World First Aid Day

The second Saturday of September every year marks World First Aid Day. The special day is observed to motivate people to become aware of first aid training which enables preventing injuries and saving lives in sudden critical situations.

First Aid not only helps in small recovery but also assists to keep a victim alive so that he or she can be taken to the hospital for further specialised treatment.

Here are some basics of First Aid to know, remember and execute if need be:

Unresponsive/unconscious person: Basic principle to follow in case a person is unconscious is ABC i.e. clear the AIRWAY, provide rescue BREATHING and perform CHEST COMPRESSIONS.
Faint or no heartbeat: In case a person has very faint or no heartbeat, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, better known as CPR is performed. This involves pushing down on the person’s chest to revive his pulse.
Bleeding: If a person is injured and bleeding, first rinse your hands with water to avoid further infection. Thereafter, wash the wound with water. Apply pressure to stop the bleeding and cover the wound with a gauze or a clean cloth. Once the bleeding has stopped, a bandage can be put for recovery.
Choking: In case a person is choking, use the Heimlich maneuver. First, stand behind the person who’s choking and make him/her lean forward. Put your arms around their waist and clench your fists tightly under the person’s rib cage. Thrust your fist upwards 5-7 times until the person feels better.
Burns: Burns can be first, second or third degree depending on the nature, cause and extent of the burn. Burns that are not emergency should be washed under cold water. Based on the kind of burn, either a cooling ointment or a gauze can be put on the burnt area.

Basic knowledge of First Aid is a must, for you and more so your loved ones. These simple and small steps, if executed carefully, can help prevent greater damage.