Urban Survival Handbook: 11 Effective First Aid Tips That Will Help You Save Lives 1511557214

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URBAN SURVIVAL HANDBOOK 11 EFFECTIVE FIRST AID TIPS THAT SAVE LIVES (HOW

TO

SURVIVE

YOUR

WILL

HELP

FIRST DISASTER)

YOU

COPYRIGHT Copyright © 2015 All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

DISCLAIMER All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 01: What Is Trauma And The Basics Of First Aid Chapter 02: Fixing Cuts And Bruises Chapter 03: Fixing Sprains And Strains Chapter 04: Fixing Dislocations Chapter 05: Attending To Broken Bones Chapter 06: CPR And Mouth To Mouth Chapter 07: Resuscitation Equipment Chapter 08: Snake Bites Chapter 09: Creating Solutions Chapter 10: Administering Relief Medication Chapter 11: Surviving The First Disaster Conclusion

INTRODUCTION Traumas are everyday occurrences. From the simple paper cuts to the most serious car accidents and the most of the times sudden and fatal heart attacks and strokes. Even when everything is working as it should be and the medical assistance arrives in a timely fashion, it is of critical importance to intervene as soon as possible after an incident that has resulted in a wound or a trauma, to optimize the chances of recuperation by the victim. Just imagine how much more this intervention becomes an absolute necessity, if there is any kind of crisis and there can be no access to a medical facility (at least not immediate or within a certain time period), or a remote possibility of a turnout of appropriately trained medical personnel on the scene. Most, if not all, families maintain a first aid kit at home or in their car, in a place that is easily accessible and with its contents always handy. However, it is not at all certain that they know how to use these contents, or even what they are. In fact, in most cases, opening the kit for the first time whenever they need it, is the first time that they take a look at what’s in the box. And most of the times the contents of a first aid kit are just enough to handle very simple bleeding cuts and nothing more. It is not necessary to equip a house like a hospital to be able to handle all kinds of circumstances that require first aid. On the contrary, in the great majority of incidents, it is possible to do a great job with things that can be derived by simple household tools and things in our closets. But some tools and machines are indeed necessary, if a decisive first aid intervention is required. Before we immerse ourselves in any kind of discussion on how to provide first aid, let it be clear that under no circumstances are the contents of this book to be regarded as any kind of medical guide or handbook. The intention of the author is to provide information and tips and nothing else. It is strongly recommended that medical field training seminars by eminently qualified professionals are attended before any attempt to address wounds or

traumas is made. The author guarantees that the information is updated and accurate but under no circumstances is he to be held liable for the implementation of any techniques mentioned in the contents herein, if no proper training has been received prior to the attempt of rendering first aid. The reasons behind the above statement are simple. While it is easy to address a simple cut, create a makeshift stretcher and relatively easy to make a splinter for a broken bone, it requires some practice to administer the most important techniques of CPR or “mouth to mouth” (techniques that can save or lose lives) and definitely instructions by an appropriate professional on how to reset a bone or perform a Kocher Maneuver to a dislocated shoulder. It is most imperative that a person administering first aid always considers himself or herself as a layperson and nothing more, unless he or she has acquired qualification credentials. No matter how well you learn or acquire experience in providing first aid, you must always act as if you have no professional occupation with the subject. This means that you should always be extra careful and NEVER forget to implement every safety precaution necessary. For the medical personnel it has become second nature to perform what needs to be done. For you it has not. They can react fast and correct a mistake. You may not be able to. There are always two very important issues to keep in mind. The first one is to not lose your head, keep your composure and focus on the situation at hand. It will do no good to anyone, if you do things in a hurry and improperly. If you panic it will immediately be noticed by the victim, it will fill them with stress, anxiety and agony, and the situation will be nothing short of a disaster. And this is the second issue to remember. Always try to keep the victim calm and reassured that everything will be fine. Make sure that what you do at least appears confident and with a feeling that you know what you are doing, even if you yourself are not sure of it. In an emergency tending to the psychology of the victim is just as important, if not more, as tending to the injuries. It would be preferable to use humor and unexpected punch lines, rather than a calm voice and a serious face. We can only say that if you pay attention to the information, get some

practice in, and build some self-confidence, everything will indeed go fine.

CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS TRAUMA AND THE BASICS OF FIRST AID According to the medical definition, the term “trauma” has two meanings. The first one refers to very difficult and unpleasant experiences that cause a person to develop emotional and mental problems that last for quite some time. This meaning is not in the purview of this book and will be discussed in other publications. What we are interested in is the second part of the definition which defines trauma as a wound or injury to a human body of either a minor or a major severity. When the term was first introduced circa 1863, it meant the disruption of the continuity of the skin. The concept behind that definition was that since the skin is the biggest organ of the body and its natural protection from external agents, everything that penetrated this protection and produced a bleeding wound would be called a trauma. This definition was later found to be inadequate to fully describe the term and it was redefined as mentioned above. Whenever a person suffers a sudden wound or injury, he or she is always in need of first aid. The term refers to the assistance required so that the wound or injury may be sufficiently addressed and treated immediately (for example applying a band aid to a cut), prevented from worsening, prevented from becoming life threatening (as in situation in need of mouth to mouth or CPR) and hasten or help the recovery and healing process. This assistance can be provided either by appropriate tools and equipment that are available close by, or by tools and equipment devised by improvisation on site. The first thing any person should do when such a sudden incidence occurs is to look for a first aid kit. Very few people know what should be included in

such a kit. It is a great mistake not to consult with a pharmacists on what should be included in such a kit. The following list includes the items recommended by Red Cross: Absorbent compress dressings Antiseptic wipe packets Adhesive cloth tape Adhesive band aids Antibiotic ointments Aspirin Gloves Roller bandages of different types Sterile gauze pads of different sizes A thermometer Scissors A breathing barrier Hydrocortisone ointments Instant cold compress A first aid manual Tweezers Triangular bandages Sterile syringes and needles In the following chapters we will discuss the usefulness of each of the above items on a per case basis. However, before you even begin to render assistance you need to assess a few things. Here is a list: Ø

Call for help. The fastest the professional first responders arrive the better it will be. Since it is just as essential for the victim to receive immediate first aid, it would be best to assign the calmest of the bystanders to call for an ambulance. If this is not possible, you should call them yourself and provide the necessary information.

