By having some first aid training and knowing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) you can have a major impact to the successful outcome of a medical emergency. Does your household or place of employment have a well stocked first aid kit? Keep your kit in a location that is well known to other family members or coworkers.

What to Do

What is an Emergency

A fire, an automobile accident, a robbery, a burglary, a prowler outside your home, when someone is sick or injured so badly that they need to go to the hospital. It is going to be an emergency situation. In all these situations you need to dial 15.

Stay calm! Before picking up the phone, take a deep breath and do your best to relax.
Pick up the phone, listen for dial tone, and then dial 15. That's all, just two numbers 15.

When the dispatcher answers, simply state what you need; I need the police, I want to report a fire, I need an ambulance.

The dispatcher will then ask for the address or location of the emergency. This is very important! Do you and other members of your family/workforce all know your address? If not, let everyone know! Better yet, mark the address by each telephone - that way it will be easy to remember. Do you know what city or township you are located in?

Cuts and Scrapes

Small cuts and scrapes usually don't demand a visit to the emergency room of your local hospital, but proper care is necessary to keep infections or other complications from occurring. When dealing with minor wounds, keep the following guidelines in
mind:

Stop the bleeding by applying pressure using a gauze pad or clean cloth. If the bleeding persists after several minutes of applying pressure, get immediate medical attention.

Keep the wound clean by washing the area with mild soap and water and removing any dirt. Dry the area gently with a clean cloth, and cover the wound with a protective bandage. Change the bandage at least once a day. If the wound becomes tender to the touch and red or oozes fluid, see your doctor.

If your cut is more serious and the bleeding does not stop on its own or the cut is large, deep, or rough on the edges, try to stop the bleeding by applying pressure directly to the injury using a sterilized gauze pad or clean cloth. Maintain pressure on the wound until the bleeding stops. Then consult your physician. A tetanus booster may be required if you haven't had one for a while.

Severe Bleeding
To stop serious bleeding, follow these steps

Burns

Burns can be caused by fire, the sun, chemicals, heated objects or fluids, and electricity. They can be minor problems or life-threatening emergencies. Distinguishing a minor burn from a more serious burn involves determining the degree of damage to the tissues of the body. If you are not sure how serious the burn is seek emergency medical help.

First-degree burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned. The skin is usually red and some swelling and pain may occur. Unless the burn involves large portions of the body, it can be treated at home.

Second-degree burns are those in which the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin is also burned. In these burns, the skin reddens intensely and blisters develop. Severe pain and swelling also occur. If a second-degree burn is no larger than 2 or 3 inches in diameter, it can be treated at home. If the burn covers a larger area, seek medical attention. You may need a tetanus booster.

Third-degree burns are the most serious and involve all layers of skin. Fat, nerves, muscles, and even bones may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear a dry white. If nerve damage is substantial, there may be no pain at all. These burns should receive emergency medical attention

Follow these steps when treating minor burns at home

1. If the skin is not broken, run cool water over the burn for several minutes.
2. Cover the burn with a sterile bandage or clean cloth.
3. Take aspirin or acetaminophen to relieve any swelling or pain.

Seek emergency treatment immediately for major burns. Until an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:

Remove the person from the source of the burn (fire, electrical current, etc.).

If the person is not breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation immediately (see Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation

Remove all smoldering clothing to stop further burning.

If the person is breathing sufficiently, cover the burned area with a cool, moist, sterile bandage or clean cloth. Do not place any creams, ointments or ice on the burned area or break blisters.

Electrical Injuries

Everyone experiences minor electrical shocks from time to time. In some cases, however, even small amounts of electricity can be life-threatening because they can produce unconsciousness, cardiac arrest, and cessation of breathing.

Electrical shocks also can produce serious, deep burns and tissue injury, although often even a serious electrical burn appears as only a minor mark on the skin. If you find a person whom you think has been electrocuted, look first--do not touch.

He or she may still be in contact with the electrical source, and touching him or her may only pass the current through you.

If possible, turn off the source of electricity. If this is not possible, move the source away from you and the affected person using a non-conducting object made of cardboard, plastic, or wood. Once the person is free of the source of electricity, check the person's breathing and pulse. If either has stopped or seems dangerously slow or shallow, initiate resuscitation immediately (see Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation).

If the person is faint or pale or shows other signs of shock (see Recognizing and Treating Shock), lay the person down with the head slightly lower than the trunk of his or her body and the legs elevated. Treat any major burns (see Treating Major Burns) and wait for emergency medical assistance to arrive.
 

Nosebleed

A nosebleed is sudden bleeding from one or both nostrils, and may result from a variety of events: a punch in the nose, breathing dry air, allergies, or for no apparent reason. To stop the flow of blood from a common nosebleed, use these steps:

Sit or stand upright to slow the flow of blood in the veins of the nose. Do not tip your head back.

Pinch your nose with your thumb and forefinger for 10 minutes without relieving pressure. Breathe through your mouth during this time.

If the bleeding continues despite these efforts, consult your doctor.

Diabetes

People suffering from diabetes need to control their blood sugar levels by balancing the amount of sugar in their diet with insulin injections. As a result, many carry hypodermic needles, insulin bottles, medication, card or identity bracelet with them, indicating that they have diabetes.
If a person with diabetes on treatment has missed a meal or taken too much exercise, the concentration of sugar in the blood falls, and unconsciousness can follow. The aim of first aid in this situation is to
restore the sugar/insulin balance as soon as possible.

Treatment

If the patient is conscious and capable of swallowing, immediately give sugar lumps, a sugary drink, chocolate or other sweet food in order to raise the level of sugar in the blood. If the casualty is unconscious but breathing normally, place in the recovery position, and carry out general treatment for unconsciousness call 15 immediately. If victim is unconscious do not give anything by mouth