Emergency! 1 Medical emergencies occur every day. Whether it’s an insect bite, a bleeding cut, or a head injury, injuries need to be treated in the right way. During an emergency, you must be attentive. The first thing to do is to look for signs that tell what is wrong. If the situation is serious, call 9-1-1. While waiting for emergency service, try to keep the person still. Speak to him or her in a calm manner. For minor injuries, you might have to give first aid treatment. First aid is immediate care to treat an injury. Read on to learn how to treat some emergency situations.

Bites
2 Most bites and stings from insects and spiders are not serious. If someone you know is bitten or stung, keep the person calm. Wash the area with soap and water. If the person has a bee sting, remove the stinger by scraping it out with a dull object such as a butter knife. If the bite is in a limb (an arm or a leg), keep the limb lower than the rest of the body. This way, the poison from the bite travels more slowly. After a few hours, the limb can be raised to reduce swelling. To further reduce swelling, apply an ice pack to the infected area. Do not put ice directly on the area. If there are several bites, however, take the initiative to call a doctor or a poison control center. Always remember to keep the person calm. If at any time, the victim appears to have severe symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, call 9-1-1. He or she may be having an allergic reaction. If this is the case, the person’s life may be in danger. Help him or her get medical attention immediately.

Bleeding
3 Blood can contain many disease-causing germs. When treating a bleeding wound, you must make sure that you do not come in contact with blood. First, wash your hands with soap and water. You don’t want to contaminate the wound with your germs either. If you have plastic gloves, wear them. Next, have the person lie down to prevent him or her from fainting. If possible, raise the wound higher than the level of the person’s heart to slow the bleeding. If there is dirt or if there are small objects around the wound, gently remove them. If there is a large object such as a piece of glass or a stick, do not remove it. If you do, the bleeding may become worse. Instead, place pads or bandages around the object and tape the object in place. Call for emergency help.
4 For a clean bleeding wound, press bandages or a clean cloth against the wound. if you don’t have these items, apply pressure with your hands. A plastic bag wrapped around your hands can protect them from the blood. If blood soaks through the cloth or bandages, don’t discard them—just apply more materials to the top. Use direct pressure for a full 15 minutes. Then check the wound for bleeding every 15 minutes for 45 minutes. If the bleeding hasn’t stopped by then, go to an emergency room or call 9-1-1.

Burns
5 Different kinds of burns need different treatments. If clothing catches fire, stop, drop, and roll until the fire is out. For burns from fire or hot liquid, remove jewelry or clothes near it and run cool water over the burn for 10 to 20 minutes. Do not use ice. For burns caused by touching hot items, run cold water directly over the burn. For chemical burns, find out what chemical caused the burn. Then call 9-1-1 or a poison control center for directions.

Heatstroke
6 Heatstroke occurs when the body can’t cool itself and body temperature builds to a dangerous level. If you suspect someone of having heatstroke, move the person out of the sun. Remove clothing to expose as much skin as possible. Have the person lie down with his or her feet elevated. Fan the person and rub or spray him or her with cool water. Apply ice packs to the person’s neck and armpits, but do not place the person in cold water. Do not give him or her any medicine. Most heatstroke victims are not alert, but if the person is alert, offer plenty of fluids.

Head Injuries
7 Any damage to the head or face is considered a head injury. The severity of a head injury may not always be obvious. The loss of consciousness is an indication that the brain is affected. In this case, you should call 9-1-1 and help the person get medical attention immediately. If the person does not lose consciousness, you still need to observe him or her for several hours. Symptoms to be aware of include confusion, memory loss, slurred speech, nausea, or vomiting. If any of these symptoms occur, the person needs medical attention. If bleeding occurs, control the bleeding. In addition, have the person lie down. If the injury is just a bruise, apply an ice pack to ease the pain and swelling.
8 Remember, no matter what the situation, stay calm and do your best. It’s better to take some kind of action rather than to do nothing at all. What you do and how quickly you act might help save a life.

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