Basic Life Support (BLS)
ABCs - Airway, Breathing, Circulation
• Steps to follow in BLS
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Check the responsiveness of the victim
Call for Emergency medical health
Position victim on his or her back
Open the airway
Assess breathing
Assess circulation
Stay with the victim until help arrives.
Breathing
Mouth-to-Mouth Ventilation Children and Adults
• Steps to follow in Mouth-to-Mouth
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Place victim on their back
Open the airway
Check the victim’s breathing
If no breathing, start artificial ventilation
If chest doesn’t rise, airway may be blocked
Take 5-10 seconds to check for a pulse
If breathing is restored, remain in position
Choking
• Steps to follow if consciousvictim is
choking:
– 1. Call for emergency help
– 2. Open the airway, don’t give up
– 3. Use the Heimlich Maneuver
Choking
• Steps to follow if unconscious victim is
choking:
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Call for emergency help
Open the airway, don’t give up
Lay victim face up on a hard surface
Assess responsiveness and breathing
Perform Heimlich Manuever
Circulation (CPR)
• CPR is combination of artificial ventilation
and artificial circulation.
• It should only be done by a qualified person
• Periodic retraining is required
Allergic Reactions
• Signs of allergic reactions include difficulty
breathing (wheezing), swollen lips, tongue,
and ears, hives, skin swelling and itching
• Treatment
– 1. Contact Medical Help
– 2. Keep victim quiet in a comfortable position
– 3. If victim stops breathing, give artificial
ventilation.
Bites and Stings (General)
• Treatment
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Lie victim down and immobilize limb
Cold application on all bites except snakes
Flush snakebite with water
2” wide cloth to provide a band near bite
Band should not be too restricting
Transport victim to hospital
Provide non-alcoholic liquid to victim
Bites and Stings (Bees)
• Treatment
– 1. Do not remove stinger with a tweezer
– 2. Remove stinger with a flicking motion
– 3. If victim shows signs, treat for allergic react.
Bites and Stings (Animal)
• Treatment
– 1. Seek medical attention
– 2. If skin is broken, wash with soap and water
Bleeding
• Treatment
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Call for medical help
Keep victim lying down
Place pad directly over wound
Apply direct pressure firmly with both hands
Raise bleeding part higher than rest of body
Bleeding (Tourniquet)
• Use on arms or legs only
• Is usually not necessary
• Do not attempt to use unless you are
specially trained.
• Should be placed between injury and heart
Burns
• Object is to prevent shock and
contamination.
• All burns should be attended to by a
physician
• Do not apply ointments, grease, or baking
soda
Burns (Thermal)
• Treatment
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Cool quickly with water
Place clean cloth over burned area
Keep victim lying down
Give no fluids
Call for medical health
Place head and chest lower than rest of body
Raise legs if possible
Burns (Chemical)
• Treatment
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Flush with plenty of water for 5 minutes
Remove clothes if needed
Place clean material over burns
Call for medical help
Lie victim down, provide lots of liquids
Place head and chest lower than rest of body
Raise legs if possible
Cuts and Abrasions
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It’s important to prevent infections
Never put your mouth over a wound
Don’t breath on a wound
Don’t touch with dirty fingers or cloths
Treatment
– 1. Cleanse wound with soap and water
– 2. Hold sterile pad firmly over wound
– 3. Continue to cover wound if bleeding persists
Fractures
• First aid should do no more than prevent
further injury
• A fracture should be assumed if body part
does not have normal look and function
• Treatment
– 1. Unless in danger, don’t move victim
– 2. Leave the limb in the position you found it
– 3. Apply a splint
Frostbite
• Signs include skin that is pink just before
frostbite and changes to whit or grayishyellow as it develops, initial pain, numbness
and cold.
• Treatment
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Frostbite
Cover area with warm hand of woolen material
If hands, hold them in armpit
Bring victim inside
Place area in warm water (101-103 F)
Don’t use hot water, water bottle, or heat lamp
Don’t rub frostbitten area
Let circulation reestablish naturally, exercise
Give them something warm to drink
See a doctor
Heat Exhaustion
• Signs include pale and clammy skin,
profuse perspiration, rapid pulse, weakness,
headache, nausea, cramps in abdomen and
limbs.
• Treatment
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Contact emergency medical help
Have victim lie down, elevate feet
Move victim to shade or cool place
Give victim diluted salt water
Heat Stroke
• Signs include flushed hot and dry skin,
rapid, weak pulse, confusion and
unconscious
• Treatment
– Get medical help, delays could be fatal
– Cool body by spraying or sponging with cool
water
– Liquids, but no alcohol
Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac
• Signs include itching, redness, or blisters
• Treatment
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Cut clothing from exposed area (use gloves)
Avoid contact with contaminated area
Wash exposed area with soap water (no soap)
Wash yourself after treating
Apply commercial products
If blisters develop, see doctor
Seizures and Convulsions
• A seizure is not a medical emergency. It
usually ends in a few minutes. If it lasts
more than 15 minutes, get medical help.
• Treatment
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Remove objects that may injure a person
Do not restrain victim
Do not slap victim or douse with water
Do not place finger or hard objects in the mouth
When seizure ends, take victim to comfortable
area and allow them to sleep if they wish
Shock
• Signs include cold, clammy skin with beads
of perspiration on forehead and palms, pale
skin color, a cold feeling, shaking chills,
nausea, vomiting, shallow, rapid breathing
• Usually accompanies severe injury
Shock
• Treatment
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Get medical help
Correct the cause of the shock
Keep victim’s airway open
If victim vomits, prevent choking
Elevate victims legs
Keep victim comfortable and warm
Give water to the victim (unless abdominal)
Reassure victim
Spine or Neck Injuries
• Do not move victim unless needed
• Get medical help
• Do not move head except to keep airway
open
• If victim vomits, roll to their side. Don’t
turn head
• Monitor breathing
Sprains or Strains
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Treat as though it were a fracture
Place injured part at rest
Elevate injured part if possible
Apply cold compress or ice to prevent
swelling
• Contact a doctor
• Don’t apply heat for at least 24 hours