PrepMTL

First-aid reference

Quick cards for the most common emergencies. Call 911 first whenever life is at risk.

CPR (adult)

When: Person is unresponsive and not breathing normally.

What to do

  1. Call 911 (speaker on) and ask for an AED.
  2. Heel of hand on the centre of the chest, other hand on top.
  3. Push hard and fast: 5–6 cm deep, 100–120 per minute.
  4. 30 compressions, 2 breaths if trained; otherwise compressions only.
  5. Use the AED as soon as it arrives and follow its voice prompts.

Choking (adult / child)

When: Cannot speak, cough or breathe; hands at the throat.

What to do

  1. 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades.
  2. 5 abdominal thrusts (inward and upward, above the navel).
  3. Alternate 5 and 5 until the object comes out.
  4. If the person collapses: call 911 and start CPR.

Do not: Infants under 1 year: back blows and chest thrusts only, never abdominal thrusts.

Severe bleeding

When: Blood is spurting or soaking through dressings.

What to do

  1. Call 911. Wear gloves if available.
  2. Apply firm, direct pressure with a clean cloth. Do not lift it to look.
  3. Add more cloth on top if it soaks through; keep pressing.
  4. Limb wound with life-threatening bleeding: tourniquet 5–7 cm above the wound, note the time.

Burns

When: Heat, scald, chemical or electrical burn.

What to do

  1. Cool under running cool (not icy) water for 20 minutes.
  2. Remove jewellery and loose clothing, not anything stuck to the skin.
  3. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a clean, non-fluffy dressing.
  4. No ice, butter or creams. Call 911 for large, deep, face, hand or chemical burns.

Hypothermia & frostbite

When: Shivering, confusion, slurred speech; pale, numb, waxy skin.

What to do

  1. Move indoors or out of the wind; remove wet clothing.
  2. Warm gradually with blankets and body heat; warm sweet drinks if fully awake.
  3. Frostbite: warm in 37–39 °C water; never rub or use direct heat.
  4. Call 911 if confused, drowsy or no longer shivering.

Heat stroke

When: Hot skin, headache, confusion, fainting during a heat wave.

What to do

  1. Call 911 — heat stroke is life-threatening.
  2. Move to shade or air conditioning; remove excess clothing.
  3. Cool fast: wet skin, fan, ice packs at neck, armpits and groin.
  4. Sips of water only if fully conscious.

Carbon monoxide poisoning

When: Headache, nausea, dizziness in several people at once; CO alarm sounding.

What to do

  1. Get everyone outside into fresh air immediately.
  2. Call 911 from outside. Do not go back in.
  3. Common causes after storms: generators, BBQs or heaters used indoors or in the garage.

Severe allergic reaction

When: Swelling of face or throat, hives, trouble breathing after food, sting or medication.

What to do

  1. Use the epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) in the outer thigh at once.
  2. Call 911 even if symptoms improve.
  3. Sit up if breathing is hard; lie down with legs raised if faint.
  4. Second dose after 5–15 minutes if no improvement.