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RIB First Aid

Overview of the introduction to first aid

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Coastal First Aid Kit For Boats Within 3 Miles Of Land

Emergencies can happen at any time and in any place. When these emergencies happen you will need to know what to do, and the correct procedures to follow. This section introduces you to the basic concepts involved in first aid and the essential steps required to carry out adequate first aid before professional assistance is available.

By the end of this section you should be able to:




Principles of First Aid

In the UK, caring volunteers and individuals performed a much needed service to the sick and injured, and laid the foundations for first aid organisations.

The period between the World Wars saw an increased awareness in the community of the benefits of first aid and the combining of other activities with first aid training. It was not until the 1960's and 1970's that the general public became involved by attending first aid classes and using this new found knowledge to their benefit. First aid training has now become virtually indispensable to industry and an active social life.

What is first aid?

First aid image

First aid is the initial assistance or care of a suddenly sick or injured person. It is the care administered by a person as soon as possible after an accident or illness. It is this prompt care and attention prior to the arrival of the ambulance that sometimes means the difference between life and death, or between a full or partial recovery.

The main aims of first aid are:

First aid has limitations, as not everybody is a paramedic or doctor, but it is an essential and vital element of the total medical system. First aid saves lives, you can ask any person who works in the emergency medical field.

Immediate action

Image of an accident needing first aid

As in most endeavours, the principle to be adopted in first aid is immediate action. Bystanders or relatives not knowing what to do, or being too timid to try, may have unwittingly contributed to unnecessary deaths and chronic injuries. If a person is sick or injured, then they need help, and they need it immediately.

Quick action is necessary to preserve life and limb. A casualty who is not breathing effectively, or is bleeding heavily, requires immediate assistance. If quick effective first aid is provided, then the casualty has a much better chance of a good recovery.

It is important that quick action does not lead to panic, and the first aider should form a plan of action. Careful and deliberate action undertaken without too much delay is most beneficial to the casualty. Try to remain calm and think your actions through. A calm and controlled first aider will give everyone confidence that the event is being handled efficiently and effectively.

Each emergency is different so it is impossible to provide you with a precise list of things you need to do for every emergency. However, if you follow the 'principles of first aid' as outlined in this book you should deliver appropriate care, even if you are not sure of what the underlying problem is.

Getting help

Getting help in a first aid situation by calling 999

To get expert medical assistance, call an ambulance on '999' as early as possible. Dialling 999 will connect a caller to emergency assistance - Police, Fire, Ambulance, rescue services, coastguard. 999 can be dialled free from any phone, fixed or mobile. You can also use 112 anywhere in the European Community to contact emergency services.

In the workplace there may be an internal number to call in an emergency which should be clearly displayed on or around the telephone.

Motorways have emergency phones that can be found every mile, and blue and white marker posts are placed in between them, with an arrow to point you in the direction of the nearest phone. These are linked to motorway police control centres, allowing them to pinpoint your position and get help to you quickly.

If you are attending to a casualty, get a bystander to telephone for help. If you are on your own you may have to leave the casualty momentarily to make a call. The specific circumstance surrounding the incident will dictate whether you call for help, or whether you send a bystander.

You should instruct the bystander to give some basic information to the operator, and get them to repeat it back to ensure that the correct information is understood. You should also request the bystander return once they have called for help, as this will confirm that the call has been made, and will give you additional assistance should you need to update the emergency services if the condition of the casualty worsens.

First aid kit

There are 3 important things to remember when calling for help:

  1. State which emergency service you want, eg Ambulance, Coastguard, Rescue, Fire, or Police.
  2. Stay on the line until connected with the emergency service operator as they will need to talk to you before sending assistance.
  3. Give as much information as you can about the emergency, including:
    • exact address or location
    • city or town
    • nearest cross road or street
    • landmarks
    • distance from town or landmark
    • caller's name
    • phone number from where the call is being made
    • what happened - eg car accident
    • number and condition of the casualties

As an example, you might say that you require an ambulance at 27 Smith Street in Banbury, Oxfordshire. That you have a 45 year old male who has fallen approximately 10 feet and struck his head. He was unconscious for a short time but is conscious now and that he has a history of asthma.

You would also tell the operator your name and the phone number from which you are calling. You could also send someone outside to meet the ambulance.

Image of person thinking who to contact in the event of needing first aid help

There are many other methods of calling for help that can be considered when a telephone is not available:

Medical alert devices

Image of medical altert tags

Some individuals suffer from certain medical conditions that may cause them to present with serious signs and symptoms at any time. As a form of assistance and notification, these people may wear a form of medical identification, usually a special bracelet, necklace, or carry a wallet card. These warning devices are referred to as medical alert devices and are commonly known as 'Medic-alert' and 'SOS Talisman'.

They are imprinted with the person's identity, the relevant medical condition, and other details which may include allergies, drugs required, or specialised medical contact. Medical conditions that may be notified vary from specific heart diseases, to diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, and serious allergies.

Reassurance

Reassure the person needing first aid

The psychological value of reassurance is as important as the treatment that you give. Comfort and reassure the casualty, as in some cases all the casualty needs is emotional support and reassurance. A calm approach by the first aider, and keeping the casualty informed of what is happening will also assist in the reassurance process.

Remember that many people who have assisted you in delivering care to an injured or ill casualty may need reassurance themselves. Relatives of the casualty may be concerned that they let the casualty down or that they made a mistake in not getting help earlier; workmates may feel that they contributed little to helping the casualty; onlookers may feel guilty that they provided only a little practical assistance. Take some time out at the end of the incident to tell people how important their contribution was. Let them know that effectively caring for a casualty is a team effort and that every little job counts. This is especially true if the outcome of the emergency was unsuccessful.




Your response to an emergency

How to respond to a first aid emergency

An emergency of any size can cause unusual stress in people who have been directly and indirectly affected by it. Every person will react differently and a range of responses to an emergency is normal, and to be expected. Emotional responses to disasters can appear immediately or sometimes months later. Understanding what you're feeling and taking positive steps can help you cope with this disaster. Some common responses to emergencies and disasters are:

If you have strong feelings that won't go away or if you are troubled for longer than four to six weeks, you may want to seek professional help.

The clean up

After an incident it is important to put some time aside for yourself. Very often first aiders become concerned that they did not do a good enough job, and that they were not effective in their role. When you think about how you handled the incident, the first thing you should keep in mind is that by stepping forward and doing first aid you have done more for the casualty that anyone else could ever do. As the great humanitarian Albert Schweitzer said, "The purpose of life is to serve and show compassion and the will to help others."

In dealing with this, go and get a cup of tea and talk to a family member, friend or colleague. When you go over how you handled the incident, be realistic about your expectations.

Time must also be allocated to the clean up of the scene and equipment, and to restock your first aid kit. You should:

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