Your Actions

Your aims:
Give help to any casualties without harming yourself or others.

Danger

  1. Do not forget to check for dangers to yourself and the casualty.
  2. If you can remove any hazards safely, do so.
  3. If you cannot remove the danger, move the casualty if it can be done without harming yourself, the casualty or others.



VIDEO 1 - IDENTIFYING THE VICTIMS CONDITION

VIDEO 2 - ASKING THE VICTIM

VIDEO 3 - CALLING FOR HELP

Response

Check to see if your casualty is conscious, by:

  1. Asking a question like “Are you alright?”.
  2. Giving a command like “Open your eyes”.
  3. Giving a gentle shake, not too roughly as you might make any injuries worse.
    NOTE: For a baby, DO NOT shake, gently slap or rub the sole (underneath) of the foot.
  4. If the casualty is conscious, shout for help, then begin treatment for any wounds, etc.
  5. If the casualty is unconscious, shout for help, then check A B:

Airway

In an unconscious casualty the tongue may slip back and block the airway. Quickly check for any obvious obstruction.
Open the airway by lifting the chin while at the same time carefully tilting the head back.

DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU SUSPECT A SPINAL INJURY. Use the Jaw Thrust method instead (See Unit 18)

 

Breathing

If the airway was blocked, breathing may have stopped. Once the airway has been opened the casualty may start breathing again.

  1. Check for breathing by opening the airway and placing your cheek just above the casualty’s mouth and nose.
  2. Look at the chest and watch for movement.
  3. Listen for breathing.
  4. Feel for breath against your cheek.
  5. Check for 10 seconds.


VIDEO 4 CHECKING FOR BREATHING

 

DECIDE NOW WHAT ACTION YOU MUST TAKE

If there is somebody with you send for help NOW.
If you are alone, decide if you must go for help NOW.
If the casualty is unconscious and is breathing, put them in the recovery position NOW (see Unit 10).
If the casualty is unconscious and is not breathing, start CPR followed by rescue breaths NOW (see Unit 6).

Reporting

Remember that you have a responsibility as a First Aider to report what you found and what you did to any medical person who takes over from you. You should write this down if you have something to write with –
otherwise you will have to remember this and tell the medical person. You could ask bystanders to remember bits of information about the casualty. You can use a special form to write down your report – you can see an example on the next page. We have put some of these at the end of this book for you to use.

To help you remember all these things, and the order in which you need to do them, you can remember a short version: D R A B
D – Danger
R – Response
A – Airway
B – Breathing

Words you need to know. Below each word, write it in your own language

Conscious
being aware of what is going on around you
Obstruction
something that is stuck and causes the airway to be blocked
Extent
how bad
Evidence
something that is used to prove what happened (e.g. a knife)

Are there any other words in this unit that you don’t understand? Write them down here and find out what they mean.