First Aid Pocket Guide

Call emergency services first for life-threatening emergencies. This guide is a memory aid for trained responders and a basic resource for untrained bystanders. Formal first aid training is strongly recommended — contact your local Red Cross or St John Ambulance.

⚠️ Always prioritise your own safety before approaching a casualty. Ensure the scene is safe — gas leaks, fire, traffic, and electrical hazards kill rescuers.

CPR — Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Chain of Survival

1. Recognise cardiac arrest and call emergency services immediately
2. Begin CPR right away
3. Use AED as soon as available
4. Advanced medical care

Adult CPR (≥ 8 years, puberty reached)

Step	Action
1. Check response	Tap shoulders and call out — "Are you OK?"
2. Call for help	Call emergency services (911/999/112); request AED
3. Open airway	Tilt head back, lift chin
4. Check breathing	Look/listen/feel for ≤ 10 seconds
5. Chest compressions	Heel of hand on centre of chest; arm straight; compress 5–6 cm; 100–120 per minute
6. Rescue breaths	30 compressions : 2 breaths (tilt head, seal mouth, watch chest rise)
7. Continue	30:2 ratio until AED arrives, casualty recovers, or you are too exhausted

Untrained / unwilling to give rescue breaths: Continuous chest compressions at 100–120/minute (hands-only CPR) is effective and recommended.

Child CPR (1–8 years, pre-puberty)

Difference from Adult	Detail
Compression depth	5 cm (or ⅓ chest depth)
Compression technique	One or two hands depending on child size
Rescue breaths	Gentler — just enough to see chest rise
Starting step	5 rescue breaths before starting 30:2 compressions

Infant CPR (< 1 year)

Step	Detail
Compressions	Two fingers on centre of chest; depth 4 cm
Rate	100–120 per minute
Rescue breaths	Seal mouth AND nose; very small puff
Ratio	30 compressions : 2 breaths (or 15:2 if two rescuers)
Starting step	5 initial rescue breaths

Choking Response

Adult and Child (> 1 year) — Conscious

Step	Action
1. Assess	Can they cough, speak, or breathe? If yes — encourage coughing. Do not intervene.
2. If not coughing effectively	5 firm back blows: lean forward; heel of hand between shoulder blades
3. If back blows fail	5 abdominal thrusts (Heimlich): stand behind; fist above navel; sharp inward-upward thrust
4. Alternate	Repeat 5 back blows + 5 abdominal thrusts; check mouth between cycles
5. If unconscious	Lower to floor; begin CPR; look for and remove any visible obstruction before breaths

Infant Choking (< 1 year)

Step	Action
1. Back blows	Face-down along forearm; 5 firm blows to upper back
2. Chest thrusts	Turn face-up; 2 fingers on sternum; 5 chest thrusts (do NOT use abdominal thrusts)
3. Alternate	Repeat until object clears or infant loses consciousness

Self-Heimlich (Alone, Choking)

1. Make a fist above your navel.
2. Thrust sharply inward and upward.
3. Alternative: Lean forward and thrust abdomen onto a hard edge (back of chair, table corner).

Severe Bleeding

Step	Action
1. Protect yourself	Use gloves if available; at minimum avoid direct contact with blood
2. Apply direct pressure	Firm continuous pressure with cleanest available material (cloth, bandage)
3. Maintain pressure	Do not lift to check — 10 minutes minimum continuous pressure
4. Tourniquet (limb only)	If blood soaks through and bleeding is life-threatening: apply 5–7 cm above wound; tighten until bleeding stops; note time
5. Do not remove tourniquet	Once applied, only remove in hospital setting
6. Wound packing	For deep junctional wounds (groin, armpit, neck) where tourniquet cannot be applied: pack wound with gauze and apply hard continuous pressure

Signs of life-threatening bleeding: Blood pooling rapidly, blood spurting in pulses, large wound on trunk or thigh.

Shock

Shock is inadequate blood flow to vital organs. It is life-threatening and can follow severe bleeding, burns, anaphylaxis, or trauma.

