BASIC FIRST-AID 101

FIRST-AID 101

Accidents are going to happen, No matter how prepared you are and During a SHTF scenario you may have to be your own doctor. I have been around a few major disasters where the majority of wounded people suffered simple soft tissue injuries and burns that could have been treated on their own,-If they knew how.”

With these simple and effective tips you “will know how” increasing your chance of survival.The most important thing to do if you suffer an injury that develops a wound in your skin,is to clean it by irrigating it with a continuous jet of clean water.

By irrigating the wound with water you are going to remove debris more effectively and with less risk of tissue damage or contamination than by washing or swabbing the wound with soap and water.

To be well equipped in any situation you will want to make sure you have an irrigation syringe and some catheter tubing in your first aid kit. This will allow you to attach the tubing to the nozzle of the syringe allowing you spray a constant pressurized stream of water onto the wound.

If for some reason you don’t have these items you can improvise with a plastic bag filled with water that has a small hole in it so you can squeeze the stream of water onto the wound.

You need to avoid the temptation to reach for antiseptics like alcohol or iodine to clean the wound, because along with the germs you will be killing the healthy cells that would be otherwise used in the healing process.

 Now if you or a loved one should suffer wounds caused by burns, you are going to want to cool the affected area as quickly as possible to stop additional damage.

(Red and painful) First-degree and second-degree (blistered) can be treated like wounds as early described: wash and cover them. In the event of second-degree burns, try to leave the blisters intact, but if they do break, just treat them as wounds.

Despite what your mother told you, you are not food so avoid using butter or oil as remedies because they can actually be harmful. So put down the butter and stick with antibiotic ointment and a bandage.

Now god forbid you do get a third degree-burn (charred skin) keep them clean and moist and keep the victim hydrated until medical help arrives.

 After irrigating and cleansing your wound, you’ll want to treat it with triple antibiotic ointment and cover it with dressing so you can keep the wound clean and free from any additional damage.

Use adhesive bandages for small wounds and gauze pads secured with adhesive tape for large ones. If you have any trouble getting your bandages to stick either from activity or from wet conditions apply a small amount tincture of Benzoin to help make the adhesive stick. Make sure to change the dressing at least once a day.

 Now if you happen to get a deep cut, don’t get all holly wood and try stitch the wound in the field with a makeshift suture like the hero in an action movie. You’re more than likely to cause an infection. Instead just lightly close the wound with butterfly strips.

Thank you

 Critical Edge