Breathing Emergencies
During lunch at a busy restaurant, a man suddenly stands up, clutching his throat. He cannot speak or cough, and looks very panicked. What do you do?
Begin care for choking, alternating between 5 back blows, abdominal thrusts, or chest thrusts until the object dislodges or the victim goes unconscious. If the object becomes dislodged, encourage the individual to seek medical attention.
You are on a walk with a friend who steps on uneven ground and twists her ankle. She can still walk, but it hurts to put pressure on her right ankle. What type of injury do you suspect, and what do you do?
This is likely a sprain. Use RICE and encourage medical attention if it is not getting better in a couple of days.
You are sitting at the beach, and your friend gets a spontaneous nosebleed. What do you do?
Have them hold a bandage to their nose, pinch their nose, and have them tilt their head down. If the bleeding does not get better within 15 minutes, seek medical attention.
After hiking for several hours, your friend starts to feel dizzy, weak, and nauseous. They are sweating heavily. You realize it has been a long time since you have seen them drink any water! What condition do you suspect, and what do you do?
Your partner wakes up late for work and leaps out of bed! They seem uneasy and suddenly collapse to the floor. After a few seconds, they regain consciousness and seem confused but alert. What do you do?
Move them into the recovery position and monitor ABCs. Time how long the person is unconscious, and call 911 if it lasts more than a few minutes/the person is pregnant/is a result of a serious injury. Let them rest and encourage them to follow up with a healthcare professional.
During sports practice, a 12-year-old child begins to wheeze and struggle to breathe. She tells you she needs her inhaler. What type of respiratory emergency is this, and what do you do?
A teenager falls while skateboarding and lands on his hand. The wrist is swollen, painful, and the person can’t move it without sharp pain. What type of injury do you suspect, and what do you do?
This is a possible fracture. Immobilize the wrist however it is comfortable for the individual, and support using a sling. Seek medical care immediately (911 is not necessary if someone can take him to the hospital).
Your sister was making dinner in the kitchen and accidentally poured boiling water on her forearm. It is already starting to blister. What do you do?
Seek medical attention/call 911. Cool the arm by submerging it in cold water for at least 10 minutes. Once the individual no longer feels burning, wrap it loosely with a non-stick dressing.
During a hot afternoon at the beach, your friend starts to act aggressively, and you realize their skin looks dry, red, and hot. What do you suspect is going on, and what do you do?
This is likely a case of heat stroke. Call 911. Move to a cool place and remove excess clothing. Cool rapidly with cold water. Only give them water if they are alert enough to drink it.
While shopping, a person becomes pale, sweaty, shaky, and irritable. They say they feel “weird” and seem disoriented. A friend mentions they have diabetes. What do you do?
Give the person sugar. If they do not improve within 10 minutes or are not alert enough to take sugar (cannot follow direction or swallow), call 911.
A close friend of yours is allergic to peanuts, and you just watched him eat a cookie that has peanuts in it! He says he can feel is throat starting to close up, and his face is starting to swell. What do you do?
Call 911. Find an Epi-pen (ideally his own) and massage the area after administering. Monitor ABCs and administer an Epi-pen every 10 minutes if symptoms are not improving.
Your friend is working on a ladder, and decides it would be faster to jump down than climb down. They jump down, and you hear a loud crack and they fall to the ground in pain. They are holding their left ankle in pain and cannot move it at all. What do you suspect happened, and what do you do?
This is a possible fracture caused by direct impact. Find a way to get them to the hospital or call 911. Keep the person comfortable and apply a splint (soft/hard/anatomical).
Your friend is working outside with a chainsaw and accidentally cuts into his thigh. There is heavy bleeding which does not get better with pressure. What do you do?
Call 911. Always keep first bandage on when applying pressure. Apply a tourniquet when the bleeding cannot be controlled with pressure. Document the time the tourniquet was tightened.
Someone waiting for a bus in -25°C weather notices their fingers and ears have turned pale and hard, and feel numb. What do you suspect is going on, and what do you do?
