Basic First Aid
FoundationFirst aid is the immediate help given before professionals arrive; its aims are to preserve life, prevent worsening and aid recovery. Stay calm, check safety and call 999; press cuts to stop bleeding, lean forward for nosebleeds, cool burns with running water, and follow the RICE rule of rest, ice, compression and elevation for sprains. Every home needs a first-aid kit, and prevention is learned in advance.
- First aid preserves life, prevents worsening and aids recovery; stay calm and check safety first.
- Hong Kong's emergency number is 999: state the location, event, number and condition of the injured.
- Press cuts, lean forward for nosebleeds, cool burns with water, and use RICE for sprains.
文體小知識：安全教育說明文按意外類型分點列出處理步驟，條理分明，危急時能夠按步施行。
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1First aid is the immediate help given to an injured or ill person before medical professionals arrive. It has three aims: to preserve life, to stop the condition from worsening, and to aid recovery. When an accident happens, the first duty is to stay calm and check that the scene is safe — live wires, traffic or falling objects; only then approach the injured person. In Hong Kong the emergency number is 999: state clearly the location, what has happened, and the number and condition of the injured, then stay on the line and follow instructions.
2Each common injury has its own treatment. For a bleeding cut: press firmly on the wound with clean gauze or cloth for five to ten minutes and raise the injured part above the heart; when bleeding stops, bandage it. For a nosebleed: sit leaning slightly forward, pinch the soft part below the nose bridge for about ten minutes, breathe through the mouth, and never tilt the head back, which lets blood run into the throat. For a burn or scald: cool it at once under running water for at least ten minutes — remember the five steps: rinse, remove, soak, cover, send. For a sprain: rest, ice, compress with a bandage and elevate — the RICE rule.
3In more serious cases a child's key tasks are to call for help and keep company. If a person is unconscious but breathing, help place them on their side in the recovery position to keep the airway clear, and cover them with clothing to keep warm. If a fracture is suspected, do not move the injured part; splint it with something firm and wait for the ambulance crew. If the person is not breathing, call an ambulance at once and let a trained adult perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Remember: never give an injured person any medicine unless you are a professional.
4Prevention beats first aid. Every home should keep a first-aid kit: gauze, bandages, adhesive tape, antiseptic, scissors, a thermometer and a list of emergency numbers — restock it after each use. Stay alert in daily life too: concentrate when using scissors or cooking, warm up before sport, and keep the bathroom dry to prevent slipping. Organisations such as the St John Ambulance Brigade in Hong Kong run first-aid courses, which we can join when older. Learning first aid and prevention protects ourselves and fulfils our duty of care to others.
1Summary 重點摘要
First aid is the immediate help given before professionals arrive; its aims are to preserve life, prevent worsening and aid recovery. Stay calm, check safety and call 999; press cuts to stop bleeding, lean forward for nosebleeds, cool burns with running water, and follow the RICE rule of rest, ice, compression and elevation for sprains. Every home needs a first-aid kit, and prevention is learned in advance.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The immediate, temporary help given to an injured or ill person before professionals arrive.
Hong Kong's emergency number 999, used to call police, ambulance and fire services.
Stopping bleeding by pressing the wound with clean gauze and raising the injured part.
Thin cotton cloth in a first-aid kit used to cover and press wounds.
A strip of cloth used to cover wounds, hold dressings or support an injured part.
The side-lying position for an unconscious person who is breathing, keeping the airway clear.
CPR — chest compressions and rescue breaths for a person not breathing; it requires training.
An overstretched joint ligament causing swelling and pain, treated with the RICE rule.
Applying an ice pack wrapped in a towel to reduce swelling and pain.
A box holding gauze, bandages, antiseptic and other supplies; every home should keep one.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Learn the principles and how to call for helpThe first rule of first aid is to keep yourself safe: check the scene for danger, then call for help — never rush in recklessly. Example: a classmate falls and bleeds on the playground; first check for dangers nearby, then call an adult and dial 999, saying 'school playground, one pupil bleeding from the knee', and stay on the line for instructions. First aid aims to preserve life, prevent worsening and aid recovery; state the place, the number injured and the condition clearly, and never hang up first.
