First Aid Basics Every Family Should Know

Why First Aid Knowledge Saves Lives

The emergency services in the UK respond to life-threatening calls impressively fast, but there is always a gap between when something goes wrong and when professional help arrives. In cardiac arrest, brain damage begins within four to six minutes without intervention. In severe allergic reaction, anaphylaxis can be fatal within minutes. In choking, the airway can close completely within seconds. First aid in the hands of an ordinary person in those first minutes can be the difference between survival and death, or between full recovery and permanent injury.

You do not need an extensive course to have genuinely useful first aid knowledge, though formal training is always recommended and many organisations including St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross offer short, affordable courses. What follows are the core skills that matter most.

CPR: The Most Important Skill

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) maintains blood circulation and oxygenation of the brain when the heart has stopped. It does not restart the heart on its own, but it buys time until a defibrillator is available or paramedics arrive.

If someone collapses and is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 999 immediately (or ask someone nearby to call while you begin CPR). Place your hands, one on top of the other, on the centre of the person's chest. With your arms straight, push down firmly and quickly, pressing the chest down by 5 to 6 centimetres, at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. The song Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees is almost exactly this rate and is genuinely useful as a mental guide.

If you are trained in rescue breaths, give two after every 30 compressions. If you are not trained or are not comfortable, hands-only CPR (continuous compressions without rescue breaths) is effective and is what the Resuscitation Council UK now recommends for untrained bystanders. Do not stop until emergency services take over or the person begins breathing normally.

Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) are available in many public locations including train stations, shopping centres, and some high streets. The 999 operator can direct you to the nearest one. AEDs are designed to be used by non-medical people and give clear spoken instructions. Using one as soon as possible dramatically increases survival odds from cardiac arrest.

Choking

Choking requires immediate action. If someone is coughing strongly, encourage them to keep coughing. If they cannot cough effectively, are going silent, or are starting to change colour, intervene immediately.

Lean them forward and give five sharp blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. Check after each blow to see if the obstruction has cleared. If not, give up to five abdominal thrusts: stand behind them, place a fist just above the navel, grab it with your other hand, and pull sharply inward and upward. Alternate between five back blows and five abdominal thrusts until the blockage clears or the person loses consciousness. If they become unconscious, call 999 and begin CPR.

For infants under one year, the technique is different: lay the baby face-down along your forearm, supporting the head, and give five back blows between the shoulder blades with two fingers. Then turn the baby face up and give five chest thrusts with two fingers on the centre of the chest. Never perform abdominal thrusts on an infant.

Severe Bleeding

Significant blood loss can lead to shock and death within minutes. The priority with severe bleeding is direct pressure. Apply firm, consistent pressure to the wound using whatever clean cloth is available, your hand if nothing else is to hand, and do not remove it. If the cloth soaks through, add more on top rather than removing the first. If a limb is bleeding severely and you cannot control it with pressure, a tourniquet applied tightly above the wound (not on a joint) can save a life. Knowledge of how to improvise a tourniquet is genuinely valuable.

Call 999 for any severe bleeding. Keep the person lying down and warm. Reassure them calmly. Monitor for signs of shock: pale, cold, clammy skin, rapid shallow breathing, confusion, and a weak pulse.

Burns

For burns, cool the affected area under cool (not cold) running water for a minimum of 20 minutes. Do not use ice, butter, toothpaste, or any other substance. Remove any jewellery or clothing near the burn unless it is stuck to the skin. Cover with a clean, non-fluffy material such as cling film or a clean plastic bag. Seek medical attention for any burn larger than a postage stamp, any burn on the face, hands, feet, or genitals, all burns in children, and any burn that is deep or charred.

Anaphylaxis: Severe Allergic Reaction

Anaphylaxis is a rapid, severe allergic reaction that can be life-threatening. Signs include swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing or swallowing, a skin rash or flushing, vomiting, and sudden weakness or collapse. Call 999 immediately if you suspect anaphylaxis.

If the person has an adrenaline auto-injector (EpiPen), use it immediately. Inject into the outer thigh through clothing if necessary. Lay them flat with legs raised unless breathing is difficult, in which case allow them to sit up. Even if they seem to improve after the EpiPen, they must go to hospital because anaphylaxis can have a biphasic reaction and symptoms can return hours later.