First aid basics

• Call for help first

  If someone is seriously hurt, call your local emergency number (911 in the US, 112 in the EU, 999 in the UK) before anything else, unless you're alone with someone who isn't breathing, in which case start CPR and call as soon as you can or use speakerphone.

• Not breathing: CPR

  Push hard and fast in the center of the chest, 100–120 per minute, about 5 cm (2 in) deep. Use an AED as soon as one arrives and follow its voice prompts.

• Severe bleeding

  Press firmly on the wound with a clean cloth and don't let go. If bleeding from an arm or leg won't stop, a tourniquet 5–7 cm above the wound can save a life.

• Choking

  If the person can't cough, speak or breathe: give 5 back blows between the shoulder blades, then 5 abdominal thrusts (Heimlich). Repeat until it clears.

• Burns

  Cool the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes. Don't use ice, butter or creams. Cover loosely with cling film or a clean dressing.

• Shock

  Lay the person down, raise their legs if there's no injury there, keep them warm and calm, and get help.

• Heat stroke

  Hot skin, confusion or collapse in the heat is an emergency. Call for help, move them to shade, and cool them fast with water and fanning.

• Hypothermia

  Move them out of the cold, remove wet clothes, wrap in blankets and warm the body core gradually. Give warm (not hot) drinks only if they're fully alert.

• Broken bones

  Keep the injured part still and support it in the position you found it. Don't try to straighten it.

• Poisoning

  Call poison control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) or emergency services. Don't make the person vomit unless told to.

Sources: American Red Cross, Ready.gov.