Ø

Danger. If there is any danger to you, to any bystanders and to the victim, you should not render any assistance and wait for trained personnel. For example you should not put yourself in jeopardy, if there is danger of a building collapse or a fire.

Ø

Airway. If the victim is not breathing you need to check if the air pathways are clear. If not make sure that the victim receives plenty of air. If, the victim is still not breathing the first thing to do is mouth to mouth.

Ø

Heartbeat. Check for pulse either at the wrist or the neck. Bring your head above the victim’s heart and listen for a heartbeat. If there’s none, you need to drop everything else and administer CPR. The use of a defibrillator may be in order but you should avoid it unless you have full knowledge and/or previous experience on how to use it.

Ø

Consciousness. Check if the person promptly responds to questions, has awareness of the conditions and if they have feeling to their extremities.

Ø

Bystanders. Send them away. There should be ample and clear space for you to render assistance, for the victim to breathe and for the professional personnel to have immediate and easy access when they arrive.

Ø

Take charge of the situation. Too many people talking and advising you what to do will confuse you and will not allow you to think properly. Establish authority and focus on the victim. Do not allow people to shout over your head on what to do. Especially if they disagree with each other.

Ø

Take precautions If possible wash your hands before touching the victim to reduce the danger of an infection and wear gloves. Avoid breathing and coughing over the wound or the face of the victim.

Ø

Cover the victim. A person that has been injured runs the risk of getting sick and catch a cold. After you have rendered assistance make sure that the victim is covered by a blanket or a jacket to maintain thermal balance.

All the above are of course applicable wherever the first aid is not to be rendered for a simple cut that needs a plaster, or any other situation that involves a household accident or a case where you and the victim can walk away from the scene and go someplace where the wound could be treated

with ease and comfort. Even better if this place could be a pharmacy or a medical facility. The following chapters will show you how to handle each different kind of trauma.

CHAPTER 2: FIXING CUTS AND BRUISES A simple cut is an everyday situation. Whoever handles knives in the kitchen or objects with sharp edges anywhere in a household, runs the danger of suffering a cut. Depending on how deep the wound is, the treatment may be a very easy and fast process or a complicated one. Two things are NOT supposed to happen: A)

It is a natural move to put a finger that is cut in the mouth and start sucking the blood. This is a rather bad idea. It is most likely to transmit bacteria and other harmful agents that exist inside the mouth to the wound.

B)

It is also a very bad idea to cover the wound with the palm of the hand. There is a great risk of the wound suffering an infection that way.

A simple shallow cut just needs to be cleaned and covered with a band aid. If the area it covers is extended (beyond what a band aid can cover), then it is to be covered with a long sterile gauze pad and kept in position with a couple of pieces of adhesive cloth tape. The situation is more complicated with a deep cut. The first thing to do is try to contain the bleeding. If the blood that comes out of the wound is dark colored and is rolling out without pressure this means that the blood vessel producing the blood is a vein. You need to apply pressure with either the hand or a tourniquet (depending on the location of the wound) from where the wound is and towards the extremities (the fingers and the toes). Respectively, if the blood coming out of the wound is of pure red color and comes out with pressure in bursts matching the heartbeats, then the blood vessel producing the bleeding is an artery and the pressure is to be applied from the wound towards the heart. The initial distance from the wound in both cases is about a palm’s width from the wound. Remember to loosen the pressure point every ten minutes. If

you are using a tourniquet it is recommended that every time it needs to be loosened, the position it is placed is also to be changed by a few inches. If the cut is in a position that no pressure can be applied by the fingers or a tourniquet try using a clean cloth to cover the wound and apply pressure with the fingers around it. It would be best if that was an absorbent compress dressing. In any case of a deep wound with excessive hemorrhage it is imperative to call for help. If you manage to contain the bleeding then clean the wound and apply a clean absorbent compress dressing, or a sterile gauze of appropriate size kept in place with a roller bandage. Whenever there is an injury where there is no apparent bleeding but the blood vessels underneath the skin have been ruptured due to a blow or an impact, and there is discoloration of the skin, this is called a bruise. There is no need to call for a specialist in case of a bruise unless there is excessive and very painful swelling in the bruised area, it keeps up three days after the injury and there is formation of a hematoma (lump). However, it is imperative to visit a medical establishment if after the incident that caused the bruise there is bleeding from areas of the body such as the nose, the gums, or there is blood in the urine or stool. All you have to do to render first aid is to wrap an ice pack in a towel or dip a cloth in cold water and apply it at the bruised area. Keep it there for 10 minutes and repeat the process as many times during the first couple of days as necessary. If there is pain, use ibuprofen or acetaminophen (paracetamol) drugs to reduce it. These medicines will also decrease swelling. A simple bruise should go away within a couple of days. Cuts and bruises may happen any time and for any reason. And most of the times after first aid is promptly rendered there is no need to seek medical assistance. As long as you keep cool and composed nothing can go wrong. For more serious injuries keep reading the chapters to follow.

