Basic First Aid Tips: What to Do in an Emergency

Four to five minutes. It takes me longer to make tea, create a social media post, or for you to read this article. And that's how long you have to prevent irreversible brain damage or death.

About 71% of cardiac arrests happen at home or in a residence. This means the person who collapses could be your parent, your partner, your child, or your friend—and you might be the only one there to help. And here's what makes this even more urgent: Nearly 90% are fatal.

Every year in the United States, over 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals—that's nearly 1,000 people a day. Yet only about 40% of cardiac arrest victims receive CPR before emergency services arrive.

There are moments in life when you may only have up to four or five minutes to save a life—if you just had the training.

When someone goes into cardiac arrest, major brain damage can occur in just four to five minutes without oxygen, and they typically only have between eight and ten minutes to survive without help. 

Have you ever been unclear about what to do in an emergency? Many of us grew up with kits that had your typical bandages and gauze, but how many of us were taught the basic first aid tips to save a life?

When we don't know what to do if someone is choking or unresponsive, we often feel helpless as we call 911 and wait for paramedics to arrive. And to be clear: they deserve far more appreciation, fair pay, and recognition than they receive, especially considering how often they put their own lives on the line to save others, working under extreme pressure day in and day out. 

However, we can't leave the responsibility of intervening in an emergency to select professionals. Emergencies don't wait for help to arrive—and neither should we. 

That's why I'm grateful to now be certified in CPR, AED, and First Aid. Completing this life-saving training empowered me with the necessary knowledge and skills to help out in an emergency situation. Now that I'm certified, I want to share highlights of what I learned, why it's needed, and some basic first aid tips that can help everyone save a life while waiting for 911.

Basic First Aid Tips If Someone Is in Cardiac Arrest

When someone is in cardiac arrest, they're unresponsive, their heart stops beating effectively, and they're clinically dead without intervention. It bears repeating that major brain damage can occur within four to five minutes without oxygen, and they typically only have between eight and ten minutes to survive without help, which is why it's critical that we begin CPR immediately to stimulate circulation and help restore a heartbeat. 

Adult CPR: 5 Basic Steps to Follow in an Emergency

Step 1: Make Sure the Scene Is Safe

Position yourself in a location where you can be visible to others, and make sure your surroundings are completely safe. That requires being aware and careful of traffic, fires, or other hazards. If needed, move the person to safety by holding onto the back of their sweater and pulling them upright, or by bringing their arms together and pulling them by the wrists. The last thing you want is you and the victim injured.

Step 2: Check Responsiveness 

You don't want to perform CPR unnecessarily if the person is just sleeping. So, check to see if they're responsive by patting them firmly on the shoulders and asking loudly if they are okay. 

Step 3: Call 911 / Activate Emergency Medical Services 

Once you find the person is unresponsive, call 911 immediately or tell somebody nearby to call 911. You want to make sure help is on the way and that you follow any guidance that the operator gives you over the phone. 

Step 4: Check for Breathing

Count for about seven seconds as you scan for signs of breathing. Place your hand on the person to see if you can feel any chest expansion.

Step 5: Begin CPR 

Perform CPR on a hard, firm surface—not a bed or a couch. You should be kneeling beside them with your knees together, and your hands placed one on top of the other above the sternum, with your palm in the divot of the victim’s chest. Deliver 30 rapid compressions followed by two breaths as you pinch the nose and lift the chin to open the airway. Repeat cycles of compressions and breaths until help arrives or an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is available. 

Basic First Aid Tips If a Baby Needs CPR 

While there are some similarities, there are crucial differences to keep in mind when you are performing CPR on a baby:

• When checking for responsiveness, tap the bottom of one of the baby's feet instead of their shoulder. Their feet are sensitive, and they should wake up if they are conscious and responsive. 

• When performing chest compressions, hold the baby's head in one of your hands to protect their head from injury. Use two knuckles or the heel of your other hand and gently compress the center of their chest. 

• Only lift the baby's chin slightly as if they are sniffing and breathe gently into the baby's nose and mouth. 

What to Do in a Choking Emergency: 5 Steps

Choking is the fourth leading cause of unintentional injury death.

Step 1: If someone appears to be choking and they are still conscious, ask if they are choking just to be sure—for all you know, they could be coughing from drinking too fast because water went down the wrong pipe. Of course, they can't speak well if they're choking, so watch for nonverbal cues like nodding.

Step 2: Get consent to provide help. While it's natural to assume that a person would want our help in a dangerous situation, you risk liability if someone expresses that they don't want your help and you help them anyway. 

Step 3: Spread your legs and get into a grounded stance behind them in case they fall. 

Step 4: Make a fist and place it two fingers above the belly button.

Step 5: Get behind them and perform forceful abdominal thrusts using an upward J-shaped motion. 

Other Basic First Aid Tips to Consider When Someone Is Choking

• If the person is taller than you, they may need to get on their knees. 

• If you are much taller than the victim, like in a situation with a child, you will need to get on your knees. 

• If a pregnant woman is choking, perform thrusts under the armpits, straight to the chest. 

• If the choking victim is in a wheelchair, thrust under the armpits, over the shoulder line, and straight to the chest.

Infant Choking: What to Do in This Emergency

When a baby's eyes roll back into their head and their lips turn a pale blue or purplish color, these are signs that the baby might be choking. There are different steps to follow if an infant is choking:

• First, place the baby face down over your forearm and elbow, supporting the jawbone and head.

• Next, position the baby downward on your sloping legs and slap the baby's back five times. 

• Follow with chest compressions and rotate with gentle breaths into the nose and mouth.

• After the obstruction is cleared, comfort the baby by holding them on their side or over your shoulder, so they can vomit easily without choking.

I also learned how to perform CPR with an AED, how to use an EpiPen on someone who is having a severe allergic reaction, the warning signs of a seizure, stroke, heart attack, and concussion, and also, how to respond to an opioid overdose, heat stroke, cold emergency, soft tissue injury, a first, second, and third degree burn, and a gushing wound. 

That is why I encourage everyone to get CPR, AED, and First Aid training because you never know whose life may one day depend on what you know. Now, I don't have to feel incompetent and confused about what to do in an emergency. Getting certified prepared me to act, give aid, and be part of the solution instead of just a mere bystander. As we all know, the process of saving a life may need to start well before the sirens arrive. 

*Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While I am certified in CPR, AED, and First Aid, I am not a medical professional. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or emergency response. In any emergency situation, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately. The techniques described in this article should ideally be learned through formal, hands-on certification courses where you can receive proper instruction and practice under supervision. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this article.