If there are multiple casualties, as in a disaster, first aid has to be administered to a large number of victims. In such cases, the ambulance service has to be very good for rapid and efficient transfer to a hospital. The process of triage is used to sort patients according to priority for care and transport. Accordingly the patients are placed in three categories as shown in the following table. Every ambulance and rescue unit should carry tags that can be used during triage phase of disaster operation.
Category: First-Aid
First-Aid: First-Aid for Snake Bite
There are about 3000 species of snakes, of which only 250-300 are poisonous. Snakes commonly found in our country are king cobra, common cobra, common krait, common striped krait, pit viper and Russell’s viper. Most of the snakes are harmless. Remember, all snake bites are not fatal. Generally people die from fear and not the venom. Most snakes bite only if provoked. Even the bite of a poisonous snake is not always dangerous, because when the snake bites in defense, little or no venom is injected.
First-Aid: First Aid for Scorpion Bite, Spider Bite and Leech Bite
□ SCORPION BITE
Generally scorpions can be seen in the moist dark places and in rainy season in villages, farms, and jungles. They are not seriously poisonous. But sometimes person hypersensitive to its poison can develop serious reaction and may even become unconscious. The condition is diagnosed by the following features.
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First-Aid: First-Aid for Dog Bite, Cat Bite, Rat Bite and Fish Bite
□ DOG BITE
A person may be bitten by a domestic dog or a stray dog. A domestic dog may or may not be immunized against rabies. If it is immunized, there is no risk of rabies in the victim. If it is not immunized, it can contract rabies from a rabid dog, and then its bite is dangerous.
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First-Aid: First-Aid for Sting of Jelly Fish, Portuguese Man of War, Sea Urchin, Cone-Shaped Shell and Coral Cuts
STING OF JELLYFISH
The effects vary from slight local reaction to large wheals, severe pain and sometimes swift death.
First-Aid: Facial and Nasal Bone Fracture
FACIAL FRACTURES
These include fractures of the nose, cheekbones or jaw. The airway may be obstructed by loose teeth, blood and saliva, or displaced, swollen or lacerated tissue. Absence or depression of cough reflex may result in aspiration of regurgitated stomach contents into lungs causing asphyxia. Bleeding may be profuse. Fracture of the lower jaw is diagnosed by the following features.
First-Aid: First-Aid For a Fracture
The objectives of first-aid are :
1. Apply cold pads or ice in a polythene bag — these soothe the pain.
2. Rest the affected part.
3. Make the patient comfortable.
4. Prevent further damage.
5. Get medical aid at the earliest.
First-Aid: Causes of Skeletal Injuries and Types of Fracture
Skeletal injuries can be classified as sprain, strain, dislocation and fracture. Adequate treatment given at the time of injury is very important in good anatomical repair and functional recovery. If it is not given, it may lead to further injury, shock and permanent disabilities, Sprain and strain are joint injuries in which there is no displacement of joint surfaces. In a dislocation there is displacement of bones at the joint. A fracture is partial or complete break in the continuity of a bone (periosteum).
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First-Aid: Collarbone, Arm and Elbow Joint Fracture
FRACTURE OF COLLARBONE
The clavicle fractures due to fall on the outstretched hand or on the tip of the shoulder. It is diagnosed by the presence of the following features.
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First-Aid: Fracture of Forearm and Wrist, Hand and Fingers and Fracture of Rib
FRACTURE OF THE FOREARM AND WRIST
Radius and ulna, the bones of the forearm may be fractured across their shafts by a heavy blow. These fractures are often compound because the bones have little fleshy covering. The commonest fracture around the wrist is a Colles’ fracture, usually caused by a fall on the outstretched hand. It produces dinner fork deformity of the forearm and hand.
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