CHAPTER 3: FIXING SPRAINS AND STRAINS Another usual incident that causes need for first aid is a sprained wrist or ankle. The term “sprain” refers to a motion that wrenches or twists the ligaments of a joint violently, resulting in pain and swelling but not a dislocation of the joint. A similar injury resulting by the stretching or tearing of a muscle or a tendon is called a strain. Both sprains and strains are to be treated the same way. There is no need to seek medical assistance for mild cases, but more severe ones may require surgery if the ligaments, the muscles and the tendons have been torn. Whenever such an accident occurs it’s the natural reaction to avoid any kind of stress in the injured location. This is a good defense mechanism which prevents further damage. However, there is a mistake that most people do in the case of a sprained ankle. They continue to step on their hurt leg finding the least painful position. They either step on the toes or on the outer side of the sole. This is not the best of choices. Any kind of weight is to be taken off the feet. In fact the victim should stay off his or her feet altogether and rest. For you that renders first aid, you need to support the victim from the side of the leg that is hurt and do not allow the foot to touch the ground until a suitable seating position can be found. The first thing to do is to elevate the sprained or strained part of the body above the heart level. This will decrease swelling and take some of the pain away. Then you need to wrap an icepack in a towel and position it over the injured part for no more than 20 minutes. This process is to be repeated four to eight times per day for two days. You will also need to wrap the injured part with an elastic compression

bandage which is to remain in place for two days. Initially this bandage should be tight enough to reduce the mobility of the injured part, but not so tight as to reduce the blood flow. A good rule of thumb to know if the bandage is correctly wrapped is to watch the color of the skin towards the extremities after the bandage is wrapped. If the skin turns reddish then the bandage is too tight and you need to loosen it. Hone your skills on this with the following practice: a) Take a cylindrical object that presents minimal friction. b) Hold it horizontally in a steady position. c) Wrap the bandage around in two complete circles d) Draw the bandage from the loose end. If it is unwrapped it’s not tight enough. If it remains wrapped but looks like the bandage is stretched to the limit, it’s too tight. The ideal wrapping is for the bandage to remain wrapped, but since it is elastic it must be able to stretch out if necessary. The final step is to use acetaminophen (paracetamol) or ibuprofen containing pain killers to reduce the pain and the swelling. If all the above is performed properly and the injury is a normal sprain or strain, the injured part should be back to normal within 2 or 3 days. It’s time to seek medical intervention when: Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø

There is severe pain whenever the injured part is moved or touched There is increased bruising There is increased warmth, swelling, pain, redness and streaks which are indications of an infection There is no improvement after 5 days The injured part feels numb or there is a feeling of “pins and needles” There is sustained trouble on bearing weight

It would be much preferable to prevent such injuries from happening instead of treating them after the fact. The best way to do that is to avoid carrying on exercises and heavy jobs within the household without having warmed up the muscles first. It is an accident waiting to happen if you go to lift up a crate without first stretching up.

CHAPTER 4: FIXING DISLOCATIONS A dislocation is a more serious injury than any of the above and it needs medical intervention to be properly treated and healed. A dislocation occurs in a joint between two bones when there is an abnormal separation. It can be either a full or a partial dislocation and it is caused by a sudden trauma incurred by an impact or a fall. It can occur in any part of the body there is a joint and it can damage all the surrounding tissues like the ligaments, the muscles, the tendons and the nerves. You can visually identify a dislocation by the deformity of the joint area. However, this may not always be evident so the following are to be looked for: Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø

Instability of the joint Difficulty in moving the joint Reduced muscle strength Stiffness Intense pain

The full treatment requires for the joint to be “reduced” back to its normal position. Unless you have received proper medical training you should never attempt anything of the sort. There are actually only a few things that you can do to provide first aid in a case of dislocation: A) Either transfer the victim to a medical establishment for further assistance by a transport means that will allow you to keep the joint immobilized, or call emergency services. B) Immobilize the joint. Use a splint or a bandage to completely block any motion. C) Put ice on the injury to reduce the swelling and control any internal bleeding and accumulation of fluids. D) Use an analgesic drug in combination with a muscle relaxant or a sedative if you have any available. This will both reduce the pain and

make it easier for the professional medical personnel to perform the relocation procedure. For informational purposes only and as a reference, should there be a case where there is no access to a medical facility, here are some of the techniques that can be used to put a dislocated shoulder, which is the most common dislocation, back in place without the need of any tools, or equipment: The Kocher maneuver. It’s the easiest one but it is avoided as it can have neurovascular complications and if not performed properly and can result in arm fractures. It is performed by rotating the arm and adducting the elbow toward the chest. The external rotation method. It is a variation of the Kocher maneuver and it involves moving the elbow to 90o and slowly adducting the arm towards the victim. The arm should be carefully rotated stopping in frequent intervals to allow the muscle spasms to subside. The Stimson technique. Position the victim prone on a bed with the injured arm hanging over the edge of the bed or the surface used. Attach 10 pounds of weight on the wrist. The scapular manipulation. This technique has a 92 to 96% success rate and is performed with the victim in a prone position with 5 to 15 pounds of traction to the wrist. The lower part of the scapula is to be rotated medially and the upper part laterally. Even if you are forced to implement any of the above techniques and the shoulder would seem to be back to normal, as soon as access to a medical facility is possible, take the victim there for a full medical examination and proper attendance.

