First Aid
Assess and act
Before care, check the scene for safety, then check the victim for responsiveness and breathing. Address life threats first-severe bleeding, airway problems, and shock-before minor injuries. Call for emergency help for serious conditions.
Common conditions
For severe bleeding, apply direct pressure with a dressing and add more dressings if needed; do not remove a soaked dressing. For a suspected head, neck, or spinal injury, keep the head and neck still and support them until help arrives. For heat illness, move the person to a cooler place, cool them, and give fluids if they are alert. For a suspected fracture, immobilize the area and do not try to realign the bone. For a seizure, protect the person from injury and do not restrain them or put anything in their mouth. For an unresponsive but breathing victim, place them in a recovery position if no spinal injury is suspected.
Traps to watch
Questions test whether you should remove a soaked dressing (no), whether you should put anything in the mouth during a seizure (no), and whether you should move a suspected spinal-injury victim (only if there is an immediate danger).
Rule of thumb
Life threats first; keep the head and neck still when spinal injury is possible; add dressings rather than removing them.
Worked example
A swimmer has a deep cut with steady bleeding. Apply direct pressure with a dressing, add more dressings on top if it soaks through, and call for help.