First Aid Manual

First aid is about knowing how to help someone in an emergency before professional help arrives. These skills aren't just useful - they're absolutely essential for keeping people safe.

Whether someone's collapsed, choking, or having an asthma attack, your quick thinking and proper response could make all the difference. The techniques you'll learn here follow the same principles used by paramedics and emergency responders.

💡 Remember: You don't need to be a medical expert to help someone - just knowing the basics can save lives.

DR ABC Assessment

DR ABC is your go-to system for assessing any emergency situation - it's like a checklist that keeps you calm and focused when someone needs help.

Danger means checking that you, the victim, and everyone around are safe before you do anything else. There's no point creating more casualties! Response involves checking if the person is conscious using the AVPU system: Alert (normal), Voice (responds to talking), Pain (only responds to pain like tugging their earlobe), or Unresponsive (unconscious).

Airways means making sure nothing's blocking their throat - gently tilt their chin back and check their mouth. If there's vomit, turn them on their side and scoop it out with two fingers. Breathing requires you to listen and feel for air from their mouth whilst watching their chest rise and fall.

Circulation is about checking their pulse using two fingers (never your thumb) on their wrist or neck, plus looking for any serious bleeding. If they're not breathing, call 999 immediately and start CPR.

💡 Quick tip: Remember the order - Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation. Master this sequence and you'll handle any emergency confidently.

Making Emergency Calls

Calling 999 properly can mean the difference between getting help quickly or wasting precious time with a confused operator.

When you call, stay calm and speak clearly. The handler will ask which service you need (ambulance, police, or fire), your exact location, your name and phone number, and details about the person's condition. Don't guess - only tell them what you can actually see.

The five key things to remember are: state which emergency service, give your precise location, describe the casualty's condition, explain when it happened, and follow all instructions. Most importantly, never hang up until they tell you to - they might need to give you life-saving instructions while help is on the way.

💡 Pro tip: Save your full address in your phone's emergency info - you'll be surprised how panic can make you forget simple details like your house number.

The Recovery Position

The recovery position keeps unconscious but breathing people safe by preventing them from choking on their own tongue or vomit - it's a proper life-saver.

Start by straightening their legs and placing the nearest arm at 90 degrees to their body. Pull their far arm across their chest onto their cheek, then grab their far leg above the knee and pull it up. Hold their hand against their cheek as you pull their upper leg to roll them towards you.

Once they're on their side, tilt their head back so they can breathe easily and make sure their hip and leg are bent at right angles. The bent leg stops them rolling forward, whilst the bent arm keeps them stable.

Remember to remove glasses and bulky pocket items first, but don't waste time hunting for small objects. If they've been in this position for 30 minutes, turn them onto the other side to prevent pressure sores.

💡 Remember: Only use the recovery position if they're unconscious but breathing normally - if they're not breathing, start CPR instead.

Asthma Attacks

Asthma attacks happen when someone's airways swell up and become inflamed, making breathing really difficult and scary for the person experiencing it.

You'll spot an asthma attack by difficulty breathing, wheezing sounds, persistent coughing, obvious distress, and a blue tinge around their lips or fingernails. Never use someone else's inhaler - only help them use their own blue reliever inhaler.

Keep them calm and seated comfortably, encouraging slow, deep breaths. If it doesn't improve after a few minutes, it's becoming severe - call 999 immediately. They can take 1-2 puffs every two minutes, up to 10 puffs total whilst waiting for help.

The blue inhaler is the emergency reliever used during attacks, whilst the brown inhaler is the daily preventative one. If they become unconscious at any point, treat them as an unconscious casualty using DR ABC.

💡 Key point: Asthma attacks can be fatal, so don't hesitate to call 999 if the blue inhaler isn't working - it's better to be safe than sorry.

Choking

Choking happens when food or objects block someone's airway, and you'll know it's happening when they clutch their throat, can't speak, and make gagging sounds.

Only help if you're absolutely certain they're choking - these techniques can cause serious internal damage if used on someone who isn't actually choking. If they can still cough, encourage them to keep coughing as it's the most effective way to clear the blockage.

When coughing fails, lean them forward and give up to 5 sharp back blows between their shoulder blades using the heel of your hand. Check their mouth afterwards - if you can see the object, get them to pick it out themselves.

If back blows don't work, try abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich manoeuvre): stand behind them, place a fist between their belly button and chest, grasp it with your other hand, and pull sharply inwards and upwards up to 5 times. Keep alternating between back blows and abdominal thrusts until help arrives.

💡 Critical warning: Only perform these techniques if you're certain someone is choking - when in doubt, call 999 and ask for guidance.

Bleeding Injuries

Bleeding ranges from minor cuts to life-threatening severe bleeding, and knowing the difference helps you respond appropriately.

For small cuts and grazes, apply direct pressure, raise the wound above heart level if possible, clean it gently, and cover with a sterile dressing. These are usually manageable and heal well with basic first aid.

Severe bleeding is completely different - blood pours out rapidly and the person develops a fast pulse. Ensure their airway is clear, wear gloves if available, and remove clothing around the wound. Never pull out objects stuck in wounds - instead, apply pressure on either side.

Call 999 immediately for severe bleeding. Apply direct pressure to the wound, treat for shock by lying them down with raised legs (unless injured), and secure with a firm bandage. If blood soaks through, add another bandage on top, but if it soaks through again, replace the whole dressing.

💡 Remember: Severe bleeding can lead to shock quickly, so always treat the person as well as the wound - keep them warm and monitor their responses.

Shock

Shock is a critical condition where blood flow to vital organs suddenly drops, and it can develop from severe bleeding, heart problems, spinal injuries, or severe allergic reactions.

Watch for signs like a fast pulse, sweating, nausea, thirst, pale cold skin, fast shallow breathing, weakness, and eventually a weak pulse. These symptoms show the body is struggling to maintain blood flow to essential organs.

Treatment focuses on treating the underlying cause first - whether that's stopping bleeding or managing an allergic reaction. Lie them down with legs raised (unless they have injuries), call 999, loosen tight clothing, and keep them warm with blankets or coats.

Monitor their responses constantly until help arrives, as shock can worsen rapidly. The key is recognising it early and getting professional help quickly, whilst keeping the person as comfortable and stable as possible.

💡 Vital point: Shock can be fatal if untreated, so never hesitate to call 999 if someone shows multiple shock symptoms - quick action saves lives.