CHAPTER 5: ATTENDING TO BROKEN BONES A broken bone is a very serious injury and must be treated in a medical facility. As easily understood the term defines the separation of any bone into 2 or more parts. The treatment requires resetting the bones to their normal position and immobilize the injured bone so that it can heal. In many cases a nail may be required to keep the parts of the bone together and is placed in position surgically. Should you need to provide first aid for a person with a broken bone, here are a few things you need to consider first: 1)

If there is heavy bleeding, in which case you need to contain the bleeding first. This is achieved by applying pressure to the wound with a clean cloth or a bandage, or a tourniquet above or below the wound as described in the first aid for deep cuts in reference to the blood vessels producing the hemorrhage. The tourniquet should be further away this time. If the broken bone is in the legs, apply the tourniquet at the hip or the ankle. If the broken bone is in the wrist or forearm and the blood is coming from an artery, apply the tourniquet as close to the arm pit as possible. If it’s a vein then apply pressure around the wound only.

2)

If the slightest touch or motion causes pain in which case you can only immobilize the victim completely and ask or send for urgent medical assistance. If there is no deformation or the bone has not penetrated the skin apply a splint above and below the fracture.

3)

Do not try to reset the bone especially if it has pierced the skin.

4)

If you suspect that there is a broken bone in the back, neck or head apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel and completely immobilize the victim.

You can do nothing else. 5)

The same as above is recommended should the fracture be located in the pelvis, hip, upper legs, scapula, clavicle or chest.

Two things are imperative no matter where the fracture is located. The application of an ice pack wrapped in a towel or a cloth (never put the ice directly on the skin) and to treat the victim for shock. You will understand if this is the case, when the victim feels ready to faint or takes short and rapid breaths. In this case you need to lay the victim down and keep the head lower than the trunk. If possible lift the legs. Should there be a case where splints are possible, first of all select the correct ones. If the break is in the legs, the length of each splint should be about three quarters of the leg and placed on the inside and the outside, half below and half above the knee. Pad them for more comfort and tie them in place with bandages, a piece of cloth or even ropes if there is nothing else around. Keep in mind that the point is to keep the leg completely immobilized. Similarly if the broken bone is in the arm below the elbow, the length of each splint should be equal to the distance between the elbow and the wrist. Again the splints are to be placed on the inside and outside, and tied in place just below the elbow and at the wrist. A bandage should be tied to hold the arm in a horizontal position hanging by the neck. If the bone has been broken in the low parts of the arm just above the elbow, no splints can be applied, but you can keep the arm still by a long bandage. Bring the forearm as close to the neck as possible and: 1)

Bring the end of the bandage around the wrist of the hurt hand by making a U and tying the upper parts of the U with adhesive cloth. Do not wrap the adhesive cloth around the wrist.

2)

Bring the bandage around the neck and across the shoulder towards the armpit of the hurt arm. Start wrapping the hand gently but firmly. Wrap it all the way down to the wrist with overlapping circles.

3)

Pass the free end of the bandage between the wrist and the tied ends of the U. Make a small knot to keep the bandage in place.

4)

Pass the free end of the bandage across and around the waste, behind the

back and bring it to the level of the elbow of the hurt arm. 5)

Make another U just above the elbow and tie the free ends.

Make sure that this entire wrapping is firm enough to completely immobilize the fractured bone but not as tight as to prevent normal blood flow. In any case other than a broken hand, do not try to move the victim and wait for the ambulance. A victim with no other injury than a broken hand can still move and be taken to a medical facility for further treatment.

CHAPTER 6: CPR AND MOUTH TO MOUTH There are plenty of cases after an accident or in a drowning, that a person’s heart may stop beating, or they may stop breathing. This is a life threatening situation and must be dealt FIRST and IMMEDIATELY, regardless of any other considerations. There is no point in rendering first aid for other injuries if the victim is dead. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or better and most widely known as CPR, is to be performed on a victim whose heart has stopped beating. Checking the pulse at the wrist or the neck and placing the ear right above the chest will tell you if this is the case or not. To perform CPR you need to be at the victim’s side. What is very important is the height. If the victim is on the ground the height is set, but if the victim is on a table or a surface, his body must be no higher than the level of your belt. Step up on something if necessary but make sure that whatever you step on does not give way. Cross the palms of your hands and bring them above the victim’s heart. Start pressing vertically downwards. Each compression must be at least 2 inches deep and as sudden as possible. At each compression you speak the count and the words “one thousand”, i.e. “one, one thousand” ”two, one thousand” “three, one thousand”. Every ten compressions check the pulse. Continue the process until the pulse returns or the victim resuscitates and regains consciousness. If you are doing it for more than five minutes and it has not produced an effect, then it would be useless to continue. The mouth to mouth technique is to be used to people that have stopped breathing. It involves creating a seal between the rescuer’s and the victim’s mouths with the rescuer ventilating the victim. It is strongly recommended that a gauze be placed on the victim’s mouth as a barrier from direct contact

between the two mouths. First you must pull the head a little backwards so that the air passage in the victim’s throat is clear. Make sure that there are no other obstacles inside the victim’s mouth that may block the air. Keeping an eye on the chest of the victim, block the victim’s nose and blow a normal amount of air into the victim’s mouth. Each time you blow into the mouth, the chest must rise. If not, the air is not making it to the lungs and you need to recheck that the air passages are clear. The rhythm should be that of a normal breathing which is 15 to 18 breaths per minute. Mouth to mouth could become mouth to nose if there are maxillofacial injuries or the remains of vomit inside the mouth. In this case you need to blow the air through the victim’s nose and shut the mouth to prevent the air from escaping through there. Continue the process until the victim begins to breathe on its own. Again, if you keep it up for more than five minutes, it will become useless. In the case that both a CPR and mouth to mouth need to be administered, it would be best if you enlist the assistance of a second person to either perform the compressions or blow the air through the mouth. Every four compressions there should be an interruption for the mouth to mouth ventilation. If you cannot enlist anyone’s help then you should make 15 compressions and then interrupt to ventilate twice. If the victim has just been rescued from drowning then it is most probable that he or she has swallowed a fair amount of water. The second that the first breath is drawn, you need to turn the victim’s head to the side, as this water will have to come out and if the head is not turned, it will return back into the victim’s throat. It would be advisable to get some practice in for both techniques, supervised by someone who has been appropriately trained to make sure that you do them properly.

