In an ideal world, we wouldn’t need any of this information. Well-trained physicians and nurses would be standing by, supplies at the ready, for every accident or illness. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case currently. Perhaps the situation will improve in the future. Until then, we must do the best we can with the resources we have. We won’t have any control over some conditions and illnesses, but with others we can absolutely make a world of difference.
Spending most of this year neck-deep in the second edition of Bring Your Own Bandages has reminded me daily what I don’t remember. At least I know which topics have been researched and where to quickly find answers. My readers may not be so fortunate. We can all look at the sheer volume of information and become overwhelmed. How will I care for my family in a true crisis?
And then I got to thinking about how often does a true emergency, act-now-or-someone-will-die, situation occur? What do we need to know right now, before the crisis hits? Believe it or not, there are actually very few such situations. Here’s where minutes matter and where you can make a difference:
· Heart attack
· Stroke
· Anaphylaxis
· Tension pneumothorax
· Massive bleeding
· Choking
First aid training including Stop the Bleed, the Heimlich maneuver, and administering an EpiPen can all be performed by a layman. Indeed, they should be. Waiting for licensed personnel to arrive would likely kill the patient. And the treatment and results should be the same whether circumstances are austere or not. The same can’t be said for a heart attack or stroke. Professional hospital care offers those patients the best chances for full recovery. But there is a lot we can do, if we are prepared and act quickly. Tension pneumothorax is the only condition on the list that we’re less familiar with. Read up on it and make sure you have the supplies.
Then there are several conditions you must be able to identify and treat promptly because death can come quickly, just not as quickly as the problems listed above.
- Hyperthermia
- Hypothermia
- Dehydration
- Cholera
- Pneumonic plague
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Meningitis
- Peritonsillar abscess
- Tylenol overdose
- Cellulitis
- Appendicitis
Read up on these topics first and review them frequently. Be ready to act. You must be able to find information on these topics and treat patients promptly.
