Initial Actions: First Aid Response Part 2 of 3

First aid is the emergency care a sick or injured person gets. In some cases, it may be the only care someone needs, while in others, it may help them until paramedics arrive or they are taken to the hospital. The best way to prepare for these events is to get official first aid training, but until you are able to do so, you can learn some basic life-saving steps

First Aid Basics:

1. Circulation: Perform chest compressions to keep blood circulating. Push hard on the center of the persons chest. If the person is unresponsive and not breathing, check their pulse. If their heart has stopped, provide chest compressions.
2. Airway: If someone's not breathing, clear their airway. Tilt the persons head back and lift the chin to open the airway.
3. Breathing: If the airway is clear and they're still not breathing, provide rescue breathing.

Open Wounds

An open wound is an injury involving an external or internal break in body tissue, usually involving the skin. Most open wounds are minor and can be treated immediately. Falls, accidents with sharp objects, and car accidents are the most common causes of open wounds, and as of recent years, gunshot wounds have topped the list.

In the case of an active shooter situation, medical care might not be available right away. It is crucial at the minimum you know how to treat an open wound, stop the bleed and buy the injured enough time for paramedics or rescue personnel to arive.

Types of Open Wounds

• Abrasion: occurs when your skin rubs or scrapes against a rough or hard surface. Road rash is an example of an abrasion. There’s usually not a lot of bleeding, but the wound needs to be scrubbed and cleaned to avoid infection.
• Laceration: a deep cut or tearing of your skin. Accidents with knives, tools, and machinery are frequent causes of lacerations. In the case of deep lacerations, bleeding can be rapid and extensive.
• Puncture: a small hole caused by a long, pointy object, such as a nail or needle. Sometimes, a bullet can cause a puncture wound. Punctures may not bleed much, but these wounds can be deep enough to damage internal organs. If you have even a small puncture wound, visit your doctor to get a tetanus shot and prevent infection.
• Avulsion: a partial or complete tearing away of skin and the tissue beneath. Avulsions usually occur during violent accidents, such as body-crushing accidents, explosions, and gunshots. They bleed heavily and rapidly.

Steps of Treatment

• First assess for Safety, if the assailant is still in the vicinity remain hidden, assist only if it is safe to do so.
• Scan the injured for entry and exit wound. Over-concern with the entry wound could result in the exit wound being ignored.
• Remove any articles of clothing or accessories the injured might have on them that may impede giving life saving support.
• If possible disinfect the wound as best as you can.
• Pack the wound with gauze.
• Apply direct pressure and elevate to control bleeding and swelling.
• Wrap the wound; if available use sterile dressing or bandages.
• Keep the wound clean as possible, pain will almost always accompany a wound.

Complications

Main complications of a large open wound from a gunshot are:

• Infection
• Hemorrhaging or blood gush (squirting) due to damaged arteries or blood vessels
• Low oxygen
• hypovolemic shock
• Organ failure
• Hypoxia due to inadequate delivery of oxygen
• Death

The color of the blood and how it's leaving the body can give you a sense of the extent of the injury. Almost all bleeding can be controlled. If severe bleeding is allowed to continue, it can lead to shock and eventually death. Apply pressure and elevate, be creative in identifying items to use for this purpose – clothing, paper towels, feminine hygiene products, newspapers, etc., and know where first aid kits and AED's are located.

1. Capillaries: Bleeding from capillaries, which are the smallest blood vessels, looks like a trickle and will usually stop on its own.
2. Veins: A consistent blood flow and blood that's a dark red color is most likely coming from the veins. It can range from mild to severe.
3. Arteries: Arteries are the largest blood vessels and carry a lot of oxygen. If they are injured, bright red blood typically spurts out. Blood can be lost really quickly from this type of bleed.

Trauma Tools and Supplies

Familiarize yourself with the basic trauma tools needed for immediate care. Seek out further training that will allow you to use these tools to their full extent. With constant and proper training you can buy an injured person or yourself valuable time in these types of crisis situations.

The Aftermath

• Self Care: Consider seeking professional help for you and your family to cope with the long-term effects of dealing with a trauma incident. Regardless the size of the incident your mental state and well-being is of the utmost importance.
• Emotional health: With a wide range of feelings and emotions flooding you during these difficult times are it is all too common for people to shut down and not want to talk about what they experienced. Give yourself some time to process the situation and your feeling, once you're ready, speak to someone, talk amongst friends, vent to a partner but it is important to get it out, these individuals can provide you with emotional support to help deal with difficult times.
• Avoid overexposure to media: While it is important to stay informed, media portrayals of shootings and mass deaths have been shown to cause acute stress and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Limit your exposure and take a break from news sources.
• Ask for help: It is important to ask for help if you are having trouble recovering and everyday tasks seem difficult to manage. although it might seem like you're on your own, know that there are always people ready to help.

Remember:

Seek out more training, the more you train and practice the easier it will be to take action in the event our campus is faced with an active shooter situation or other emergency event. PC Campus Safety is actively working on how we can best prepare everyone on campus and are making a push towards more table training exercises and active training scenarios.

Resources

• PC Campus Safety
• Red Cross Training & Certification
• PC Timely Care
• FBI Active Shooter
• FEMA Active Shooter
• Tulare County Mental Health
• California Community College Health & Welfare