CHAPTER 7: RESUSCITATION EQUIPMENT So far we have discussed first aid processes that can be rendered with the help of just the contents of a first aid kit. There may be instances where there may not be medically trained personnel available but you can have access to medical equipment which can assist you greatly. Let’s take a look at the most important pieces that can come across your path: A) The Defibrillator. This is probably the most important machine to have around to resuscitate a victim whose heart has stopped. It generates a preset amount of electrical energy directed to the heart with the purpose of making it start working again. The easiest to use is the portable defibrillator which is automated and requires very little knowledge. If one comes within your reach, remember to read the label with the settings of the initial charge and the maximum voltage allowed. You also need to remember: a) To apply gel or lubricant to both paddles. If you don’t the victim will sustain burns. b) To wait for the defibrillator to charge. It has not broken down if you press the button and nothing happens. c)

To make sure that everyone is clear away from the victim to avoid getting electrocuted. It’s not enough to shout “clear”. VERIFY VISUALLY that everyone is not in contact with the victim.

d) Place the electrodes diagonally above and below the heart and press the discharge button. If the first attempt fails, try a second one with the same charge before you adjust the voltage to a higher setting. If after the second attempt at the maximum voltage allowed the victim has not regained heartbeat, then there is no point in continuing the effort. e) Clean the electrodes after use. B) The Bag Valve Mask.

This is most handy for a mouth to mouth as it negates the need for contact between the rescuer’s and the victim’s mouths. It’s a simple manually operated mask equipped with a bag which you squeeze manually to expel air into the patient. Its use requires both hands with one keeping the mask in place to create the seal and the other to squeeze the bag and ventilate the victim. C) The CPR Mask. Like the big valve mask only in a smaller size which affords portability and easy storage. It creates the seal without the need to use the hands. It is extremely useful should you be required to administer both CPR and mouth to mouth. D) Adrenaline. If you have prefilled syringes of adrenaline handy you may prolong the amount of time for CPR. Usually they come in dosages of 1 mg which is an amount sufficient for 4 or 5 minutes of CPR. It is necessary to repeat once more that before using any of the above, some practice or familiarity should be established with their proper use, with the supervision of an appropriately trained person. It is strongly recommended to refrain from the use of adrenaline and a defibrillator, if there has been no prior familiarity established with their proper method of use. On the other hand, purchasing a big valve and a CPR mask on your own (they are not expensive) and adding them to the first aid kit at home or in the car is a very useful solution even if you never use them (God willing).

CHAPTER 8: SNAKE BITES It wouldn’t be too frequent of an event in a city environment, but in the countryside it would be very probable that a person who has no knowledge of plant and/or animal life, to fall victim to a snake bite. Especially snake bites are amongst these particular cases that a rescuer cannot lose composure and must act quickly to save the life of the victim. Ideally, it would require to identify the type of snake responsible for a bite, to know if the venom could have local or general systemic effects. However, this may not be possible, so the general guidelines for rendering first aid in case of a snake bite are: A) Protection from further attacks. Most snakes bite once and withdraw. But there are varieties that keep attacking until their lair is dead, and other ones that lurk in ambush for the possibility of a different victim. Therefore, you must protect the victim, yourself and any other bystanders from being bitten. It is completely out of the question to move the victim so it is imperative that other protection measures are taken, like sending the bystanders far away, wearing protective covers and thick boots yourself and spread snake repellant on the surrounding grounds. Gasoline is a very good option in this case. B) Do not hunt the snake. Let others do it. It would be a waste of precious time for the victim. C) Keep the victim calm at all costs. Emotional stress increases the blood pressure and facilitates the blood flow, which means that the venom will be carried around the tissues faster. Keep repeating that 70% of the snake bites are not life-threatening. This is also a case that calm voice works better than humor. Laughter is also a heartbeat increasing factor and neither you, nor the victim needs

that. D) Keep the affected limb below heart level. This will delay the blood from returning to the heart and other tissues. E) The victim should not have drinks or food. The old beliefs that drinking alcohol can reduce or negate the effects of snake venoms have been proven incorrect by the relevant research. On the contrary alcohol speeds up the absorption of venom. This rule includes stimulants and pain killers. F) Get help. Many people in the countryside keep anti-venom medication for the snakes known to be common in their area at home. Appeal for help in the closest household available. If you are close to a pharmacy send someone to ask for some. Arrange transportation through a means where the victim can be held as immobile as possible, and get them to the emergency room of a hospital immediately. G) Apply pressure immobilization. Do not use a tourniquet. Use an elastic bandage to contain the venom within the bitten limb the longest possible. Bandage the affected limb 2 to 4 inches above the bite and move towards the heart. The wrapping should be as tight as in a sprained ankle. Then use splints to keep the limb immobile as if the bone was broken. H) Uncover the bitten area. Cut away any clothes or any other objects around the bite. If it begins to swell there should be nothing restricting it. Some of the old techniques that were used to render first aid to snake bites have been proved dangerous and actually ineffective. Therefore, you should not: A) Cut the bitten area open. B)

Try to suck out the venom with a pump or your mouth. Only a small portion of the venom will be taken out and you run the risk of getting infected yourself. You also run the risk of infecting the victim with bacteria that you may be carrying.

C) Immerse the limb into warm water or sour milk. D)

Apply potassium permanganate or chromic acid to the wound. Both substances have been proven carcinogenic and toxic.

