Follow these techniques if you are faced with an emergency health situation. Always seek professional medical attention.
Flame Burns: Cool with water to stop the burning
process. Remove garments and jewelry and cover burn victim
with clean sheets or towels. Call for help immediately.
Chemical Burns: Remove clothing. Wash with cool
water for at least 20 minutes. Call for help immediately.
Chemical burns of the eye require immediate medical attention
after flushing with water 20 minutes.
Heart Attack: Heart attack is the number one
killer of adults over the age of 38. many heart attack
victims die needlessly because they do not get help in time.
Warning Signs: (Have someone call for emergency help)Sever
squeezing chest pains. Pain radiating from the chest into
either arms, neck or jaw. Sweating and weakness, nausea or
vomiting. Pain extending across the shoulders to the back.
Checklist: If victim is not breathing, give
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. If you cannot detect a heart
beat (by taking victim's pulse at Carotid Artery) CPR,
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation should be given to the victim.
Only by someone trained and certified. Contact the American
Red Cross for further information.
Shock (Electric): Normal Electricity can be
deadly, and it is all around us.
Checklist: Shut off the power at the plug, circuit
breaker or fuse box. Use a dry wooden stick to move wires
away from the victim. Check for breathing - perform
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if necessary. Call for emergency
help. Then, keep the victim warm (covered). Do not give the
victim anything to eat or drink until a doctor has seen them.
Choking: Anything stuck in the throat blocking
the air passage can stop breathing and cause unconsciousness
and death within 4 to 6 minutes. Do not interfere if the
victim can speak cough or breathe.
Checklist:
Conscious Victim: Stand behind sitting or standing victim;
wrap your arms around victim's middle just below rib cage.
Clasp hands together in a fist. Place your fist, thumb
first, on the victim's abdomen midway between the navel and
the end of the breastbone. Press in and up in quick thrusts.
Repeat several times.
Unconscious Victim: Place victim on floor and give
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Or...Roll victim onto his or
her side. Place your knee against chest and apply 4 sharp
blows between the shoulder blades. Or...Roll victim onto his
or her back. place one of your hands on top of the other
resting on the abdomen just below the rib cage and press in
and up with quick thrusts. Repeat. To clear the airway hold
victim's mouth open with one hand (depressing the tongue).
Using a finger from your other hand, gently reach into
victims throat and feel for a foreign object that may be
blocking the airway.
Poisoning. The home is loaded with poisons:
cosmetics, cleaning solutions, gasoline and other petroleum
products, etc. If someone has swallowed or is suspected to
have swallowed any substance that might be poisonous, assume
the worst.
What to do: Call your Poison Control Center or your
emergency medical rescue squad. If victim is taken for
emergency treatment, bring suspected item and container with
you. Do not give counter agents unless directed by Poison
Control Center or physician. Do not follow directions for
neutralizing poisons found on poisoning container. if victim
is conscious: Make sure patient is breathing. If not, tilt
head back and perform mouth to nose breathing. Do not give
anything by mouth. Do not attempt to stimulate person. Call
emergency rescue squad immediately. If victim is vomiting:
Roll him or her over on left side so the person will not
choke on what is brought up.
