When an emergency happens, it’s vital to know what to do. Whether you’re at home or in the office in Brisbane, you can use some basic first aid skills to help someone with an injury or illness. This post will cover how to perform CPR, help someone who’s bleeding, and more related to first aid in Brisbane.
What to do for a burn
First and foremost, you need to remove the person from the source of the burn. Ideally, suppose it’s a minor burn. In that case, you can simply move them away from whatever they were touching without too much difficulty.
For example, if they’ve been holding a hot pan in their hand for too long, grab their wrist and gently pull them away from the hot handle.
If there is no easy way to remove your friend from danger (for example, if they’ve fallen asleep on top of a sleeping bag), don’t panic! First, you should put out any flames that could startle your friend awake by pouring cool water over them (or dousing them in something else non-flammable).
If this isn’t possible due to lack of water or other flammable materials nearby, try rolling up some cloth into a ball and holding it against any exposed skin until help arrives—don’t use anything sharp like glass because it’ll hurt more than help!
Once all fire hazards are taken care of, then begin cooling down injured areas with cold water as quickly as possible; if there aren’t many cuts involved, then using ice packs might be enough but only use these when necessary since they can cause frostbite faster than anything else under certain circumstances.
What to do for bleeding
● Call an ambulance
● Apply pressure to the wound with a clean cloth or your hand, whichever is available
● If you’re bleeding, don’t try to bandage yourself-call; an ambulance immediately
What to do for an electric shock
● If the person is still in contact with the source of electricity, remove them from it.
● Get the person to a safe place, away from any other sources of electricity or water.
● Check their breathing and pulse. If they are not breathing or their heart has stopped beating, start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) immediately. You can find out how to do this by calling 000 or going online at www.qldhealth.gov.au/firstaid/.
● If they are breathing normally but unconscious, lie them on their side in a recovery position so they’ll be less likely to choke if they vomit (this will also help keep them stable).
How to perform CPR
Performing CPR can be stressful, and you might feel like you’re in over your head. But remember: it’s better to attempt CPR for a few seconds than not at all.
● You need to be trained. If you haven’t been properly trained, don’t perform CPR on someone who isn’t breathing or whose heart has stopped beating.
You could further injure them or even kill them if there is no chance of survival without CPR and defibrillation (using an AED).
● You have to be in the right position: with the person lying flat on their back, either sitting or standing next to them so that one hand is free (if possible), looking into their eyes while performing chest compressions (to check for signs of consciousness), keeping track of how long they’ve been down (or unconscious) so that you know when it’s safe/necessary stop performing compressions
How to perform the Heimlich maneuver
If you or someone nearby is choking, the Heimlich maneuver will save their life. You should also know how to perform it on a child. Here’s what you need to know.
● First, make sure your arms are straight and in front of you with your palms facing down.
● Place your fist directly over the person’s abdomen (just below their sternum) and wrap your other hand around the wrist of this hand so that they’re essentially holding hands.
● Pull sharply inward and upward with both hands at once while keeping them together as one unit (you may want to yell “Heimlich!”). Do this several times if necessary until all obstructions are expelled from the throat or mouth. If this doesn’t work after five repetitions, move on to step four!
What to do for an insect bite or sting
If you or someone you know has been stung or bitten by an insect, watch for signs of allergic reaction. If the person is having a severe allergic reaction, call 9-1-1 immediately.
If the bite or sting is causing pain and swelling, clean the area with soap and water. Cool compresses can help reduce pain and swelling. Apply an antiseptic ointment if necessary to prevent infection in the skin around where you were stung or bitten by an insect (this will help prevent any further spread of bacteria).
Take antihistamines (like Benadryl) if needed to calm itching; these may also cause drowsiness, so don’t drive while taking them! In general, it’s best not to take large quantities of over-the-counter medications unless prescribed by a doctor because some medications can be harmful when combined with other medications/herbs/supplements taken at home.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of things to know about first aid in Brisbane. But don’t worry! If anything happens and you aren’t sure what to do, there are plenty of resources and courses to help.
Remember that it’s better to be safe than sorry in any situation, so take care of yourself and others around you as best as possible.