E) Cauterize the affected area or apply silver nitrate (the infernal stone). This can be even more threatening than the venom itself. Many old-timers in the countryside will insist that you use one of the above techniques especially sucking off the venom. DO NOT. Disallow any intervention to your work.

CHAPTER 9: CREATING SOLUTIONS Many times people have been hurt and need to be carried some distance before making it to an area where professional help can be provided. Especially if there are no means for contact like a cell phone. This means that you, as a rescuer, may have to come up with makeshift solutions that will allow you to transfer the victim without exposing him or her to any further danger. It could also be the case that it may not be possible for a victim to be move at all and you may need to devise means of protecting them from the elements of nature and possible infections, until professional assistance arrives on the scene. Creating a stretcher You need two strong and straight pieces of wood. They should be as long as the height of the victim plus the distance of your standard step multiplied by two. If the victim is 5 feet 7 inches and your standard step covers 20 inches, then the two poles should be 8 feet and 11 inches long. Their diameter should not be greater than what your hands can handle. After you have located the two poles, take 2 or 3 pieces of clothing with sleeves, ideally without buttons or zippers. Turn the sleeves on the inside of the cloth and pass each pole through each sleeve. If you use a piece of clothing with buttons or zipper make sure that these are on the side where the victim will be laid upon. The clothes should be as thick and as strong as possible. If necessary use two layers. Use belts or straps to encircle the two poles at the points between each piece of clothing that you have used. This will provide stability and additional strength to the stretcher to be able to lift more weight. Tie an extra piece of cloth and / or a towel to the side that the victims head will be place to be used as a pillow.

If there is another person present that can help you carry the stretcher with the victim on, then the tallest one should carry the side of the stretcher where the victim’s legs are. And you should keep in mind that when the two of you are walking carrying the stretcher, you should use opposite feet to prevent rocking the victim. When you put forth your right leg, the other stretcher carrier should be putting forth his left. Creating a shelter If you cannot move the victim then you need to protect him or her from exposure to the sun, the rain and the wind. You will need 8 to 10 pieces of wood at least 5 feet long. Use belts or straps or ropes (if you have any) to tie the edges of some of the pieces to create at least three reversed Vs. Burry the feet of the reversed Vs to the ground and tie horizontal pieces at the joints to create a sort of tent frame. Then use clothing with similar zippers. Zip the left side of one cloth to the right side of the other to create a long sheet to drop over the tent frame. Again the clothes should be as thick as possible. If you have raincoats and tarpaulins place them on top to create a waterproof barrier in case of rain. This kind of solutions is useful when you have a situation where you have to provide first aid in the countryside. Within a city there usually is no need for such solutions as everything you may need is within a few minutes of reach and items in your household can be modified to be used as the circumstances require. Nevertheless it is always useful to train your mind into devising solutions in the heat of the moment. A fast thinker can achieve better results than a person who sticks to what he or she has learned and freezes at the absence of a tool or a piece of equipment.

CHAPTER 10: ADMINISTERING RELIEF MEDICATION In the previous chapters we discussed about various kinds of drugs that can be administered to relieve the pain. We have also discussed on what kind of medication should be included in a first aid kit. Now, is the time to discuss what are these drugs are used for. Antibiotic ointments The previous practice to prevent a wound from infection was to clean it up with alcohol or oxygen peroxide and then apply iodine. This practice is still used in many countries. Research has found that this method actually damaged the skin and had only a limited effect. Applying an antibiotic ointment on top of a wound before covering it with a bandage, serves the purpose of keeping bacteria and other infectious agents away. Hydrocortisone ointments These are anti-inflammatory compounds that are meant to reduce the inflammation in a wound and the resulting discomfort. They are also meant to keep the skin moist and prevent any crusting, scaling and itching. The wound must be completely cleaned and then soaked thoroughly before the application, which should be sparingly and exactly as described in the directions. Analgesics These are actually the scientific term for painkillers. They act on the peripheral and central nervous system and the type of medication to be used is determined by the severity and type of pain, along with the possibility that other medication is prescribed and received. What you will be mostly dealing with, are the non-steroid anti-inflammatory painkillers such as aspirin, paracetamol/acetaminophen, ibuprofen and their

derivatives. Use only as indicated in the directions for use in the box. If there is a need for stronger painkillers like morphine or oxycodone you need to consult a doctor before administering. Atropine You are not likely to run across an instance that it could be necessary but you should know that it is to be used immediately after poisoning by certain insecticides and nerve agents like sarin and VX. It can be found in single dose containers and could be very handy to have around especially in a period where various acts take advantage of these agents to target unsuspecting people. Antihistamine There may be cases where a person may develop an allergic reaction to whatever it was that caused the wound or injury. To reduce the symptoms of this reaction it could be very useful to have antihistamine medication handy in your first aid kit. Insect – sting medication So far we have discussed injuries and snakebites but there is also the case of being attacked by insects like spiders, bees, wasps and others. Especially in the case of insects with stings, these must come out of the wound the soonest possible. However, it is always useful to have safe medicinal compounds handy to negate the effects of this kind of injuries. The general rule of thumb when administering drugs during first aid is to never administer more than the dosage indicated in the directions manual and to never administer medication that you think could work or others around you say that it will.

