First Aid
First Aid is an important part of everyday life at
home, work, or at play. Everyone should learn
first aid and be willing to administer basic care
until emergency assistance arrives.
What is First Aid?
First Aid is the immediate care of an injured or
suddenly sick person. It is the care and attention
prior to the arrival of the ambulance can
sometimes mean the difference between life
and death, or between a full or partial recovery.
The main aims of First Aid are to:
1. Preserve life this includes the life
of casualty, bystander and rescuer.
2. Protect the casualty from further
harm ensure the scene is safe.
3. Provide pain relief this could
include the use of ice packs or
simply applying a sling.
4. Prevent the injury or illness from
becoming worse ensure the
treatment you provide does no
make the condition worse.
5. Provide reassurance.
Principles:
Immediate action If a person is sick or
injured, they need help & they need it
immediately.
Getting help 119 is our emergency call
number that is used to access emergency
assistance on telephones in the first instance.
Remember when calling for help, state the
emergency service you need: ambulance, fire
or police, stay on the line until connected to
the emergency service operator as they will
need to talk to you before sending
emergency assistance and give as much as
information as possible about the location of
the emergency.
Medical identification tags usually in the
form of a bracelet, wrist band or necklace. It
is used to identify the medical condition of a
person.
Reassurance the casualty must always feel
comfortable. Usually they need emotional
support.
Cultural awareness you should always
respect the casualty and observe that their
rights are not touched or treated.
Your response to an emergency every
person will react differently and a range of
responses is normal and to be expected.
Some people may have emotional responses.
The clean up after the incident you should
put time aside for yourself. Very often, first
aiders are very concerned about what
theyve done, whether good enough or not.
First Aid: Bandaging Technique
Bandages may be improvised from
handkerchiefs, belts, straps, braces, neckties, or
any piece of linen. It is important to do the
proper bandaging technique when using and
administering first aid on a wound or injury. If
the bandaging technique is not done properly, it
could exacerbate the damage.
Bandaging is used to:
Support fractured bones.
Immobilize dislocated shoulder/jaw.
Apply pressure. To stop the bleeding and
venous blood flow.
Secure dressing in place.
Triangular bandage is usually made of muslin.
Triangular bandages can be made by simply
cutting it diagonally the 60 inch square of a
piece of cloth, thereby, making two triangular
bandages. The longer side of the triangular
bandage is called the base with both corners
called ends and the corner opposite to the base
is called apex. This versatile first aid tool can be
used in several ways to treat various types of
injuries.
Dr. Mathias Mayor, a surgeon in Luassane
Switzerland, invented the triangular bandage
used in first aid in 1831, but it was Friedrich
Esmarch,a german surgeon, who popularized
the use of this bandage.
Triangular Bandaging Techniques:
Cravat for the knee
1. Place the middle of the cravat at
the point of the knee bringing the
ends upward
2. Bring the ends across, extending
both downward.
3. Take both ends around the knee
and tie with a square knot at the
front of the knee
Arm Sling
1. Place cravat under injured arm
with one end over opposite
shoulder
2. Bring other end over injured arm
and same shoulder
3. Tie ends at side of neck
4. Fold over point and pin, or tie in
knot to make cup for elbow
Hand Bandage
1. Lay the middle of the cravat over
the palm with the ends hanging
down on each side
2. Take the end of the cravat at the
little finger across the back of the
hand, extending it upward over
the base of the thumb; then
downward across the palm
3. Take the thumb end across the
back of the hand, over the palm,
and through the hollow between
the thumb and palm
4. Take the ends to the back of the
hand and cross them; then bring
them up over the wrist and cross
them again
5. Bring both ends down and tie
them with a square knot on top
of the wrist
First Aid: Lifts and Carries
When there is immediate danger and the
victim(s) must be moved to a safer place before
care can begin/continue.
Safety Precautions to Consider Prior to Moving
Victim - so you do not become a victim and add
to the problems on scene:
Dangerous conditions at the scene.
Distance victim must be moved.
Victim's size.
My physical ability.
Availability of others to help move
victim.
Victim's condition.
Aids on scene which can help move
the victim.
Body Mechanics and Lifting Techniques:
Move victim only if scene is too
dangerous to stay or to get to
another victim or to provide
proper care, i.e. CPR needs to be
done on a firm surface.
