First Aid and Basic Life Support
First Aid and Basic Life Support tests the priority sequence, CPR, bleeding and burn care, and the limits of a guard's medical role.
Sequence
- DRABC: Danger (make the scene safe, wear gloves), Response (tap and shout), Airway (head tilt–chin lift), Breathing (look, listen and feel for up to 10 seconds), Circulation/Compressions.
- Call 108 early; give exact location, nearest landmark, number of casualties and their approximate age.
- Adult CPR: heel of the hand on the centre of the chest, 30 compressions at 100–120 per minute, depth 5–6 cm, then 2 rescue breaths; continue until help arrives or an AED is ready. Hands-only CPR is acceptable if untrained. Child: about 4–5 cm; infant: about 4 cm or one-third of chest depth using two fingers.
- AED: switch on, follow the voice prompts, pads on bare chest, stand clear during analysis and shock.
- Unconscious but breathing: recovery position, keep monitoring the airway.
- Bleeding: direct pressure with a clean dressing, elevate, pressure bandage; a tourniquet only for catastrophic limb bleeding, noting the time.
- Burns: cool running water for about 20 minutes, remove rings, cover with a clean cloth; no ice, toothpaste, oil or ghee.
- Fracture: never straighten; immobilise in the position found.
- Snake bite: immobilise the limb below heart level, remove rings and tight items, transport fast; no incision, suction or tight tourniquet.
Worked example
A worker collapses. Reasoning: unresponsive and not breathing normally means cardiac arrest, not fainting. Shout for help, start compressions immediately, send someone for the AED, and call 108 - compressions come before paperwork.
Traps that cost marks
- Spending minutes checking for a pulse instead of starting compressions.
- Giving water to an unconscious casualty.