CHAPTER 11: SURVIVING THE FIRST DISASTER Whatever we have discussed thus far has the purpose of information, as well as, most of all, preparation. Most of the accidents that you may be required to render first aid are limited to your household, your work place and an excursion. No one expects you to render assistance in a more generalized manner. However, the better prepared you are, the better you will survive should the occasion ever arises. In the first chapter we have included a list of the basics that should be included in a first aid kit. It’s time to discuss preparedness for other contingencies. And this includes transforming the kit to a full box. Here is a list of the additional items that can be placed there: Butterfly bandages or adhesive wound closure strips. These act like stitches and can keep a deep wound closed until a doctor properly tends it. They may come in very handy should there be a very deep cut. Blister treatment. Burns, or excessive walking, or walking with unfit shoes can cause blisters. They are bags full of fluid and they may burst open or you may have drained them. You need to wash them with soap and water and apply a water-based gel-pad dressing. Do not remove the blistered piece of skin. Hemostatic gauze. The usual gauzes absorb blood but do not stop it. There is a different type with hemostatic properties that can be used wherever the bleeding is excessive. Liquid bandages. These can come very handy if you do not have any other means of treating a wound with antibiotic ointment and covering it with a roller bandage. Poison ivy and oak preventives and treatments. It’s a frequent occurrence to lean against a wall covered with poison ivy or to touch an oak and get

poisoned. There are drugs available on the market specially formulated to treat such incidents. The list is quite big and can go on for pages. The point of the exercise is to be as prepared as possible for the majority of what might happen. However, this is not only a matter of creating a first aid box and filling it up with all the necessary tools, drugs and equipment. It is also a matter of mindset. If you can’t undergo full training on rendering first aid (it doesn’t matter if you never use what you’ve learned professionally), you should acquire knowledge and practice by searching over the internet for the appropriate articles, reading books and flyers and paying attention to what professional aid personnel are doing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions on what should be done in a specific situation. It’s better to pester someone and get an answer than finding yourself in need to do something and discovering that you are absolutely clueless. If one does not respond to your questions, someone else will. Whenever a box of a medicinal compound is found in your home, do not hesitate to read the instructions even if the drug is not meant for you. It could also be useful to keep these instructions in a drawer for reference or comparison with other similar medication. Sometimes these instructions do not just tell you how to use the medicine. They also provide very useful general information that you ought to know about. The wider your knowledge on the subject is, the easier it will be to do what will be necessary should the situation arise. It will also be easier to assert authority and persuade people that you know what you are doing. And, most of all, the more you know, the more confident you will be in your own abilities and the better aid you will be able to render. Nevertheless, under no circumstances are you to build such an overconfidence that will cause you to think that you are just as good as a doctor. You are not! Not even close! Not even at the level of a properly trained ambulance assistant. You may have learned a lot, you may have acquired the ability to provide efficient and well placed first aid, but professionals are always aware of conditions and secrets that you are not. And you must always keep that in mind.

CONCLUSION First aid is a crucial and decisive intervention. It may mean the life or death for an individual who has been unfortunate, careless or unprepared enough to fall victim to a sudden impact, fall or blow that caused his need for first aid. If you are willing to undertake the job of his or her rescuer, you should never underestimate the importance of what you do - even if it involves a simple cut. However, this importance must not fill you with stress and anxiety. These can bring about only the worst possible results. Remember that the person laying in front of you is probably in a state of shock, in pain and agony and needs to feel reassured that everything is going to be OK. And you are the one that is supposed to provide these reassurances. And you cannot do that if you have not kept your calm, your composure and your confidence. Any lack of these elements will immediately by understood by the victim and this will make him even more stressed, anxious, depressed and in agony than he or she should be. Additionally, it will fill him with despair. And that’s the worst thing that can happen. To render first aid is also a badge of honor for you, if it’s not about an incident at home. It means that you are there to help. It means that you are there because you care. Otherwise you would be standing along with the rest of the bystanders who are curiously observing you. Doing nothing at all. And ready to intervene and criticize and prevent you from doing what needs to be done. But this badge of honor requires frequent updating and acquisition of knowledge in new techniques, advances in science that render old ones obsolete, discoveries that determine that some of the existing ways are not as effective as they should be. And it is imperative that you remain aware of these issues. However, first aid is also what the term says, first aid. It is not treatment, it is

not a cure, it is not the result of the proper attendance given by doctors and trained first responders. It is aid with the purpose of assisting and making it easier for the professionals to do their jobs efficiently and with the best possible results for the victim. Thinking that you may provide the same levels of attendance as a doctor or a first responder is a huge overestimation of your abilities. While it is possible that you could provide such assistance, thinking this way will eventually lead you to a mistake that may prove damaging to the victim or even fatal. And then it will be you in need of psychiatric help and anti-psychotic medication to reduce the somatic symptoms that will result from the remorse and guilt that you will be feeling. To briefly recap your physical actions: Ø

Assert authority and send all bystanders away. Assign one of them to call for help if you cannot do it yourself for whatever reason.

Ø

Establish a clear area so that the victim may have plenty of air and the first responders have easy and immediate access

Ø

Assess the situation. Do not attempt any rescue if you suspect there is danger to you or to others. While you may not care for any physical damage that may occur to you, you should be greatly concerned for the possibility of been infected with a harmful bacteria or a transferable disease.

Ø

Focus on the victim and their needs. Do what you need to with confidence and faith. Do whatever it takes to calm the victim down and transmit a feeling that everything is in order. A little humor and a smile might help a lot better than a serious face and a shouting voice.

Ø

Take all the necessary precautions. Never disregard a safety measure as not necessary.

One last thought before the epilogue is written. Just think of what you will feel after you have performed promptly, the victim has been saved and they look at you with gratitude in their eyes and the words “thank you for a job well done!” in their mouths.

