First Aid for Fires and Accidents: What You Need to Know Before Help Arrives
Whether you are faced with a house fire, a car crash, or an accidental injury at home, knowing how to act before professional help arrives can make the difference between life and death. First aid is lifesaving knowledge that can provide you with safety measures when it matters most. Read on to discover what you need to know to navigate accidents and fires before emergency responders arrive.
Why First Aid Matters in Emergencies
The moments between the onset of an emergency that leaves you injured and the arrival of professional responders dispatched from the FREE-to-use iER App can lead to severe consequences. Without immediate care, injuries can worsen, and lives can be lost. However, if you rely on first aid, you can prevent the worsening of the emergency, reduce discomfort and save time for responders when they arrive.
How to Respond to Fires
When fires spread quickly, they don’t give you enough time to think. Your actions during the first few moments can determine your and your loved ones’ safety. Here are some important points to consider when there’s a fire:
Follow Safety Evacuation Measures
When a fire starts, the main goal is to ensure safe evacuation measures are followed. It’s important to alert everyone by activating fire alarms to make them aware of the danger before it’s too late. Then, you can use the nearest exit to get out of the house or building safely while avoiding using elevators and ensuring you close the doors behind you to prevent the fire from spreading.
Address Minor Burns
If you notice someone has burn injuries, providing immediate care can prevent complications while waiting for emergency responders to arrive. The first thing to do is to cool the burn with running cool water. However, you should avoid damaging cell tissue or worsening burns by applying ice, butter, oils, or toothpaste.
Treat Smoke Inhalation
Smoke inhalation can be as life-threatening as the fire itself. Look out for symptoms like coughing, wheezing, or difficulty breathing after exposure to fire. Moreover, ensure you move to a well-ventilated area to help clear your lungs and monitor dizziness that could lead to unconsciousness.
What You Can Do During Accidents
The injuries you sustain during an accident might require urgent medical care. Being prepared and knowing how to act can help reduce complications. These are some practical tips for a lifesaving recovery you should consider:
Prioritise Safety
It’s important to ensure the accident scene, at home or on the road, is safe before you can offer first aid. For instance, you should move yourself and others from oncoming traffic and turn your hazard lights to warn other motorists. Additionally, consider the potential ongoing danger of exposed wires, a gas leak, or broken glass that could cause more damage when there’s an incident at home.
Assess the Severity of the Situation
If you are not injured or require medical care, you can identify the victims with the most severe injuries. Assess any breathing issues and look for signs of bleeding or open wounds. If you notice uncontrolled bleeding, use a clean cloth to apply pressure and slow the bleeding until emergency responders.
Perform CPR if Necessary
If you notice that someone isn’t breathing correctly, and it might increase the likelihood of cardiac arrest, knowing how to perform CPR could save their life. Giving chest compressions and rescue breaths can make a significant difference during emergencies. While you wait for urgent care support to arrive, CPR can help improve the chances of survival.
When faced with an emergency like a fire or an accident, immediate and decisive action is helpful. Knowing how to provide first aid and staying mentally prepared can improve one’s chances of survival. Moreover, sending an alert on your FREE-to-use iER App immediately during an emergency can ensure you prioritise safety and access to urgent medical care.
With over 1 million downloads, the iER App is South Africa’s go-to emergency companion. Best of all, it’s completely FREE to download from the Google Play Store, Huawei AppGallery, or Apple App Store. Stay connected with us on social media for important safety updates and tips. Have questions? Find all the answers you need here.