First Aid Basics & Narcan: Knowing What to Do Before Help Arrives

First Aid Basics & Narcan: Knowing What to Do Before Help Arrives

Emergencies have terrible timing.

They happen in the kitchen, in the driveway, at a family gathering, or at 2:00 in the morning when nobody is wearing their glasses and the first-aid kit is somehow nowhere near where you thought you put it.

You don't have to become a paramedic to be useful in those first few minutes. Knowing a handful of basic steps—and knowing when to call 911—can make a real difference while professional help is on the way.

Start With Three Words: Check. Call. Care.

The American Red Cross teaches a simple approach: Check. Call. Care.

First, check that the scene is safe for you to enter. Then check the person. If they are unresponsive, not breathing normally, having serious trouble breathing, or experiencing life-threatening bleeding or another obvious life-threatening emergency, call 911 and get emergency equipment such as an AED if available. Then provide care appropriate to the situation and your level of training. (Red Cross)

Putting your phone on speaker can be especially helpful. The 911 dispatcher can talk you through what to do while keeping your hands free.

And remember: becoming a second injured person doesn't help the first one. Check for traffic, fire, electricity, fumes, broken glass or anything else that could put you in danger before rushing in.

A Few First-Aid Basics Worth Knowing

For serious external bleeding, call 911 and apply firm, steady pressure directly over the wound. Life-threatening bleeding that continues or spurts requires immediate emergency attention. (Red Cross)

For a burn, cool the area promptly with clean, cool running water. Don't reach for butter or cream—the Red Cross specifically advises against that old home remedy. Serious, large, electrical or chemical burns, and burns involving areas such as the face, hands or major joints, need professional medical evaluation. (Red Cross)

If someone is unresponsive and not breathing or is only gasping, call 911, begin CPR according to your training, and use an AED if one is available. (Red Cross)

This is one reason a CPR/AED/first-aid class is such a worthwhile investment. Reading about CPR is useful. Practicing it with an instructor is much better.

American Red Cross First Aid Steps

Now Let's Talk About Narcan

You may have heard the name Narcan without being completely sure what it does.

Narcan is a brand of naloxone, a medication that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Opioids include prescription medications such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine and morphine, as well as drugs such as heroin and fentanyl. Some FDA-approved naloxone nasal sprays are now available without a prescription. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

And this isn't only something people who use illegal drugs should know about.

Opioids are also prescribed medications. An accidental overdose can happen, which is why understanding naloxone can be useful for families, caregivers and ordinary bystanders.

What Can an Opioid Overdose Look Like?

According to the FDA, warning signs can include:

• Being unconscious or impossible to wake

• Very slow or shallow breathing

• A limp body

• Blue lips, gums or fingertips

• A slow or irregular heartbeat or pulse (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

If you suspect an opioid overdose, call 911 and administer naloxone according to the product instructions if you have it available.

Don't wait around trying to become a detective. In an emergency, your job isn't to determine exactly what happened. Your job is to get help.

Narcan Doesn't Replace 911

This part is important.

Naloxone can work quickly, but its effects are temporary. Someone may initially respond and then become unresponsive again as the naloxone wears off. Additional doses may be necessary.

That's why the FDA says you should still call 911, stay with the person until emergency help arrives, and continue watching their breathing and responsiveness even if they wake up after receiving naloxone. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

FDA: Access to Naloxone Can Save a Life During an Opioid Overdose

Make Your Home a Little More Emergency-Ready

Preparation doesn't have to mean turning a kitchen cabinet into a miniature emergency room.

Know where your first-aid supplies are. Keep emergency numbers easy to find. Make sure family members know where important medical information is kept. Learn CPR and how to use an AED. And if opioid medications are present in your household—or you simply want to be prepared—consider keeping naloxone accessible and learning how to use it.

Most importantly, don't let fear of doing something imperfect keep you from calling for help.

Prepared Doesn't Mean Afraid

There is a difference between expecting something bad to happen and knowing what you'll do if it does.

First aid is really about those few minutes in between:

Something happened. Help is coming. What can I safely do right now?

Knowing the answer can turn panic into action.

And sometimes, that little bit of preparation is exactly what someone needs until the professionals arrive.

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