Category: Health & Safety

First Aid Basics: What Everyone Should Know

First aid is the immediate care provided to someone who is injured or suddenly becomes ill. It can help keep a person safe, prevent an injury from becoming worse, and support them until professional medical help arrives.

You do not need to be a doctor or nurse to provide basic first aid. In many situations, the most useful things you can do are recognize that something is wrong, call for help, protect the person from further harm, and follow instructions from a 911 dispatcher.

Reading about first aid is a useful beginning, but it does not replace hands-on training. A certified first aid, CPR, and automated external defibrillator course gives you an opportunity to practice these skills with an instructor.

Begin With Scene Safety

Before approaching an injured or sick person, look around and make sure it is safe to help.

Possible dangers include:

• Traffic
• Fire or smoke
• Electrical wires
• Chemicals or fumes
• Broken glass
• Deep or moving water
• Unstable structures
• Aggressive animals
• Weapons or violence
• Blood or other bodily fluids

Do not rush into a dangerous situation and become another injured person. Call 911 and wait for trained responders if you cannot approach safely.

If possible, use disposable gloves when blood or bodily fluids are present. Wash your hands after providing care, even if you wore gloves.

Check the Person

Once it is safe to approach, check whether the person is responsive.

Speak loudly and clearly:

“Are you okay? Can you hear me?”

For an adult, you may gently tap the person’s shoulder. Do not shake someone who may have a head, neck, or spinal injury.

Quickly check whether the person:

• Is awake and responding
• Is breathing normally
• Has severe bleeding
• Appears confused
• Can speak clearly
• Can move normally
• Has an obvious serious injury

Gasping, snorting, or occasional irregular breaths are not normal breathing and may be signs of cardiac arrest.

Know When to Call 911

Call 911 or your local emergency number when someone:

• Is unconscious or difficult to wake
• Is not breathing normally
• Has severe difficulty breathing
• Has chest pain or pressure
• Shows signs of a stroke
• Has severe or uncontrolled bleeding
• Has a serious head, neck, or spinal injury
• Is having a seizure that lasts several minutes or repeats
• Has a severe allergic reaction
• Has a major burn
• Has been seriously injured
• May have been poisoned or overdosed and has severe symptoms
• Is threatening immediate harm to themselves or another person
• Has symptoms that appear life-threatening or are rapidly worsening

If you are unsure whether the situation is an emergency, call 911 and describe what is happening. The dispatcher can help determine what assistance is needed.

If another person is nearby, point to them and give a direct instruction:

“You in the blue shirt—call 911 and bring the first aid kit.”

This is more effective than calling out generally for someone to help.

What to Tell the 911 Dispatcher

Try to remain on the line and answer the dispatcher’s questions.

Be prepared to provide:

• Your exact location
• The telephone number you are calling from
• What happened
• The person’s approximate age
• Whether the person is awake
• Whether the person is breathing normally
• Whether there is severe bleeding
• Any known medical conditions
• Any immediate dangers at the scene

Follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Put the phone on speaker if you need your hands free. Do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you to do so.

If possible, send someone to unlock the door, turn on outside lights, secure pets, and guide emergency responders to the person.

Get Permission Before Providing Care

If the person is awake, introduce yourself and ask:

“Can I help you?”

Explain what you plan to do. A conscious adult generally has the right to refuse assistance, even when you believe help is needed.

If the person is unconscious, confused, unable to respond, or experiencing a life-threatening emergency, consent is generally considered implied. Provide care within your knowledge and ability while emergency help is being requested.

For a child, ask a parent or guardian for permission when one is available. If no guardian is present and the child needs immediate lifesaving care, call 911 and follow the dispatcher’s instructions.

Provide Care Within Your Abilities

First aid is not about doing everything. It is about doing the safest useful things you know how to do.

You can:

• Call for professional help
• Follow instructions from a dispatcher
• Apply direct pressure to serious bleeding
• Bring an automated external defibrillator
• Keep the person still and comfortable
• Remove immediate hazards when it is safe
• Reassure the person
• Observe changes in breathing and responsiveness
• Provide information to emergency responders

Do not attempt a procedure you do not understand unless a 911 dispatcher or qualified professional is guiding you.

If Someone Is Unresponsive and Not Breathing Normally

If a teen or adult suddenly collapses and is not breathing normally:

1. Make sure the scene is safe.
2. Call 911 or direct someone else to call.
3. Send someone to get an automated external defibrillator, or AED.
4. Begin CPR if you are able.
5. Use the AED as soon as it is available.
6. Continue until the person begins breathing normally, trained help takes over, the scene becomes unsafe, or you are physically unable to continue.

