Illustrated First Aid Guide - Marcia Wendorf [14]
To rescue a victim who has fallen through the ice:
1. Never walk on the ice to rescue someone
2. Throw a rope or offer a long stick, then pull the victim out and across the ice on their belly to distribute their weight as evenly as possible.
3. Do not have the victim try to climb on the ice edge because it results in more ice breaking.
4. If the victim is unconscious, tie a rope around your waist, secure the other end, and slide out on the ice on your belly to reach the victim.
5. Form a human chain with everyone lying down to reach the victim.
Treatment:
1. If the victim isn’t breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation as soon as you can, even while still in the water.
2. If the victim’s airway is obstructed making breathing impossible, perform the Heimlich maneuver to clear it.
3. Once on shore, if the victim is not breathing, start CPR and continue until emergency medical personnel arrive.
4. If the victim is breathing, place them on their stomach with their arms extended at shoulder level and bent, their head turned to one side and the leg on the same side drawn up at a right angle to the torso. This position allows swallowed water to drain.
5. Keep the victim warm by removing wet clothing and covering with warm blankets to prevent hypothermia.
Foreign Object Inhaled
If an adult or child inhales a foreign object, seek medical attention. If the inhaled object causes choking, perform first aid as described below. If you’re the only rescuer, perform first aid before calling 911.
Treatment:
1. With the heel of your hand, pound five times on the victim’s back between their shoulder blades.
2. Perform five abdominal thrusts also known as the Heimlich maneuver.
3. Alternate five back blows with five abdominal thrusts until either the object is dislodged or medical personnel arrive.
Heart Attack
A heart attack occurs when an artery that supplies blood and oxygen to your heart muscle becomes blocked. Pain from a heart attack generally lasts longer than 15 minutes, however, heart attacks can also be silent, with no signs or symptoms.
The main symptom of a heart attack may be recurrent chest pain that’s triggered by exertion and relieved by rest. Someone having a heart attack may experience any or all of the following symptoms:
• Uncomfortable pressure, fullness or squeezing pain in the center of the chest lasting more than a few minutes
• Pain spreading to the shoulders, neck or arms
• Lightheadedness, fainting, sweating, nausea or shortness of breath
Treatment:
1. For symptoms lasting more than five minutes, call 911.
2. Do not allow the victim to drive himself or herself to an emergency room. It puts the victim and fellow drivers at risk should the symptoms worsen.
3. Have the victim chew a regular-strength aspirin; aspirin can inhibit blood clotting. Don’t give aspirin if the person is allergic to it or has been advised not to take it by their doctor.
4. If the victim has been prescribed nitroglycerin, have them take it as directed.
5. If the victim is unconscious, begin CPR. A 911 dispatcher can advise you how to perform CPR.
Heimlich Maneuver
To perform the Heimlich maneuver on a choking victim:
1. Stand behind the victim and wrap your arms around their waist.
2. If possible, tip the person lightly forward.
3. Make a fist with one hand and position it slightly above the person’s navel.
4. Grasp the fist with your other hand and with a quick, upward thrust press hard into the victim’s abdomen as if you were trying to lift that person up.
5. If the blockage isn’t dislodged, perform a total of five abdominal thrusts.
Heimlich Maneuver Body Position
Heimlich Maneuver Fist
Heimlich Maneuver Thrust
To perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself:
1. Place your fist slightly above your navel.
2. Grasp your fist with your other hand and bend over a hard surface, such