FIRST AID IN AN EMERGENCY

First aid is the temporary relief or care given to a person in case of emergencies or life
threatening situations.

First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-
expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be
accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care past the
first aid intervention. It generally consists of a series of simple and in some cases, potentially life-saving
techniques that an individual can be trained to perform with minimal equipment.

While first aid can also be performed on all animals, the term generally refers to care of human
patients.

History
The instances of recorded first aid were provided by religious knights, such as the Knights
Hospitaller, formed in the 11th century, providing care to pilgrims and knights, and training other
knights in how to treat common battlefield injuries. The practice of first aid fell largely in to disuse
during the High Middle Ages, and organized societies were not seen again until in 1859, Jean-Henri
Dunant organized local villagers to help victims of the Battle of Solferino, including the provision of first
aid. Four years later, four nations met in Geneva and formed the organization which has grown into the
Red Cross, with a key stated aim of "aid to sick and wounded soldiers in the field". This was followed by
the formation of St. John Ambulance in 1877, based on the principles of the Knights Hospitaller, to
teach first aid, and numerous other organization joined them with the term first aid first coined in 1878
as civilian ambulance services spread as a combination of "first treatment" and "national aid" in large
railway centres and mining districts as well as with police forces. In 1878, Surgeon-Major Peter
Shepherd, together with Colonel Francis Duncan established the concept of teaching first aid skills to
civilians. Shepherd, together with a Dr Coleman, conducted the first class in the hall of the Presbyterian
school in Woolwich using a comprehensive first aid curriculum that he had developed. It was Shepherd
who first used the English term "first aid for the injured." First aid training began to spread through the
empire through organisations such as St. John, often starting, as in the UK, with high risk activities such
as ports and railways.

Many developments in first aid and many other medical techniques have been driven by wars,
such as in the case of the American Civil War, which prompted Clara Barton to organize the American
Red Cross. Today, there are several groups that promote first aid, such as the military and the Scouting
movement. New techniques and equipment have helped make todays first aid simple and effective.
Characteristics of a Good First Aider
1. Should be cool or calm.
2. Knowledgeable about first aid.
3. Alert, Alive and Awake.
4. Firm and gentle in his decisions.
5. Knows how to respond quickly to different situations or cases.
6. Fit and healthy.

Values of First Aid

1. For self-help
2. Help for others
3. Preparation for calamities or disasters

Steps to keep in mind during emergencies:

1. Assess the situation.
2. Secure and keep the area safe.
3. Give the emergency aid needed and get some help.
4. Do not attempt to be a hero.
5. Remember to be calm and in control of yourself.

Aims of First Aid

The key aims of first aid can be summarized in three key points:

Preserve life: the overriding aim of all medical care, including first aid, is to save lives

Prevent further harm: also sometimes called prevent the condition from worsening, or danger of
further injury, this covers both external factors, such as moving a patient away from any cause of harm,
and applying first aid techniques to prevent worsening of the condition, such as applying pressure to
stop a bleed becoming dangerous.

Promote recovery: first aid also involves trying to start the recovery process from the illness or injury,
and in some cases might involve completing a treatment, such as in the case of applying a plaster to a
small wound.