Today is

By: Ikedi Ani-okoye

What is first aid?

First aid is literally the very FIRST assistance you give someone who has been Injured. All of us should know basic first-aid techniques, in the home, at the office or when out and about. One in three of all accidents takes place in our homes, the majority involving children and the elderly. Knowing what to do first and recognizing how potentially serious a casualtys condition is may speed recovery and even prove vital to saving a Iife.

First aid heln can cover an extremely valued range of scenarios - from simple reassurance aider a small accident to dealing with a life-threatening emergency. A speedy response is crucial. Emergency workers refer to the first hour after an accident as the golden hour: the more help given within this hour, the better the outcome for the casualty.

The goals of first aid

TO keep the casual alive. The ABC of life support -Airway, Breathing and Circulation - constitutes the absolute top priority of first aid.

To stop the casualty getting worse.
To promote their recovery,
To provide reassurance and comfort to casualty.
THE DRSABC CODE
D for DANGER
R for RESPONSE
S for SHOUT
A for AIRWAY
B for BREATHING
C for CIRCULATION

Getting help

Phoning the emergency services is free on all kinds of phone. If the casualty is inside a building and other people are present, ask someone to stand outside the building in order to guide the emergency services. If you are at a house and it's dark outside, switch on any outside lights.

Don't move them!

There are good reasons for leaving a casualty in place until more skilled personnel arrive. Injuries to the spine, especially to the neck, are possible after accidents and falls, and further movement can cause serious damage to the spinal cord. You may have to use some movement to deal with an injury, but the golden rule after an accident is not to move an injured person unless they ace in danger, need to be resuscitated, or are unconscious and should be put into the recovery position. If moving a casualty is unavoidable, you sholdd be very careful with their neck.