First aid is an important skill. You will use it both in everyday life and during trips to the forest. By performing a few simple techniques, it is possible to save a life and help an injured person hold on until medical help arrives. When you find yourself in an emergency, you must react effectively in time. To help you stay calm and confident in a crisis situation, we have prepared a few tips for you on how to provide first aid in the forest.
Call for help
As the very first step, you need to call medical help - 112. Even if you are in a place without signal, an emergency call is usually not a problem. Before you call, find out your location. This is key for the ambulance. However, do not forget that if you are in the forest, the ambulance may need to reach your location from a different access point, and it may take longer than if you were in the city.
What to do if a person is unconscious?
If a person is unconscious, check whether they are breathing and whether they respond to a gentle shake of the shoulder. Tilt the head so that the chin points upward. Do this by placing your fingertips under the jaw, then gently lift and gently press on the person's forehead. This will ensure that the tongue does not block the airway.
Listen carefully near the mouth to check whether your companion is breathing, or watch whether their chest rises. If they are not breathing, call an ambulance and start with regular chest compressions - simulating breathing movements.
How to perform a heart massage?
Heart massage can save a life and is often more important than artificial respiration. Try not to panic, stay calm. Place your hands on the center of the chest and press with straight arms perpendicularly 3 - 5 cm into the body, at a rate of 100 - 120 chest compressions per minute. Continue until help arrives or for as long as needed.
How to give artificial respiration?
Giving someone mouth-to-mouth resuscitation can be challenging, especially if you do not have enough experience. Tilt the head back as before to make sure the patient's airway is clear. You are not trying to inflate the patient like a balloon. The goal of artificial respiration is to maintain the oxygen level in vital organs. Give 2 breaths and press on the chest 30 times, as with heart massage.
What to do if the patient has a bleeding wound?
Sit the victim down and raise the bleeding limb. Apply direct pressure to the wound with whatever you have available. Bandage small wounds using a ready-made bandage from the first aid kit, cover larger ones with sterile gauze. If you do not have gauze available, use a clean towel or, for example, a t-shirt.
Shock
Shock from bleeding is a life-threatening condition, and it must be quickly recognized and treated. Shock is defined as the body's inability to bind oxygen throughout the body and can even lead to a stroke.
The main symptoms of shock include pale, sweaty skin. The patient is likely to feel weak, may have a rapid pulse and weak breathing. The patient may also lose consciousness and eventually fall into a coma.
How to treat shock?
Back in elementary school, we learned about the 3 T's - warmth, tranquility, and fluids. Keep the patient's body warm, insulate them from the ground, and place them in a dry spot. Cover them with a layer of clothing. Raise their legs and place them on a higher surface, for example on a backpack. If the victim has an injured leg, raise only the healthy one. If the patient is thirsty, slowly give them something to drink.
Always carry a basic first aid kit with you.
On your trips, always bring at least a basic mini first aid kit. A first aid kit will make giving first aid easier and help you treat minor injuries, which are common in the forest.
Enjoy nature, but act sensibly and go into the forest prepared. Whatever happens to you in the forest, do not panic and always keep a cool head.
