Let's learn more about First Aid. You too can save a life!

Imagine your little one suddenly falls while playing, or someone in the house suddenly falls ill. In such a situation, before taking them to a doctor, the first thing we do is called first aid. This can be something as simple as applying medicine and a plaster to a small wound, or it can be something more serious that can save a life. So, it is very important for all of us to be aware of this.

Simply put, what is First Aid?

First aid is the basic care given to someone who has suffered an accident or illness before medical help arrives. It has several main purposes.

• Saving lives: In some cases, proper first aid can even help prevent death.
• Limiting pain and suffering: First aid helps to reduce the victim's pain and provide them with comfort.
• Preventing the condition from getting worse: Doing the right thing can stop the injury or illness from getting worse.
• Helping you recover faster: Doing the right things first will pave the way for a faster recovery later on.

First aid is often given by people like ambulance workers and firefighters, but really, anyone can learn about it and help out in a time of need.

What are the situations in which first aid can be given?

First aid is not just for major accidents. First aid is also needed for small things that happen in everyday life. Let's see what situations require first aid.

What skills are needed in first aid?

Providing first aid is not just about applying medicine to a wound. There is much more to it than that.

• Covering wounds with bandages: This is important to stop bleeding and prevent infection.
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and artificial respiration: This is essential to save the life of someone who has stopped breathing or has stopped beating their heart.
• Helping someone who is choking: When something is stuck in the throat, it is important to know methods (e.g., the Heimlich maneuver) to help remove it.
• Placing someone in the recovery position: Placing someone who is unconscious but breathing in this position can help prevent something like vomit from getting stuck in the airway.
• Stopping bleeding: Stopping bleeding by applying direct pressure to the wound. In some severe cases, a tourniquet may be used to control bleeding.
• Splint for a broken bone: When an arm or leg is broken, using a splint to immobilize the part prevents pain and injury from worsening.
• Using Autoinjectors for Severe Allergies: Some people have severe allergies. In such cases, knowing how to administer a doctor-prescribed injection can save a life.
• Using Automated External Defibrillators (AED): It is very important to know how to use this device to restart the heart in the event of a heart attack.

Some key points to keep in mind when administering first aid:

It's normal to feel anxious in an emergency. However, it's important for the first aid provider to remain as calm as possible. Here are some things to remember.

1. Stay calm: Take a deep breath and think about what you need to do. If you panic, you may scare the injured person even more.

2. Ask for help: If you think the situation is serious, call an ambulance (1990 in Sri Lanka) without delay or take the person to the nearest hospital Emergency Department (ETU) as soon as possible. If you are unable to do so on your own, call someone nearby for help.

3. Your safety is also important: Remember, if you have an accident, you will not be able to help someone else. For example, be careful of traffic before rushing to an accident on the road. Turn off the power before rescuing someone who has been electrocuted.

4. Put the most important things first (ABC method): The ABC principle is very important when providing first aid.

• A - Airway: First check to see if the casualty's mouth and throat are blocked. If so, clear them.
• B - Breathing: Next, check to see if he is breathing. If not, start giving artificial respiration.
• C - Circulation: If breathing is not occurring, the heart has probably stopped beating. At this point, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be started.

5. Do not move the casualty unnecessarily: If there is any suspicion that there may be a spinal or neck injury, do not move the casualty unnecessarily for any reason. Doing so may increase the damage to the spinal cord. If it is absolutely necessary to remove the casualty from the scene (e.g., fire, risk of further injury), do so with extreme caution.

6. Don't wait for things to get better: Sometimes we think, "This will get better in a little while." However, if there is even the slightest suspicion that the situation may be serious, it is safest to seek medical advice.

Who can provide first aid? Where can I learn?

Anyone can actually provide first aid. And everyone should learn about it. In first aid training, you learn not only what you can do, but also what your limitations are. That is, you understand what you can't do or what you don't think you can do safely.

There are several places where you can learn about first aid in Sri Lanka.

• Organizations such as St. John Ambulance and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society conduct first aid courses.
• Some workplaces provide first aid training to employees.
• Even schools sometimes run programs related to this.

Do you have a first aid kit at home?

It's essential to have a basic first aid kit in every home and vehicle. You can buy one from the store, or you can make one yourself with a few supplies. Here are some of the essential items you should include:

• Adhesive bandages of various sizes
• Sterile gauze and bandages
• Adhesive tape
• Scissors and tweezers
• Antiseptic solution and wipes
• Painkillers (e.g. paracetamol)
• Medical gloves
• If there is a diabetic at home, glucose tablets
• A small notepad and pen to write down information in case of an emergency

This box can be taken by everyone in the house, but care should be taken to keep it out of the reach of small children.

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