First Aid at Home: What to Do Before You Reach the Hospital

First Aid at Home: What to Do Before You Reach the Hospital
Date posted:  21-07-2025

What would you do if your loved ones suddenly collapsed in front of you and help was still minutes away? Is your knowledge of emergency care limited to just what's inside a first aid kit or a first aid box? Accidents and medical emergencies can happen when we least expect them. Yes, of course, you have to call emergency services. However, knowing basic first aid can make a crucial difference before professional help arrives. This blog is going to revamp your perspective on first aid and health. So, let's explore what first aid you can do at home to save someone before reaching the hospital. 

What is first aid?

Let's explore the question: What do you understand by first aid? It is the immediate care to be given to someone who is injured or suddenly falls ill. First aid awareness is important, and every second Saturday in September is celebrated annually as World First Aid Day to raise awareness among people.         

Stay Calm and Assess the Emergency Situation

Calmly deal with the emergency situation. Remove the person from the danger zone first. Once you feel safe, check the person's responsiveness. Are they conscious? Breathing? Bleeding? Call for the emergency service. Meanwhile, promptly decide what kind of first aid to apply and give accordingly. For common emergencies, keeping a reliable first aid medicine list helps. 

Call Emergency Services Immediately

In life-threatening situations such as:

  • Chest pain or suspected heart attack

  • Stroke symptoms

  • Major bleeding

  • Seizures

  • Difficulty breathing

  • Unconsciousness

While you administer first aid, keep your phone on speaker to follow instructions if needed.

Types of first aid

First Aid For Bleeding: Control It Quickly

For cuts, lacerations, or injuries involving bleeding:

  • By using a clean cloth, apply direct pressure to the wound.

  • It is recommended to elevate the injured area above the level of the heart.

  • Apply pressure around the embedded object and seek medical help immediately.

  • Severe bleeding can lead to shock, so keep the person lying down and calm while waiting for help.

Burns First Aid Treatment: Cool the Area

Burns due to hot water, oil, or fire are common:

  • For minor burns (redness, pain, no blisters), run cool water over the area for 10-15 minutes.

  • Do not use butter or toothpaste.

  • Cover the burn with a clean, non-stick bandage.

  • For severe burns (charred skin, blisters, or large areas affected), call emergency services immediately. Keep the person warm and still.

Choking First Aid: Act Fast

When a person undergoes choking and is unable to cough, breathe, or speak:

  • For children above 1 year of age and adults: Perform the Heimlich maneuver—stand behind the person, place your arms around their waist, form a fist with one hand, grasp it with your other hand, and deliver quick upward thrusts just above the navel and below the ribcage.

  • For infants under 1 year: Support the baby face-down on your forearm, give five back blows between the shoulder blades, then turn the baby over and give five chest thrusts.

First Aid for unresponsive & non- breathing person: CPR

Continue cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if a person is unresponsive and not breathing:

1. Check Responsiveness and Breathing

  • If unresponsive and not breathing or only gasping, begin CPR immediately.

2. Position the Person

  • Place them on their back on a firm, flat surface.

3. Start Chest Compressions

  • Place your hands in the center of the chest.

  • Push hard and fast (100–120 compressions per minute, 5–6 cm deep).

4. Add Rescue Breaths (if trained)

  • After 30 compressions, give 2 rescue breaths.

  • Ensure the airway is open before delivering breaths.

5. Use an AED (if available)

  • Turn it on and follow the voice instructions.

  • Deliver a shock if advised, then resume CPR immediately.

Continue CPR until emergency services arrive or the person starts breathing normally.

First Aid for Fractures: Immobilize

  • Do not try to realign the limb.

  • Immobilize the area using a splint or by wrapping it with a towel or cloth.

  • Apply ice to reduce swelling.

  • Elevate the limb if possible.

  • For sprains, follow the R.I.C.E. method: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

Poisoning: Do Not Induce Vomiting

When it comes to first aid treatment for snake bites or cases where someone has ingested a harmful substance, call emergency services immediately:

  • Don't induce vomiting unless instructed to do so by emergency medicine experts.

  • Keep the person still and note what was taken and how much.

Always Have a First Aid Kit

Every home should have a well-stocked first aid kit:

  • Sterile gauze and bandages

  • Antiseptic wipes

  • Tweezers and scissors

  • Thermometer

  • Pain relievers (Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen)

  • Burn cream ( Silver Sulfadiazine)  and antibiotic ointment.

  • CPR face shield

  • Emergency numbers list

Why Believers is a Name You Can Trust?

First aid buys valuable time. Learning basic skills and keeping calm during an emergency can turn a potentially tragic event into a manageable one. Believers church medical college hospital, Thiruvalla, is a trusted choice for emergency services. Our emergency department features modern emergency medicine equipment and innovative bedside monitoring capabilities. Believers Hospital Thiruvalla has the best doctors who provide vital pre-hospital care that is given during the transportation of injured patients. So when it comes to an emergency, be prepared, learn first aid, and save a life. 

 

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