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Preview Of Urban Survival Handbook: Prepping For Survival During A Zombie Apocalypse (A Special Disaster Scenario Edition)

Home Base We’re going to begin by talking about the home base, i.e. the place where you will be spending a lot of time once the apocalypse knocks out the power and other such social niceties. It’s crucial that you prepare your home base for the eventualities of the zombie apocalypse by looking at your entrance and exit strategies, its overall durability, and its defensibility. We’re going to look at this in two stages: Before the Apocalypse then During the Apocalypse. Finally, we will finish with what do you do when your base isn’t adequate. This should help you cover any eventuality when it comes to the decision of where to live and how to survive there. Before the Apocalypse WATER: Like any major disaster the zombie apocalypse can be planned for. There is no telling when it may happen, but there are certain things you can do to make sure you’re ready should the problem present itself. Take a page out of general disaster preparedness and make sure you have a way to get potable water. They say a gallon per person per day, so that might be quite a bit of water. You will also want to consider how you’re going to get water once the supply you have on hand runs out. If you’re in an area where it rains significantly, you will want to consider a rain barrel or other method of collecting rain water. You can also use any outside water features such as

nearby lakes, rivers, or ponds. Just keep in mind you’re going to have to decontaminate that water in some way. This will help you to be able to stretch your water to survive any eventuality. FOOD: Food can also be stockpiled prior to the apocalypse. You will want to make sure you have a can opener as canned goods are your best bet for keeping food should the power go out. There are no hard and fast guidelines for how much food to keep on hand, but considering no one can be certain of how long the zombie apocalypse will last, stockpiling as much food as possible is a safe bet. You may also want to consider starting a garden. While going outside may become a risky endeavor, having some food coming from outside your house can help to stretch the canned food for a longer period. You will also want to consider how or with what you will be cooking. With no power, it may be rather hard to use the stove. This is when having a charcoal or wood burning grill could be quite useful. However, keep in mind that using one could possibly attract others to your base. COMMUNICATION: While there is still time make sure you get batteries, charge phones, and keep a hand crank radio around. If the power goes out, you’re going to want to still be able to keep in touch at least for as long as the battery lasts and the radio is to give you a listening ear to the outside world. Without nationwide electricity, the radio is the next best thing to insure the masses get the message. HOUSE FEATURES: When considering your house features, make sure you have accounted for a sturdy door or doors and strong windows. If you can, board up windows to make sure there are fewer ways in. Doors can be barricaded with movable barricades to allow you to enter and exit the base. This assumes you are living in a house, probably one floor. If you’re living in an apartment building, you have fewer abilities to make changes to the building itself, but the bonus of having a staircase leading up to your door which creates a defensible position of getting you up off the ground. However, it does make entrance and exit a bit trickier. Scout your building for alternative means of exiting such as a balcony or fire escape. During the Apocalypse WATER: If you followed the earlier instructions, you have some water

already saved. This is good, but it is a finite supply so ration accordingly. Things like flushing toilets can fall by the wayside for a while in order to conserve your water. However, no matter how good you are at rationing, eventually you are going to have to find a new water supply. At that point, you have two options: find a house with water still available or find an outside water feature such as a river or lake. I will cover both more extensively in the foraging section. In short form however you should first scout the other houses nearby assuming there isn’t a water feature close enough to be of immediate use. However, if there is water close by, make use of that. Just be careful, there are zombies out looking to feast on your brains. Take a quick route there and if you’re being followed on the way back, do one of two things: either get far enough ahead that they can’t follow you directly back home or take out your pursuit and then head back home as quickly as possible. FOOD: Finding food once the apocalypse is in full swing is a lot like finding water. Either you can try another nearby home to see if they have anything you can eat or you can try place more extensively like your local grocery store. Just keep in mind, your local grocery store may already be picked clean by those who made a run on supplies before the disaster happened. COMMUNICATION: With the power out, you’re going to have to use less tech heavy ways to communicate. In some movies, you see people using things like whiteboards to get their message across. Use whatever you can. HOUSE FEATURES: The Zombie Apocalypse is in full swing. There are zombies around every corner. If you didn’t make major home improvements before the fall, now would be a good time. Make sure that you’ve covered, closed off as many of the windows as you can. If you can get the giant doors like in “I Am Legend” that would be great. However, if you can’t, simply wooden things such as plywood should keep your windows from being busted in. This also reduces the likelihood you being seen. Doors are another matter. You are going to want to keep at least one door open so you can enter and exit from the house. Now, if this door must be on the first floor, creating a way to bottleneck zombies and make them easier to get rid of is useful. You don’t necessarily want live zombies traipsing around your property because where there is one, more will follow. You want to keep your space as much

of a zombie free zone as you can. If this is unavoidable, you live in a heavily populated area or there is simply something drawing them to your locale, then do everything you can to make your entrance and exit as unobtrusive as possible so you have a better chance of getting in and out alive. This covers the basics of what to do before the apocalypse and during the apocalypse to create a home base you can be proud of, but what about if you can’t possibly make your current home into somewhere close to zombie proof? That entails moving from point A to somewhere a little more defensible like point B. Click Here To View Urban Survival Handbook: Prepping For Survival During A Zombie Apocalypse (A Special Disaster Scenario Edition) Or go to: http://amzn.to/1BZ5YSi

MORE BOOKS FOR URBAN SURVIVALISTS Click here to check out the rest of Urban Survival Handbook on Amazon. Below you’ll find some of my other popular books that are popular on Amazon and Kindle as well. Simply click on the links below to check them out. Alternatively, you can visit my author page on Amazon to see other work done by me. Urban Survival Handbook: The Beginners Guide to Securing your Territory, Food and Weapons Urban Survival Handbook: A Prepper's Guide To Canning And Preserving For An Emergency Urban Survival Handbook: Prepping For Survival During A Zombie Apocalypse Urban Survival Handbook: 11 Effective First Aid Tips That Will Help You Save Lives Urban Survival Handbook: 23 Crucial Items You Need Inside Your Ultimate Bug Out Bag If the links do not work, for whatever reason, you can simply search for these titles on the Amazon website to find them.