This is likely a case of superficial frostbite. Move indoors, remove any wet clothing or jewelry, and warm the affected areas using warm (not hot) water, only if you are certain the area will not refreeze! Wrap the area with a loose, nonstick bandage. Rehydrate the person. Encourage the person to seek medical attention.
Someone at the gym suddenly falls to the ground and begins convulsing. Their muscles stiffen, and they’re unresponsive. Their friend says this has never happened before. The seizure lasts about a minute, then they remain groggy and confused.
Because this has never happened before, call 911. During the seizure, move objects out of the way that could harm them, and protect the head with something soft. Do not hold them down. After the seizure, check their ABCs and keep them in the recovery position.
You are on the scene of an individual with a life-threatening bleed. The victim's friend appears very panicked and is starting to hyperventilate. What do you do?
Encourage the individual to take slow, controlled breaths.
You see your neighbour slip on the ice outside and land hard on the right side of his body. When he stands up, his right arm appears to hang lower than the other side, and he is holding his arm close to his body. What injury do you suspect, and what do you do?
This is a possible dislocation. See if someone can take him to the hospital, or call 911. Support the arm in the position found, and put it in a sling if it is comfortable for the individual. Do not try to push the joint back into place!
You are at a baseball game, and your friend gets hit in the mouth with the ball! There is a lot of blood coming from his mouth, and you notice he is missing a tooth. What do you do?
Control bleeding in the mouth by having them bite down on a bandage. Find the tooth and store it in a container with egg white, coconut water, saline, or the person's own saliva. Document the individual's name and the time. Have the person seek care from a dentist immediately (best within 1hr).
After being stranded in cold wind for hours, a snowmobiler is shivering violently, slurring words, and moving clumsily. Their skin feels cold. What level of hypothermia do you suspect, and what do you do?
This is likely mild/moderate hypothermia. Move the person somewhere warm, have them rest, and slowly warm them with blankets, warm (not hot) drinks, etc. Call 911 if the person is not alert or is not improving with treatment.
During a coffee break, a coworker suddenly drops their mug. One side of their face is drooping, speech is slurred, and they can’t raise both arms evenly. What do you do?
Call 911. Check FAST (face, arms, speech). Keep them comfortable and try not to panic the person. Continue to monitor their symptoms and ABCs until EMS arrive.
You are with a friend who goes into anaphylactic shock after being stung by a bee. They do not have their Epi-pen. What do you do?
Call 911. Treat for shock and keep them comfortable until EMS can arrive.
You are driving home from work and see a cyclist get hit by a car. You pull over (because you are a good first aider), and see a man lying on the ground, clutching his left leg. You can see bone sticking out of his leg. He also complains that his right wrist is extremely painful and is swelling. What do you do?
This is likely a fracture in the leg, and likely a fracture of the wrist. Call 911. Splint the leg (hard/soft/anatomical), and then care for the wrist using a sling.
A worker slips on a nail that punctures the bottom of their foot through their boot. The wound is small but deep, and bleeding is slow.
Call 911 or seek immediate medical attention. Leave the boot on and stabilize the object; do not remove it. Apply pressure around the wound.
A fisherman pulled from icy water is unconscious. His skin is cold and pale, breathing is slow, and pulse is weak. What level of hypothermia do you suspect, and what do you do?
This is severe hypothermia, because the person is no longer conscious. Call 911. Move the person somewhere warm, remove wet clothing and warm the person with blankets, etc. If breathing stops, begin CPR.
While scraping ice off a windshield, your neighbour suddenly clutches his chest, describing a squeezing pain that spreads to his left arm and jaw. You remember your neighbour has angina. What do you do?
Help your neighbour rest and find his nitroglycerin. Ask if he has taken a sexually enhancing drug in the last 24 hours, and do not provide their nitro if they say yes! If symptoms do not improve within 10 minutes of taking their medication, call 911.