- Step 2: Treat a bleeding cutThe key to treating a cut is pressing directly on the wound so the blood has time to clot. Example: after cutting a finger, press the wound with clean gauze for five to ten minutes and raise the hand above the heart to slow the bleeding; bandage once bleeding stops, and do not keep lifting the gauze to peek, which slows healing. Press patiently; letting go too soon breaks the clot and undoes the work.
- Step 3: Treat a nosebleedThe most common mistake with a nosebleed is tilting the head back, which sends blood down the throat and may cause choking. Example: sit and lean slightly forward, pinch the soft part below the nose bridge for about ten minutes and breathe through the mouth; do not tilt the head back or stuff tissue in, which can send blood backwards or hurt the lining of the nose. If bleeding continues past fifteen minutes, seek medical help.
- Step 4: Treat a burn or scaldCooling the burn quickly is the most important first aid, because early rinsing limits how deep the heat damages the skin. Example: scalded by hot water, hold the arm under running water for at least ten minutes, carefully remove clothing and jewellery nearby, cover loosely with a clean dressing and seek medical help; never apply toothpaste or soy sauce, which raises the risk of infection. The five words — rinse, remove, soak, cover, send — sum up the process; never burst the blisters either.
- Step 5: Treat a sprain with RICERICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation, the standard rule for treating sprains. Example: after twisting an ankle in basketball, stop playing at once, ice it through a towel for fifteen to twenty minutes, wrap it with an elastic bandage and raise the foot to reduce swelling and internal bleeding and speed up recovery; never put ice directly on the skin, or frostbite may follow.
- Step 6: Face an unconscious personWhen you find someone collapsed, you must check response and breathing before acting, because a breathing person and a non-breathing one need completely different treatment. Example: tap the shoulder and call out; if the person is breathing, help them into the recovery position and keep them warm; if not, call an ambulance at once and let a trained adult perform CPR — children should not attempt it themselves. If a fracture is suspected, do not move the part; splint it firmly and wait for the ambulance crew.
- Step 7: Keep a kit and prevent accidentsA first-aid kit must be ready before an accident happens, and regular checks keep the supplies complete and usable. Example: check the family first-aid kit and restock gauze, bandages, tape and antiseptic, and post a list of emergency numbers such as 999; warming up before sport and keeping the bathroom dry prevent accidents at the source. Restock the kit after every use; when older, one may even join a St John Ambulance first-aid course.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: while helping in the kitchen, a boy's younger brother scalds the back of his hand with hot soup. The skin turns red and stings. Write the correct steps and cautions.
- Move him away from the heat source to the sink first, and make the scene safe so he is not scalded again by the pot.
- Cool the scald under running water for at least ten minutes to lower the skin's heat and ease pain; comfort him while rinsing.
- Carefully remove or cut away watches, bracelets and clothing nearby before swelling sets in; do not burst any blisters.
- Cover the area loosely with clean gauze or dressing to protect it; do not apply toothpaste, soy sauce or unknown ointments.
- If the burn is large, blistered or severe, call 999 at once or have an adult take him to hospital.
- Answer: Follow rinse, remove, soak, cover, send: leave the heat source, rinse for at least ten minutes, take off nearby jewellery and clothing, cover with a clean dressing, then seek medical help as needed — never toothpaste, soy sauce or bursting blisters.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What are the three aims of first aid?
Q2Which number is dialled in an emergency in Hong Kong, and what must be said?
Q3What should be done for a bleeding cut?
Q4What are the four steps of the RICE rule, and when is it used?
Q5How can you help a person who is unconscious but breathing?
8Recap Recap
- First aid preserves life, prevents worsening and aids recovery; stay calm and check safety first.
- Hong Kong's emergency number is 999: state the location, event, number and condition of the injured.
- Press cuts, lean forward for nosebleeds, cool burns with water, and use RICE for sprains.
- Unconscious but breathing: use the recovery position; not breathing: call an ambulance and let a trained adult perform CPR.
- Keep a first-aid kit at home and prevent before curing; learning first aid is a duty of care to others.