Basic First Aid for Beginners

Understanding basic first aid is important for anyone, because you never know when you might find yourself in a situation where you need to use it. If someone needs emergency care in The Woodlands, it may take a while before professionals can get there or until you can get to a hospital. By knowing what to do immediately after an accident, you can take control of a situation and help avoid things getting any worse.

The Steps of Basic First Aid

The first thing you must do when something has happened is evaluate the situation. See if there is anything that can cause additional harm to people, such as an open electrical source near water or a fire. You do not want to rush and help others if you could become injured in the process. If the situation is safe, you can approach the injured person and check for three things: whether their airway is obstructed, whether they are breathing, and if they have a pulse. Try not to move the person unless they are in immediate danger. You never know if moving them could injure them more. Call 9-1-1 to get help right away, if it has not been called already. Stick with the injured person so they are not left alone. Try to get them to respond to you in any way, even if it is just moving or looking at you. If they don’t respond, roll them onto their back and open the airway by tilting the head back. Look to see if they are breathing, and if they are not, begin CPR. Look for other problems that you may need to help with, such as bleeding, shock, a choking person, burns, concussions, or other injuries. Stay with the person until professional help arrives or until they are taken to a hospital.

Emergency Care

If the person can be safely moved and is awake, you can skip calling 9-1-1 and simply take them to emergency care in The Woodlands. This will avoid the fees of getting an ambulance while getting them quick and professional help. Only do this if you can move them safely though – you do not want to risk injuring someone further.