For an untrained bystander who witnesses a teen or adult suddenly collapse, Hands-Only CPR consists of calling 911 and pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest. The American Heart Association recommends a compression rate of approximately 100 to 120 compressions per minute. American Heart Association: What Is CPR?

CPR recommendations differ for infants, children, drowning, overdose, breathing emergencies, and people who have been trained to give rescue breaths. A certified course is the best way to learn which technique to use.

Using an AED

An automated external defibrillator is a device that can analyze a person’s heart rhythm and deliver a shock when appropriate. AEDs are commonly found in schools, workplaces, gyms, airports, community buildings, and other public locations.

To use an AED:

1. Turn it on.
2. Expose the person’s chest.
3. Attach the pads as shown in the pictures on the pads.
4. Follow the device’s spoken instructions.
5. Make sure no one is touching the person when the AED analyzes the rhythm or delivers a shock.
6. Resume CPR when instructed.

The AED will only recommend a shock when it detects a rhythm that may respond to one. You do not need to decide whether a shock is appropriate.

If another person is available, have them prepare the AED while you continue CPR.

Severe Bleeding

Serious blood loss can become life-threatening quickly.

For severe external bleeding:

1. Call 911.
2. Put on gloves if they are available.
3. Place gauze, a clean cloth, or another suitable material over the wound.
4. Apply firm, steady pressure directly over the bleeding area.
5. Continue pressure until the bleeding stops or emergency responders take over.

If blood soaks through the first layer, do not remove it. Place more material on top and continue applying pressure.

Do not pull out an object that is deeply embedded in a wound. Apply pressure around it and wait for professional help.

A commercially manufactured tourniquet may be lifesaving for severe bleeding from an arm or leg, but it should be used correctly. Hands-on bleeding-control training can teach you when and how to apply one.

Seek prompt medical attention for:

• Bleeding that does not stop
• Deep, large, or gaping wounds
• Wounds caused by bites or dirty objects
• Injuries with embedded objects
• Loss of feeling or movement
• Wounds involving the face, eyes, hands, joints, or genitals
• Signs of shock

Signs of Shock

Shock occurs when the body is not receiving enough blood flow and oxygen. It can happen after severe bleeding, a serious injury, a severe allergic reaction, infection, or another medical emergency.

Possible signs include:

• Pale, cool, or clammy skin
• Rapid breathing
• Weakness or dizziness
• Confusion
• Unusual restlessness
• Nausea or vomiting
• A rapid, weak pulse
• Fainting or loss of consciousness

Call 911. Have the person lie still if doing so does not cause pain or breathing difficulty. Keep them from becoming too cold or overheated.

Do not give food or drink to someone who may be in shock, needs surgery, is confused, is vomiting, or may have trouble swallowing.

Burns

Move the person away from the source of the burn only when it is safe to do so.

For a minor heat-related burn:

1. Cool the area under clean, cool running water.
2. Remove rings, watches, or tight items before swelling begins, if they are not stuck to the skin.
3. Cover the burn loosely with a clean, nonstick dressing.
4. Protect the area from pressure and friction.

Do not use ice directly on a burn. Do not apply butter, grease, toothpaste, or household remedies. Do not break blisters.

Call 911 for burns that:

• Cause difficulty breathing
• Involve the face, mouth, throat, or airway
• Are deep, charred, white, or leathery
• Cover a large part of the body
• Result from electricity or serious chemical exposure
• Occur with another major injury

Burns involving the hands, feet, face, genitals, or major joints should also receive professional medical evaluation.

For chemical burns, avoid touching the chemical and follow emergency or Poison Control instructions. Brush off dry chemicals carefully before rinsing only when advised and when you can do so safely.

Choking

A person who can cough forcefully or speak may still be moving air. Encourage them to keep coughing and watch closely.

A person with a completely blocked airway may:

• Be unable to speak
• Be unable to cough effectively
• Make little or no sound
• Struggle to breathe
• Clutch their throat
• Develop bluish or grayish skin, lips, or nails
• Become unresponsive

Call 911 and provide choking care appropriate to the person’s age, size, pregnancy status, and your level of training. Techniques differ for adults, children, infants, pregnant people, and people whose body size makes standard abdominal thrusts inappropriate.

If the person becomes unresponsive, lower them carefully to a firm surface and begin CPR as directed by the dispatcher or according to your training.

