First Aid
Basics
In a disaster the ambulance may be a long way off. What you do in the first five minutes matters most. Learn the action plan, the five big injuries and what belongs in your kit.
In a medical emergency call Triple Zero (000) and stay on the line. This guide is not a substitute for first aid training. Book a course: it is the best prep you will ever do.
DRSABCD
Seven letters, in order, every time. Say it “doctors A B C D”.
Make It Safe, Get Help
- Danger: check the area is safe for you, bystanders and the patient
- Response: ask their name and squeeze their shoulders
- Send for help: call Triple Zero (000) or get someone else to, and stay on the line
Airway and Breathing
- Airway: open the mouth. If anything is in there, roll them onto their side and clear it. Then tilt the head back and lift the chin.
- Breathing: look, listen and feel for normal breathing
- Breathing normally but not responding? Roll them onto their side and keep watching
CPR and Defibrillator
- CPR: not breathing normally? Give 30 chest compressions, then 2 breaths, and repeat
- Push on the centre of the chest, about one third of its depth, at 100 to 120 a minute
- Can't give breaths? Compressions alone are better than no CPR
- Defibrillator: attach one as soon as it arrives and follow its voice prompts
Injuries Worth Knowing Cold
For every one of these, call Triple Zero (000) early.
Severe Bleeding
- Press firmly on the wound with a pad or clean cloth
- If blood soaks through, add another pad on top. Don't remove the first one
- Don't pull out anything stuck in the wound. Pad around it
Burns
- Cool running water for at least 20 minutes
- No ice, butter or creams
- Take off rings and loose clothing near the burn, but leave anything that is stuck
- Cover loosely with a clean non-stick dressing
Choking (Adult or Child Over 1)
- Encourage them to cough
- Not clearing? Call 000
- Bend them forward and give up to 5 sharp back blows between the shoulder blades
- Still blocked? Give up to 5 chest thrusts, then keep alternating
Snake Bite
- Keep them completely still and call 000
- Wrap a firm elastic bandage over the bite, then along the whole limb
- Splint the limb so it can't move
- Don't wash, cut or suck the bite, and don't use a tourniquet
Heatstroke
- Hot, confused or collapsed in the heat is an emergency. Call 000
- Move them somewhere cool and remove extra clothing
- Cool them fast with water and fanning
Poisoning
Call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26, any time, anywhere in Australia. Don't try to make them vomit. If they collapse or stop breathing, call 000.
What Goes in the Kit
One at home, one in the car, a small one in the go-bag.
The Core
- Wound dressings and pads in several sizes
- Two wide elastic bandages for snake bite
- Triangular bandage and tape
- Saline, gloves, shears and tweezers
- Thermal blanket and a CPR face shield
Add Your Own
- Prescription medicines and a written list of doses
- Pain relief and antihistamines
- Asthma reliever and spacer, and an adrenaline injector if one is prescribed
- Electrolyte sachets and burn gel dressings
Look After It
- Check expiry dates twice a year
- Replace anything you use straight away
- Make sure everyone at home knows where it lives
A Course Beats Any Guide
A day of hands-on training is what makes this stick.
Stock the Kit Before You Need It
First aid kits and supplies for home, car and go-bag.
More From the Survival Hub
This guide provides general information only and is not medical advice or a substitute for first aid training. Steps follow Australian first aid guidance at the time of writing. In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000).