Question: How can I avoid a lawsuit resulting from giving First Aid?

Answer: Before giving First Aid, get the victim's consent or permission. Then provide good care, be nice to the victim, have witnesses, and afterward, write down what you did and who took over the victim's care.

Question: What should I do when faced with several people who are injured or ill at the same time?

Answer: When this happens, the First Aider must decide which victim should be treated first. Triage is the process of prioritizing victim care on the basis of severity of injury or illness. The intent is to select the victims who are in greatest need of immediate care. You can enlist bystanders to help perform various functions, such as calling EMS and assisting with care.

Question: What is the purpose of a physical exam?

Answer: This is a hands-on exam to identify a victim's injuries. It is done after the initial assessment (which checks for life-threatening conditions). The physical exam is performed by looking and feeling primarily for deformities, open wounds, tenderness, and swelling. You cannot properly care for a victim until you determine what is wrong.

Question: What should be done when a dog bites someone?

Answer: Dog bites are very common; an estimated 4.5 million people are bitten annually in the US. Cleanse bite wounds with lots of soap and water for at least 15 minutes. After, flush the wound with forceful water from a faucet. Apply pressure with a sterile dressing to control bleeding. Report the incident to the proper authority in your community. Seek medical advice about wound care involving stitches. If rabies may be involved, promptly seek the advice of a physician, Department of Health, or local animal control officer.

Question: Why should I know about hypothermia?

Answer: Most places in the US become cold, wet, or both, and hypothermia can occur anywhere. Also, the injured, the sick, the young, and the old are especially susceptible to cold.

Question: What is the "Rule of the Palm?"

Answer: This is used when assessing burn victims. This is most useful on small burned areas. The victim's palm represents about 1% of the victim's body surface area. For extensive burns, you can use this method to measure the unburned area and them subtract is from 100%.

Question: What should I keep at home or work for poisoning emergencies?

Answer: Keep two medications: activated charcoal and syrup of ipecac. Keep the phone number for a Poison Control Center (PCC). Do not administer these medications unless instructed to do so by the PCC.