Do not perform a blind finger sweep inside the mouth. Remove an object only if you can clearly see it and can remove it safely.

Seizures

Most seizures stop on their own, but the person needs protection from injury.

During a seizure:

• Move furniture and dangerous objects away.
• Protect the person’s head with something soft.
• Loosen tight clothing around the neck.
• Note when the seizure begins.
• Allow the movements to happen without restraining the person.
• Stay nearby until the person becomes alert.

Do not:

• Hold the person down
• Put anything in their mouth
• Try to force their jaw open
• Give food, drink, or medication during the seizure

A person cannot swallow their tongue.

Call 911 when:

• It is the person’s first known seizure
• The seizure lasts several minutes
• Another seizure begins before the person recovers
• The person has trouble breathing or waking afterward
• The person was injured
• The seizure occurred in water
• The person is pregnant
• The person has diabetes
• You do not know the person’s medical history
• The person does not recover as expected

After the movements stop, check breathing. If the person is breathing normally and no spinal injury is suspected, place them on their side if you know how to do so safely. Remain with them and speak calmly as awareness returns.

Falls and Possible Head, Neck, or Back Injuries

Do not immediately lift someone who has fallen.

First, check for:

• Severe pain
• Bleeding
• Confusion
• Loss of consciousness
• Vomiting
• Weakness or numbness
• An unusual position of an arm or leg
• Difficulty moving
• Head, neck, or back pain

Call 911 if the person may have a serious injury. Encourage them to remain still. Do not straighten a twisted limb or try to push a bone back into place.

If the person takes blood-thinning medication, is an older adult, hit their head, lost consciousness, or develops confusion, severe headache, repeated vomiting, weakness, or unusual sleepiness, seek prompt professional advice even when the fall initially seemed minor.

Suspected Broken Bones and Sprains

A fracture may cause:

• Severe pain
• Swelling or bruising
• Difficulty moving the area
• An unusual shape or position
• A grinding sensation
• Bone visible through the skin

Keep the injured area as still as possible. Do not test its movement or attempt to straighten it.

Call 911 for major injuries, open fractures, loss of circulation, severe bleeding, or suspected injuries to the head, neck, back, pelvis, or upper leg.

For a less serious injury, seek medical evaluation. A person may still have a fracture even if they can move the area or put some weight on it.

Nosebleeds

For a typical nosebleed:

1. Have the person sit upright.
2. Lean slightly forward rather than backward.
3. Pinch the soft part of the nose.
4. Maintain steady pressure without repeatedly releasing it to check.
5. Have the person breathe through their mouth.

Leaning forward helps prevent blood from running down the throat.

Seek medical help if the bleeding is heavy, follows a serious injury, causes breathing difficulty, does not stop with continued pressure, or occurs in someone taking blood-thinning medication.

Fainting

If someone feels faint, help them sit or lie down before they fall.

If they lose consciousness:

• Check breathing.
• Call 911 if they do not wake promptly, are injured, have abnormal breathing, are pregnant, or have concerning symptoms.
• Do not give food or drink until they are fully alert.
• Do not allow them to stand up suddenly.
• Stay with them and monitor for changes.

Fainting can have many causes, including dehydration, low blood sugar, medication effects, heart problems, bleeding, or overheating. Do not assume it is harmless when the cause is unknown.

Poisoning and Chemical Exposure

Possible poisoning may involve medications, household cleaners, chemicals, plants, alcohol, drugs, fumes, or other substances.

Do not make the person vomit. Do not give food, milk, water, medication, or a household remedy unless a poison specialist or medical professional tells you to do so.

In the United States, contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or use the official online tool at Poison.org. Help is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.

Call 911 immediately if the person:

• Collapses
• Has a seizure
• Has trouble breathing
• Cannot be awakened
• Is behaving dangerously
• Has severe symptoms

Move away from dangerous fumes without entering a contaminated area yourself. If a substance gets into the eyes or onto the skin, begin rinsing as directed on the product label or by Poison Control.

Do not wait for symptoms to appear before contacting Poison Control. Keep the product container, label, medication bottle, or pill information available when you call. Poison Control: Get Immediate Assistance

Severe Allergic Reactions

A severe allergic reaction, or anaphylaxis, may cause:

• Trouble breathing
• Wheezing
• Swelling of the lips, tongue, face, or throat
• Widespread hives
• Dizziness or fainting
• Vomiting
• A feeling that something is seriously wrong

Call 911 immediately.

If the person has a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector, help them use it according to their emergency plan, the device instructions, your training, or the dispatcher’s guidance. Do not delay calling 911 while waiting to see whether symptoms improve.

