First Aid
The Park Forest Fire Department provides emergency medical treatment and transportation to anyone requiring medical assistance. If you think someone is in need of immediate medical treatment from EMS, ask yourself the following questions:
Is the victim's condition life-threatening?
Could the victim's condition worsen and become life-threatening during transport to the hospital?
Could moving the victim cause further injury?
Does the victim's condition immediately require the skills or equipment of paramedics?
If you answer "yes" to any of these questions or are unsure, it is best to dial 9-1-1 for EMS assistance. Speak calmly and clearly, informing the dispatcher of your name, address, phone number, location of the victim, and a brief description of the problem. Don't hang up until the dispatcher tells you to do so. They may need further information or be able to give you instructions to help the victim.
Burns
For minor burns...
* Cool the skin immediately with tepid water.
* Put the burned area under the faucet or use a clean, cold compress. DO NOT USE ICE.
* Don't break blisters.
* Seek medical attention for second-degree (blistered) burns larger than 1 square inch.
For severe burns...
* Call 9-1-1 for medical assistance immediately!
* Remove the person from danger if safe to do so.
* For heat burns, have the victim drop and roll on the ground to smother flames if he's on fire.
* Don't try to remove clothing embedded in the burns.
* Cool the person with water or cold compresses until medical assistance arrives.
* For chemical burns, remove clothing and rinse chemicals off the skin by placing the victim in a shower.
* Rescuers should wear rubber gloves to protect themselves from chemicals as much as possible.
* Check breathing - if the victim is not breathing, begin rescue breathing.
* Elevate the burned arms or legs higher than the victim's heart.
Fever
If a fever is 101 degrees or higher orally, do the following:
* Take off any unnecessary clothing
* Give a fever-reducing medication as directed on the label.
**IMPORTANT** Never give aspirin to children. Using aspirin when a child has a viral illness such as a cold, the flu, or chickenpox may increase the risk of Reye's Syndrome, a life-threatening disease of the brain and liver.
* Place a cool, wet rag on the forehead.
* Avoid hot baths and wrapping in heavy blankets...this will trap heat and increase your temperature.
* Drink plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration. Gelatin, Sherbert, and Popsicles are also good.
If the fever is 104 degrees or higher, do one of the following to begin cooling the person and contact your doctor for medical advice.
* Sponge the person with tepid water. DO NOT use cold water, ice water, or alcohol for sponging.
* Put the person in a tub of tepid water.
* Cover the person with a single, thin layer of towels dipped in cool water and rung out.
* Drink plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration. Gelatin, Sherbert, and Popsicles are also good.
Seek medical attention immediately if the fever is accompanied by pain or tenderness in the abdomen or nausea and vomiting. These may be indications of a more serious illness.
Poisonings
Swallowed Poisons...
* Make sure the victim is breathing. If not, call 9-1-1 for medical assistance immediately and begin rescue breathing.
* Contact your local poison control center of the hospital emergency department for advice. Describe the product telling them how much was ingested and how long ago.
* Follow the instructions given by poison control or hospital staff.
Smoke or chemical inhalation...
* Get the victim to fresh air immediately. Avoid breathing in the fumes yourself.
* Check breathing - if the victim is not breathing, begin rescue breathing.
* Call 9-1-1...all cases need immediate medical evaluation.
Chemicals in the eyes...
* If the victim has contact lenses, remove them immediately.
* Hold the eyelids open and flush the victim's eyes by pouring water from a glass 2-3 inches above the eye.
* If you cannot hold the eyelid open, the victim should blink as much as possible while flushing the eye.
* Repeat for 15 minutes and seek medical attention for any continued irritation.
Chemical contamination on the skin...
* Remove contaminated clothes immediately and flush the skin with water for at least 15 minutes. (Use rubber gloves when removing clothes from someone else.)
* Gently wash the skin with soap and water. Rinse well.
* Seek medical attention if irritation continues.
Electric Shock
* Check to see if the victim is still in contact with the electric current. If so, DO NOT TOUCH THE VICTIM.
* Shut the power off at the circuit or breaker box.
* Check the victim's breathing and feel for a pulse. Begin CPR if needed.
* Call 9-1-1 for medical assistance.
Nosebleeds
* Sit down and pinch the nostrils together for 10 minutes.
* Seek medical attention if bleeding does not stop.
Choking
Adults:
If the victim is conscious and can speak, cough, or breathe, do not interfere. If the victim cannot speak, cough or breath, call 9-1-1 and begin abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver).
* Reach around the victim's waist.
* Position one clenched fist above the navel and below the rib cage, thumb facing inwards.
* Grasp your fist with your other hand.
* Pull the clenched fist sharply back and upward under the rib cage 6-10 times quickly.
* Continue sharp thrusts uninterrupted until the obstruction is relieved or emergency medical assistance arrives.
If the victim is unconscious, call 9-1-1 and do the following:
* Position the victim on their back with their arms at their sides.
* Attempt to remove the foreign body by performing a finger sweep.
* Attempt rescue breathing. If unsuccessful, give 6-10 abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver).
* To perform the Heimlich maneuver on an unconscious victim, kneel over the victim. Place the heel of one hand on the victim's abdomen just above the navel. Place the other hand on top and press into the abdomen with quick, upward thrusts.
* Perform the sequence again...finger sweep, attempt rescue breathing, and perform abdominal thrusts.
* Continue uninterrupted until the obstruction is removed or emergency medical assistance arrives.
Infants Under 1 Year...call 9-1-1 and do the following:
If the infant is conscious...
* Support the head and neck with one hand. Place the infant facedown over your forearm, head lower than torso, supported on your thigh.
* Use the heel of your hand to deliver 3-5 slaps to the back between the infant's shoulder blades.
* If the infant continues to choke, turn the infant face up, head lower than the torso.
* Use 2-3 fingers to deliver 3-5 thrusts in the sternal region (center of the breastbone).
* Repeat steps until the object is expelled or emergency medical assistance arrives.
If the infant is unconscious...
* Perform the tongue-jaw lift: gently pull the lower jaw forward, away from the back of the infant's throat, to prevent the tongue from obstructing the throat. If you see the foreign object, remove it.
* Attempt rescue breathing. If unsuccessful, perform a sequence of back blows and abdominal thrusts as described above.
* After each sequence, check to see if the foreign object is visible and remove it if possible.
* Repeat steps until the object is expelled or emergency medical assistance arrives.
Children over 1 Year...call 9-1-1 and do the following:
If the victim is conscious, perform abdominal thrusts as described for adults. Avoid being overly forceful.
If the victim is unconscious, continue as for adults, however, do not perform a finger sweep on children under eight years old. Instead, perform a tongue-jaw lift and remove the foreign body if possible.
In any choking case, the victim should be examined by their physician as soon as possible after the incident.