What first aid is and why it matters
First aid is the first help given to a hurt or suddenly ill person before a doctor or ambulance arrives. Its three aims are the 3 Ps: Preserve life, Prevent the condition getting worse, Promote recovery.
A first-aider stays calm, keeps themselves safe, gets help early, and does only what they are trained to do. Wear gloves if you can, and wash your hands afterwards. A basic first-aid kit has gloves, sterile dressings, bandages, plasters, scissors, a triangular bandage, antiseptic wipes and a cold pack.
Scene safety and calling for help (D and R)
- Danger: look for traffic, fire, gas, water, electricity, falling objects. Switch off power with a dry, non-metal object. Never become a second casualty.
- Response: tap both shoulders and ask loudly "Are you all right?".
- Call: shout for help; call the emergency number (112 in India and the EU, 911 in North America, 999 in the UK). Say where you are, what happened, how many are hurt, and whether they are breathing. Put the phone on speaker and do not hang up first.
Airway, breathing and the recovery position (A and B)
Open the airway by head tilt and chin lift (the tongue moves off the back of the throat). Check breathing for up to 10 seconds: look at the chest, listen, feel for breath. Occasional gasps are not normal breathing.
If the person is unresponsive but breathing normally, put them in the recovery position: on their side, top leg bent, head tilted back so vomit or blood drains out. Keep checking breathing. If a spinal injury is likely (fall, diving), avoid moving the neck unless the airway is at risk.
CPR and AED (C)
CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) pumps blood to the brain when the heart has stopped.
- Kneel beside the person on a firm surface.
- Heel of one hand in the centre of the chest, other hand on top, arms straight.
- Push down 5-6 cm at 100-120 pushes a minute; let the chest rise fully.
- After 30 pushes, give 2 rescue breaths if trained (else push non-stop).
- Continue until help takes over, an AED says to stop, or the person breathes normally.
An AED (automated external defibrillator) is a box that talks you through each step and can shock the heart back into rhythm. Anyone can use it. Every minute without CPR lowers the chance of survival by about 10%.
Bleeding, shock, burns and fractures
- Bleeding: press firmly on the wound with a clean pad, add more pads on top (do not remove soaked ones), bandage. For huge limb bleeding trained people may use a tourniquet.
- Shock (pale, cold, sweaty, fast weak pulse): lay the person down, raise legs if no leg injury, keep warm, call help.
- Burns: cool under cool running water for 20 minutes; remove rings; cover loosely with cling film. No ice, butter or toothpaste. Do not pop blisters.
- Fracture: do not straighten; support the limb in the position found (sling or padding) and get help.
- Nosebleed: sit, lean forward, pinch the soft nose for 10 minutes.
- Poisoning: do not make the person vomit; keep the container and call help. Drowning: get them out safely (throw, do not go), check breathing, start CPR with breaths.
Choking and sports injuries
Choking: if the person can cough, encourage coughing. If they cannot cough, speak or breathe: give up to 5 back blows between the shoulder blades, then up to 5 abdominal thrusts (Heimlich). Repeat. If they become unresponsive, start CPR.
Sprains and strains: use RICE: Rest, Ice (wrapped, 15-20 minutes), Compression (bandage), Elevation. Muscle cramp: gently stretch. Head injury: stop play; watch for confusion, vomiting or sleepiness and get medical help. Heat exhaustion: move to shade, cool the skin, give water.
Prevent injuries: warm up, use safety gear, drink water, and know the fire and escape routes at school and home.
Key formulas and definitions
- DRABC = Danger → Response → Airway → Breathing → CPR / Call
- CPR = 30 pushes : 2 breaths, 100-120 per minute, 5-6 cm deep
- Burn = cool running water for 20 minutes
- Choking = 5 back blows + 5 abdominal thrusts
- Sprain = RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
Worked examples
1. You find a man lying still next to a fallen electric wire. What do you do first?
Danger first. Do not touch him. Switch off the power at the main switch, or push the wire away with a dry wooden stick while standing on something dry. Only then check Response, call 112, and check breathing.
2. How long do 30 chest pushes take at 110 per minute?
Time = 30 ÷ 110 minutes = 0.27 minutes ≈ 16 seconds. So one 30:2 cycle (pushes + 2 breaths) takes about 20-25 seconds.
3. A girl spills boiling tea on her arm. Describe the first aid.
Cool the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes. Remove bangles before swelling. Cover loosely with cling film or a clean non-fluffy cloth. No ice, butter or toothpaste. Get medical help if it is larger than her palm, on the face, or blistered deeply.
4. During lunch a friend grabs his throat and cannot speak or cough. What do you do?
This is severe choking. Stand behind and slightly to the side, lean him forward and give up to 5 firm back blows. If not cleared, give up to 5 abdominal thrusts (fist above the navel, pull in and up). Repeat. Call 112. If he collapses, start CPR.
Common mistakes
- Rushing to the casualty before checking danger. The helper then gets hurt too.
- Putting ice, butter or toothpaste on a burn. Only cool running water for 20 minutes.
- Tilting the head back for a nosebleed. Lean forward so blood does not go down the throat.
- Pushing too slowly or too gently in CPR. It must be 100-120 a minute and 5-6 cm deep.