<h4><img alt="" src="/imagedata/2009/jan/first-aid-2.jpg" align="right" border="0" />An in-flight emergency during business travel, or near your cubicle in office an unexpected situation could arise any time. iTalk prepares you to take charge and save a life, before professional help arrives</h4>The basics The signs of life are breathing and the pulse. In emergency situations, the following concerns take priority: 1.The victim's airway must be clear and they must be able to breathe. 2.To make sure the blood is circulating properly. How to check for breathing? Look for movements of the chest or abdomen confirm that these are smooth and regular. Listen close to the mouth or nose for sounds of breathing. You should be able to feel the victim's breath on your face. If there is no breathing, shout for help and call the ambulance. Till then, open the airway: The airway may be blocked by the position of the head. Press down on the forehead with one hand and with tip of two fingers, lift the chin. Checking the pulse: &gt;&gt;Use only tips of two fingers. Place them on the side of the Adam's apple without pressing on it. &gt;&gt;Slide your finger tips firmly backwards along the side of the Adam's apple so that they pass into the vertical groove between it and the muscle to the side of it. &gt;&gt;If you do not immediately feel the pulse, move the finger tips a little nearer to and further from the Adam's apple until the pulse is felt. For specific injuries and conditions Burns and scalds &gt;&gt;Minimise the damage by removing clothing and cooling the burned parts as quickly as possible with water. &gt;&gt;Cool the victim for the next 10 minutes by pouring buckets of cold water over him/her. &gt;&gt;Check that the airway is clear. &gt;&gt;Cover the burns with clean dressings to reduce the risk of infection. &gt;&gt;Give the victim regular sips of cold water, to replace any lost fluid. Wound infection &gt;&gt;Open wounds must be covered, in order to reduce the risk of wound infection. Wash the wound and the surrounding skin thoroughly with soap and water. Remove and foreign material and dirt from the wound. &gt;&gt;Wash hands, and then shake them dry. &gt;&gt;Swab the skin around the wound with an antiseptic solution &gt;&gt;Apply a sterile dressing or Band-Aid-type bandage after the wound has been thoroughly cleaned. Need to know: If the wound does not show any signs of healing after the first day, and is accompanied by increasing pain, heat, swelling or throbbing, consult a doctor. Fractures &gt;&gt;Further damage from broken bones must be prevented by immobilising the affected limb, so that movement at the fracture site is minimised, and further tissue injury avoided. &gt;&gt;Always pad the fracture site carefully and avoid undue pressure on it unless this is necessary to control severe bleeding. Heart attack &gt;&gt;Firstly, do not allow the victim to move unless it is essential. The victim must not be given anything to eat or drink. &gt;&gt;If the victim is conscious, manoeuvre him/her into a half-sitting position. The head, shoulders and knees should be supported by cushions. &gt;&gt;Reassure the victim and help him/her to relax. &gt;&gt;Loosen tight clothing at the neck, chest and waist. &gt;&gt;Check for pulse and breathing. Body temperature &gt;&gt;Wrap the victim in a blanket in order to maintain his/her body temperature. Need to know: Do not allow the victim's body temperature to get too hot by wrapping him/her up in layers or by using a hot-water bottle this may cause skin flushing because of widened blood vessels, and precipitate shock. Heatstroke Symptoms: &gt;&gt;The victim may become unconscious. &gt;&gt;The victim is restless and dizzy. &gt;&gt;The victim complains of feeling hot and having a headache. &gt;&gt;The skin is hot and dry. &gt;&gt;The pulse is strong and fast. &gt;&gt;The victim may be confused. &gt;&gt;Coma may result Management of heatstroke: &gt;&gt;Place the victim in a half-lying, half-sitting position. &gt;&gt;Remove all the victim's clothing. &gt;&gt;Wrap him in a cold wet sheet. &gt;&gt;Fan the sheet so that evaporation cools the victim more effectively. &gt;&gt;Stop when the skin feels cool or the temperature falls to 38 degrees C. Choking Coughing up the obstruction: If air can be inhaled, encourage strong coughing after slow inhalation. If this fails, try Bending and slapping: The victim should bend over, so that the head is lower than the lungs. Slap him/her sharply between the shoulder blades with the heel of the hand. If this doesn't work, try The Abdominal Thrust Method: &gt;&gt;Stand behind him/her, put one arm around him/her, clench your fist and place it in the middle of the abdomen, between the navel and the lower angle of the ribs. &gt;&gt;Turn the thumb inwards. &gt;&gt;Grasp your fist with the other hand and pull both firmly against the victim's body. &gt;&gt;Suddenly, thrust inwards and upwards with considerable force so as to compress the upper abdomen and push upwards on the diaphragm.

An in-flight emergency during business travel, or near your cubicle in office an unexpected situation could arise any time. iTalk prepares you to take charge and save a life, before professional help arrives

Your cut-and-keep guide to: Emergency first aid

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Your cut-and-keep guide to: Emergency first aid

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