Sign of Shock	Response
Pale/grey/mottled skin	Lay flat; raise legs 30 cm unless head/chest/spinal injury suspected
Rapid weak pulse	Keep warm with blanket; do not give food or water
Rapid shallow breathing	Loosen tight clothing; stay calm and reassure
Confusion or anxiety	Call emergency services; monitor breathing; prepare for CPR

⚠️ Do not give alcohol, food, or water to a person in shock. If they lose consciousness and are breathing, place in recovery position.

Recovery Position

For an unconscious person who is breathing:

1. Kneel beside the person.
2. Place near arm straight out at right angle to body.
3. Place far hand against near cheek.
4. Bend far knee up.
5. Roll toward you; far knee acts as support.
6. Tilt head back slightly to maintain airway.
7. Monitor breathing continuously.

Burns

Burn Severity	Appearance	Action
Minor (superficial)	Red, painful, no blisters	Cool with room-temperature water for 20 minutes; do NOT use ice
Moderate (partial thickness)	Blisters, very painful	Cool 20 minutes; cover loosely; seek medical care
Severe (full thickness)	White/brown/black, may be painless	Call emergency services; do NOT remove clothing stuck to burn; cover with clean non-fluffy material

Do NOT use: Ice, butter, toothpaste, oil, or any home remedy on burns. Chemical burns: Remove contaminated clothing (protect yourself); flush with large amounts of water for 20 minutes.

Fractures and Sprains

Action	Detail
Immobilise	Support the injury in the position found; do not attempt to straighten
Splint	Pad around the injured limb; tie above and below the injury site
Ice/cold	Apply cold pack wrapped in cloth (20 min on, 20 min off) to reduce swelling
Elevate	If possible, raise the injured limb above heart level
Seek care	All suspected fractures need X-ray; open fractures (bone through skin) are emergencies

Anaphylaxis (Severe Allergic Reaction)

Signs: Hives, swollen face/throat, difficulty breathing, hoarse voice, rapid pulse, collapse.

Step	Action
1. EpiPen	Administer auto-injector into outer thigh (through clothing if needed); hold 10 seconds
2. Call emergency services	Even if improvement occurs — anaphylaxis can return
3. Second EpiPen	If no improvement after 5–10 minutes and second EpiPen available, administer
4. Position	Sitting up if breathing difficulty; lying with legs raised if faint/shocked
5. Antihistamine	Useful for mild reaction, not a replacement for EpiPen in severe reaction

Stroke — FAST Assessment

Letter	Check	Action
F — Face	Ask to smile — is one side drooping?	Any FAST sign = call emergency services immediately
A — Arms	Raise both arms — does one drift down?	Do not give food or water
S — Speech	Repeat a simple sentence — is speech slurred or strange?	Note time symptoms began
T — Time	Time = brain — call immediately	Keep calm; do not let them "sleep it off"

Heart Attack Signs

Symptom	Notes
Chest pain/pressure	Often described as "elephant on chest"; may radiate to arm, jaw, back
Shortness of breath	May occur with or without chest pain
Nausea or vomiting	Especially in women and elderly
Cold sweat	Diaphoresis (clammy skin)
Lightheadedness	May faint

Action: Call emergency services; have patient sit or lie comfortably; give aspirin 300mg if not allergic and able to swallow; be prepared to perform CPR.

Quick Reference

Situation	Action
Cardiac arrest	Chest compressions 100–120/min; 30:2 with rescue breaths; use AED immediately when available
Adult choking, not coughing	5 back blows + 5 abdominal thrusts; alternate; call emergency if unconscious
Severe bleeding, limb	Direct pressure; tourniquet if soaking through; note application time
Unconscious, breathing	Recovery position; monitor breathing; call emergency services
Burns — any	Cool with room-temperature water 20 min; never ice or creams
Anaphylaxis	EpiPen in outer thigh; call emergency services immediately
Stroke suspected	FAST assessment; call emergency services; note time onset
Shock	Lay flat; elevate legs; keep warm; do not give food/water