doors or to express discomfort verbally
(or audibly, inside a closed car), their plight may
not be immediately noticed by others in the
vicinity. It is recommend that parents put their
purse, wallet, or anything that is valuable in the
backseat so that when they get their items out of
the backseat they can see that their child is
there as well. For larger groups in a van or bus,
checking for stragglers at the end of the trip is

essential, complemented by other procedures

such as a head count.
Heat stroke occurs when thermoregulation is
overwhelmed by a combination of excessive
metabolic production of heat (exertion),
excessive environmental heat, and insufficient or
impaired heat loss, resulting in an abnormally
high body temperature. Substances that inhibit
cooling and cause dehydration such as alcohol,
stimulants, medications, and agerelated physiological changes predispose to socalled "classic" or non-exertional heat stroke
(NEHS), most often in elderly and infirm
individuals in summer situations with insufficient
ventilation. Exertional heat stroke (EHS) can
happen in young people without health problems
or medications most often in athletes,
outdoor laborers, or military personnel engaged
in strenuous hot-weather activity or in certified
first responders wearing heavy personal
protective equipment. In environments that are
not only hot but also humid, it is important to
recognize that humidity reduces the degree to
which the body can cool itself by perspiration
and evaporation. For humans and other warmblooded animals, excessive body temperature

can disrupt enzymes regulating biochemical

reactions that are essential for cellular
respiration and the functioning of major organs.

The risk of heat stroke can be reduced by

observing precautions to avoid overheating and
dehydration. Light, loose-fitting clothes will allow
perspiration to evaporate and cool the body.
Wide-brimmed hats in light colors help prevent
the sun from warming the head and neck. Vents
on a hat will help cool the head, as will
sweatbands wetted with cool water. Strenuous
exercise should be avoided during daylight hours
in hot weather, as should remaining in confined
spaces (such as automobiles) without airconditioning or adequate ventilation.

In hot weather, people need to drink plenty of

cool liquids to replace fluids lost from
sweating. Thirst is not a reliable sign that a
person needs fluids. A better indicator is the
color of urine. A dark yellow color may indicate
dehydration.

The Occupational Safety and Health

Administration in the United States publishes a
Quick Card with a checklist designed to help
protect from heat stress:
Know signs/symptoms of heat-related
illnesses.
Block out direct sun and other heat sources.
Drink fluids often, and before you are
thirsty.
Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting
clothes.
Avoid beverages containing alcohol or
caffeine.
Treatment
Person being cooled with water spray
Treatment of heat stroke involves rapid
mechanical cooling along with standard
resuscitation measures.
The body temperature must be lowered quickly.
The person should be moved to a cool area
(indoors, or at least in the shade) and clothing
removed to promote heat loss (passive cooling).
Active cooling methods should also be used, if
possible: The person is bathed in cold water, or a

hyperthermia vest can be applied. (However,

wrapping the person in wet towels or clothes can
actually act as insulation and increase the body
temperature.) Cold compresses to the torso,
head, neck, and groin will help cool the victim. A
fan or dehumidifying air-conditioning unit may be
used to aid in evaporation of the water
(evaporative method).