Burns
Burns to the young and old are usually quite
serious. Seek medical help immediately and
remember DRSABCD if the burns are severe.
zz
Remove the patient from danger.
zz
Put out burning clothes by smothering
with a blanket or cold water. Alternatively,
tell the person to ‘STOP, DROP and
ROLL’ to put out the fire.
zz
Cool the burnt area under cold, gently
running water for 20 minutes.
zz
If the burn is from a corrosive chemical,
brush off the remaining chemical (do not
touch the chemical directly yourself).
zz
Cover the affected area with sterile non-
adherent dressings and seek medical aid
urgently.
zz
Do not prick blisters.
zz
If burns are severe, remove constrictive
items such as rings, watches or footwear
before swelling begins.
Bites and stings
For snake, funnel web spider and blue-
ringed octopus bites and stings, remember
DRSABCD. Breathing or heart action may be
affected within minutes or hours.
zz
Rest the patient.
zz
Apply a firm (pressure) bandage over the
wound and a second bandage wrapped
around the entire length of the limb.
zz
Splint the limb and keep it still.
zz
Seek medical aid.
zz
Redback spider bites are extremely
painful, so don’t use a pressure bandage.
Reassure the patient. Apply a cold
compress to the area and seek medical
aid.
Poisoning
If you, or someone in your care, may have
been poisoned, do not wait for symptoms
to occur. Take the following first aid steps,
then contact the Poisons Information Centre
(13 11 26) to find out what to do next. If the
patient has collapsed, call 000 (Triple Zero)
for an ambulance.
zz
If poisons have been swallowed, do not
instruct the person to vomit. Don’t give
them anything by mouth, and wash any
corrosive substance off the mouth and
face with water.
zz
If there are poisons on the skin, ask the
patient to remove any contaminated
clothing (don’t touch the chemical with
your skin). Flood the skin with cool
running water.
zz
If there are poisons in the eye, flood the
eye with cool water from a jug, cup or
running tap. Continue for 20 minutes,
holding the eye open.
zz
If poisons have been inhaled, get the
patient to fresh air quickly. Make sure you
are not affected yourself. Loosen any tight
clothing.
TIP
Get first aid advice at your fingertips.
The St John Ambulance smart phone
app gives you step-by-step first aid
information for numerous emergencies
and includes a large, clear image for
each step. To download the app, visit
your app store.
29
