Standard first aid courses teach you how you can quickly identify a life-threatening emergency so you can manage it until professional medical care arrives.
What if your situation is different from what you learned in your basic first aid course? What if you have to manage a serious injury on your own for hours or days before professional medical care arrives?
Cuts
Some cuts can be treated at-home with basic first aid, depending on the severity of the injury. Medical attention is needed for larger or more serious cuts that won't stop bleeding.
To prevent infection, the wound must be cleaned thoroughly and disinfected. The cut should also be covered with a clean dressing and changed often.
A small amount of antiseptic may be applied to the cut or graze. Pine sap is a good choice for this purpose.
By applying pressure to the area with a gauze or cloth, bleeding can be stopped. Place another cloth over the bleeding area and continue to apply pressure until it stops.
Scrapes
Everyone will get cut, scraped or puncture wounds from the outdoors. These wounds are quite common in the wilderness. However, knowing how to treat them properly can help you avoid infection and keep your health.
Most small cuts and scrapes will stop bleeding quickly with just a few simple actions. For example, you can use a clean cloth or gauze pad to press firmly against the wound to stop the blood from flowing.
You can also use some rubbing alcohol to treat a cut. This will help remove dirt and other particles that may be stuck in the wound.
The rubbing alcohol will also help clean the skin and kill bacteria that could cause infection. Next, cover the wound using a sterile gauze pad or bandage. You should change the dressing or bandage every other day to prevent infection.
Burns
If you are injured by contact with a hot object, flame or liquid, you will need first aid. The basic steps to take are stopping the burning process, removing the burn, irrigating it, and covering the area with a bandage.
Don't use ice to cool the burn as this can further damage the skin and tissue. It can also cause shock (a rapid drop in your body temperature).
Take off any jewelry, belts or tight clothing that may be causing the injury. Provide pain medication as needed to minimize the discomfort of burning.
Call 111 if the burn is severe and affects the eyes or covers large areas of your body. It is possible to treat minor second-degree burns at home with the steps outlined above.
Broken Bones
Bones are living tissue and can become bruised in many ways. They can also become broken if struck with enough force.
A cast or splint is used to prevent the fractured bone from moving during healing. This allows the bone and blood vessels to heal naturally, and it reduces pain and bleeding.
Surgery may be required for broken bones to repair and heal. The type and severity of the injury as well as your age and medical history will determine the best treatment.
It is important to get professional help immediately if you suspect that you have suffered a serious injury. Call 999 for an ambulance or Triple Zero (000) if you can't get to an A&E.
FAQ
Why are survival skills essential?
Even though you might not have immediate access to water and food, it is possible to survive if you are prepared.
Learn how to care for yourself and others. You won't survive in a crisis if this is not something you know.
You need to learn how build shelters, fires, and make food for those who venture into the wilderness.
These are all essential skills that everyone should know. These skills will enable you to remain safe and sound while camping.
How to stay calm in a survival situation?
Most situations will require patience and calmness. It's easy to panic in a survival situation, especially if you are stranded somewhere far from civilization. However, staying calm and patient will help you deal with any situation.
It is important that you remember that you cannot control the outcome of a situation. You can only control how you respond. In this way, you can still feel good about yourself even though you didn't accomplish everything you wanted to.
It is essential to keep calm and collected in an emergency situation. This means that you must be mentally and emotionally prepared.
Mental preparation includes having a clear goal in mind and setting realistic expectations for yourself.
Physical preparation includes ensuring you have enough food and water to last until rescue arrives.
Once you have done both of these things, you are free to relax and just enjoy the experience.
What is the most important tool for survival?
A sharp knife can be your most valuable survival tool. It's not just any old knife; it must have a sharp blade. You will not be able to use it correctly if it isn't.
A knife with no blade is useless. A knife with an unattractive blade is dangerous.
The best knives are made by master craftsmen who understand their actions. They take pride in their work and make sure that every knife is flawless.
They regularly sharpen their knives and keep them clean.
You want it to feel right in your hands when you purchase a knife. You should feel confident holding the knife.
There shouldn't be any rough spots on your handle.
If you find flaws, request the seller to correct them. Do not accept a knife that does not feel right in your hands.
How to Navigate Without a Compass, or with it?
Although it doesn't give you a map of where you are heading, a compass can help you navigate back home if your bearings have been lost.
Three different ways you can navigate are available:
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By landmarks
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By magnetic North (using the compass)
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By stars
Landmarks are objects that you recognize when you see them. They are trees, buildings or rivers. Because they give you a visual clue about where you are, landmarks are very useful.
Magnetic North is simply where the Earth's electromagnetic field points. The sun appears to be moving across sky if you look up. However, the earth's magnet field causes the sun to move about the earth. Even though it seems like the sun is moving across a skyline, it actually moves around horizons. At noon, it is directly overhead. At midnight, the sun is directly below you. Because the earth's magnetic field changes constantly, the exact direction of its magnetic North pole is always changing. This means that sometimes you may be off course for quite a while.
Another method of navigating is using stars. Stars appear as if they rise and fall over the horizon. These points are in space and can be used to locate your position relative to other places.
Statistics
- so you can be 100 percent hands-free, and there's less chance you'll put your torch down and lose it. (nymag.com)
- We know you're not always going to be 100% prepared for the situations that befall you, but you can still try and do your best to mitigate the worst circumstances by preparing for a number of contingencies. (hiconsumption.com)
- In November of 1755, an earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 6.0 and a maximum intensity of VIII occurred about 50 miles northeast of Boston, Massachusetts. (usgs.gov)
- Not only does it kill up to 99.9% of all waterborne bacteria and parasites, but it will filter up to 1,000 liters of water without the use of chemicals. (hiconsumption.com)
External Links
How To
How to Build an Lean-To Shelter
Small structures known as lean-tos can be found all across the United States. They are made from wood or steel poles covered by tarps. The walls, floor and ceiling are often built first. After that, the roof is added.
A lean-to is a temporary shelter constructed at the side of a building when the weather does not permit the construction of a permanent shelter. You can also refer to it as a lean-to shed, lean-to cottage, or lean-to home.
There are many types o lean tos.
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A simple wooden frame covered in tarpaulin. This type lean-to can be found in rural areas.
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Lean-to tent made up of a frame of poles that supports a tarpaulin.
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A lean-to cabin, also known as a "cabin-on-frame," consists of a platform supported by posts and beams.
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A lean to shed, also known as "shelter–on-a-pole” or "paddock shed", is a structure of poles and supports that has a cover.
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A lean-to garage, also known as a "garage on-stilts" (or "overhang"), is a steel frame that rests on concrete stilts.
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A lean-to studio is also known as a "studio on a frame" or "studio on a post". It consists of a framework that consists of two horizontal members (posts), and one perpendicular (beam).
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A lean-to greenhouse, also called a "greenhouse-on-a-post," consists of three parallel horizontal members (posts), one perpendicular member (beam), and a canopy.