 Move only those victims you are
certain you can safely and
comfortably handle.
Know your physical limitations.
Properly position your feet.
Bend you body at the knees and
hips.
Lift between your legs, not your
back.
Avoid twisting while you lift.
Keep victim's body as close to
yours as possible.
Walk carefully. Take short steps.
Move forward, rather than
backward, when possible.
Look where you are going.
Support the victim's head and
spine.
Communicate frequently and
clearly with your partner, the
victim and other helpers.
Avoid bending or twisting a
victim who has head or spinal
injuries.
Explain to victim what you are
about to do. Tell victim what to
do. Tell them not to reach out
and grab anything.
Tips on Moving Victims:
No one best way.
The goal is to move the victim
without injury to yourself or further
injury the victim.
Pull victim in the direction of the
long axis of their body in order to
protect their spine.
It is impossible to quickly extricate a
victim from a car provide
Lifts and Carries:
ONE RESCUER
One-Person Lift
This only works with a child or a very light
person.
1. Place your arms under the victim's
knees and around their back.
Firefighter Carry
This technique is for carrying a victim longer
distances. It is very difficult to get the person up
to this position from the ground. Getting the
victim into position requires a very strong
rescuer or an assistant.
1. The victim is carried over one
shoulder.
2. The rescuer's arm, on the side
that the victim is being carried, is
wrapped across the victim's legs
and grasps the victim's opposite
arm.
TWO-RESCUERS
Human Crutch/ Two-Person Drag
For the conscious victim, this carry allows the
victim to swing their leg using the rescuers as a
pair of crutches. For the unconscious victim, it is
a quick and easy way to move a victim out of
immediate danger.
1. Start with the victim on the
ground.
2. Both rescuers stand on either side
of the victim's chest.
3. The rescuer's hand nearest the
feet grabs the victim's wrist on
their side of the victim.
 4. The rescuer's other hand grasps
the clothing of the shoulder
nearest them.
5. Pulling and lifting the victim's
arms, the rescuers bring the
victim into a sitting position.
6. The conscious victim will then
stand with rescuer assistance.
7. The rescuers place their hands
around the victim's waist.
8. For the unconscious victim, the
rescuers will grasp the belt or
waistband of the victim's
clothing.
9. The rescuers will then squat
down.
10. Place the victim's arms over their
shoulders so that they end up
facing the same direction as the
victim.
11. Then, using their legs, they stand
with the victim.
12. The rescuers then move out,
dragging the victim's legs behind.
Four-Handed Seat
This technique is for carrying conscious and alert
victims moderate distances. The victim must be
able to stand unsupported and hold themselves
upright during transport.
1. Position the hands as indicted in
the graphic.
2. Lower the seat and allow the
victim to sit.
3. Lower the seat using your legs,
not your back.
4. When the victim is in place, stand
using your legs, keeping your
back straight.
THREE OR MORE RESCUERS
Hammock Carry
Three or more rescuers get on both sides of the
victim. The strongest member is on the side
with the fewest rescuers.
1. Reach under the victim and grasp
one wrist on the opposite
rescuer.
2. The rescuers on the ends will only
be able to grasp one wrist on the
opposite rescuer.
3. The rescuers with only one wrist
grasped will use their free hands
to support the victim's head and
feet/legs.
4. The rescuers will then squat and
lift the victim on the command of
the person nearest the head,
remembering to use proper lifting
techniques.
Three-Person Carry Or Stretcher Lift
This technique is for lifting patients onto a bed
or stretcher, or for transporting them short
distances.
1. Each person kneels on the knee
nearest the victim's feet.
2. On the command of the person at
the head, the rescuers lift the
victim up and rest the victim on
their knees. If the patient is being
placed on a low stretcher or litter
basket:
On the command of the person at
the head, the patient is placed
down on the litter/stretcher.
If the victim is to be placed on a high
gurney/bed or to be carried:
At this point, the rescuers will rotate
the victim so that the victim is
 facing the rescuers, resting
against the rescuers' chests.
3. On the command of the person at
the head, all the rescuers will
stand. 4. To walk, all rescuers will
start out on the same foot,
walking in a line abreast.