Symptoms can return after initially getting better, so the person still needs emergency medical evaluation.

Heat-Related Illness

Move the person to a cooler location and stop physical activity.

Possible signs of heat exhaustion include:

• Heavy sweating
• Weakness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Muscle cramps
• Cool or clammy skin

Provide cooling and seek medical guidance. If the person is fully alert and able to swallow safely, small amounts of cool fluid may be appropriate.

Confusion, collapse, seizures, loss of consciousness, or very hot skin may indicate heat stroke. Heat stroke is an emergency. Call 911 and begin cooling the person while waiting for help. Do not force fluids if the person is confused or not fully alert.

What Not to Do

Common first aid mistakes can make an injury worse.

Avoid:

• Entering an unsafe scene
• Moving someone with a possible spinal injury
• Giving food or drink to an unconscious or confused person
• Putting objects in the mouth of someone having a seizure
• Removing a deeply embedded object
• Straightening an obviously broken limb
• Applying ice directly to a burn
• Using butter or household remedies on burns
• Making a poisoned person vomit
• Giving medication that was prescribed to someone else
• Leaving a seriously ill or injured person alone
• Delaying emergency care because you are afraid of overreacting

When you do not know what to do, call 911 and follow the dispatcher’s instructions.

Build a First Aid Kit

Keep a first aid kit at home and consider smaller kits for your vehicle, workplace, or travel bag.

A basic kit may include:

• Disposable medical gloves
• Adhesive bandages in several sizes
• Sterile gauze pads
• Rolled gauze
• Medical tape
• Nonstick dressings
• Antiseptic wipes
• Antibiotic ointment, when appropriate
• Hydrocortisone cream
• Instant cold pack
• Elastic bandage
• Tweezers
• Blunt-tip scissors
• Digital thermometer
• Emergency blanket
• CPR breathing barrier
• Commercial tourniquet if someone is trained to use it
• Emergency contact information
• A first aid instruction card

Personalize the kit for household needs. This might include prescribed epinephrine, glucose tablets, or other emergency supplies recommended by a healthcare professional.

Check the kit several times each year. Replace expired, damaged, opened, or missing supplies. Store medications according to their instructions and keep all supplies away from young children.

Helpful Resources: Browse First Aid Kits for products, equipment, services, or supplies related to this section.

Prepare Before an Emergency Happens

Preparation makes it easier to respond calmly.

Take time to:

• Complete certified first aid, CPR, and AED training.
• Save emergency numbers in your phone.
• Post your address where it can be read to a dispatcher.
• Learn where AEDs are located at work and in community spaces.
• Keep medical and emergency information accessible.
• Learn about household allergies and medical conditions.
• Practice explaining your location clearly.
• Make sure family members know where the first aid kit is stored.
• Review emergency plans with anyone who may need assistance.

Refresh your training regularly. Skills become harder to remember when they are not practiced.

A Simple First Aid Response

When something happens, remember this basic order:

1. Check the scene. Do not enter if it is unsafe.
2. Check the person. Look for responsiveness, normal breathing, and severe bleeding.
3. Call for help. Call 911 for serious or uncertain emergencies.
4. Provide appropriate care. Stay within your abilities and follow dispatcher instructions.
5. Continue watching. Notice changes in breathing, awareness, pain, or bleeding.
6. Meet the responders. Share what happened and what care was provided.

You do not have to handle an emergency perfectly. Calling for help, staying with the person, and taking a few safe actions can make an important difference.

Suggested Guides

• Calling 911 & Explaining the Emergency
• Recognizing When a Problem Is an Emergency
• Responding to Choking
• Understanding CPR & How to Use an AED

Important Health & Safety Notice

The information in this guide is provided for general educational purposes only. Independence Answers is not a medical provider, and this content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or supervision. Always follow the instructions of your doctor, pharmacist, or other qualified healthcare professional, especially if you have a medical condition, take medication, or are unsure whether an action is safe for you.

Do not ignore or delay seeking professional care because of something you read here. If you believe someone may be experiencing a serious or life-threatening emergency, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Want to build your basic first-aid knowledge?

Alison is an online learning platform offering free courses across a wide range of practical and professional subjects. Alison’s free Basic First Aid Training course provides beginner-friendly instruction on responding to common injuries and medical emergencies, including assessing an emergency, CPR and AED basics, choking, bleeding, burns, seizures, allergic reactions, and using basic first-aid supplies.

Explore Alison’s Basic First Aid Training course →