First Aid You Can Actually Do

Before an emergency, ask a trusted adult to help you find the emergency number for where you are. Check the local emergency service's official advice together. In the United States, use 911 for emergency help. In Canada, use 911 where that service is available. Some Canadian areas use a different local phone number. Other countries may have different numbers. Do not assume that 911 works everywhere.

Learn the phone controls with a trusted adult before you need help. For practice, use a paper keypad or a toy that cannot make calls. Never dial an emergency number on a real phone to practise. Even an old mobile without a calling plan may reach 911 in the United States.

If someone may need urgent help, make a real emergency call. On a landline, lift the receiver before dialing. On a mobile phone, use its calling keypad or the emergency calling controls your adult showed you. Enter the local emergency number. For 911, enter 9, then 1, then 1. If the phone has a Call button, press it.

Try to speak calmly and clearly. Give the address, or describe where the emergency is. Say what happened and who needs help. Give your phone number if the handler asks for it. Answer their other questions and follow their directions. Wait for the handler to tell you when to end the call. If you are unsure whether urgent help is needed, explain the situation and let the handler decide.

Seeing blood can be frightening. Holding firm pressure stops bleeding from most cuts. First check whether an object is embedded in the wound. Leave any such object where it is, and never push down on it. For a cut without an embedded object, hold a clean cloth firmly against it. Maintain the pressure; do not raise the cloth to inspect the cut. If bleeding continues, keep that pressure while an adult calls emergency help.

Ask an adult to help manage a pressure bandage. Once pressing has brought bleeding under control, a bandage can secure a clean pad, provided the wound contains no embedded object. The wrapping must allow blood to flow normally. Beyond the wrapped area, check that skin feels warm, keeps its usual colour and has normal sensation. Heavy bleeding or bleeding that continues needs emergency help. Maintain firm pressure if there is no embedded object. Leave any embedded object in place and never push down on it.

For a small, clean cut, begin by washing your hands. Use clean water to rinse the wound, then gently pat it dry. Cover it with a fresh plaster to help keep germs away as the skin heals. Leave the covered cut alone. Replace its plaster each day, and sooner if it becomes wet. Tell an adult about red streaks, swelling or skin that feels hot so they can check it.

A hot object can leave heat in your skin even after you move away. Start cooling straight away: let cool water run over the burn or scald for 20 minutes without a break. Avoid ice and never add butter, toothpaste or creams. After cooling, place cling film loosely on the burn. Never put cling film on a burned face. A clean cloth with no fluff is another covering option. Keep unburned parts of the body warm. Ask an adult to get medical advice if the burn is large, affects a hand or the face, or has blisters.