Everyone is afraid of accidents and injuries. And everyone is also afraid of having to help – and not being able to. Projections from a 2002 survey found that 35 million are apprehensive about giving first aid; 25 million would wait for someone else to help. This attitude can cost some people their lives.
Helping is a duty
An average of 9 people are killed in traffic accidents in Germany every day, the Federal Statistical Office in Wiesbaden reported. 3,377 people were killed in total on Germany’s roads in 2014. The number of fatal accidents in the home and garden is even higher: around 9,000 people died in their own homes in 2014. Legislation in Germany has made it clear (Section 323 c of the German Criminal Code): everyone is obliged to provide first aid. However, the assistance must be reasonable. No first aider must put himself in danger or violate other important duties by providing help. Anyone who does not help people in distress is guilty of failure to render assistance. Failure to render assistance is a criminal offense: it is punishable by a fine or imprisonment.
First aid in a traffic accident
Anyone can help, even if you feel overwhelmed at first. First aid means assessing the situation correctly: securing the accident site, dialing 911 (in Germany: 110 or 112, in Austria: 122, 133, 144) and giving the number of injured and the location of the accident. First aid also means taking care of the injured, calming them down, and finally carrying out immediate measures at the scene of the accident. In the event of a traffic accident, it is particularly important to switch on the hazard warning lights, not to drive too close to the scene of the accident (keep a safe distance of 10 to 20 meters) and, in the dark, to use your own driving lights to illuminate the scene of the accident. You can also help by setting up a warning triangle, warning following vehicles and oncoming traffic, and distributing tasks among several helpers. Injured persons must be removed from the danger zone: taken out of the car, brought to the side of the road, then the wounds treated. Rescue services normally take around 15 minutes to arrive at the scene of an accident. Here we explain some common injuries and assistance that anyone can provide.
Head Injuries
One of the common head injuries from falls – parents know this from their children – is concussion. The injured person is sometimes unconscious for a very short time. The characteristic signs of concussion: dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting. The vomiting may occur a little later. The injured person should be laid down quietly and observed. It is important to notify the emergency physician. Numerous falls may also result in skull fracture or skull base fracture. This can be recognized by slight bleeding from the nose, mouth or ear, which often looks watery. Often the affected person is unconscious. Sometimes convulsions occur. An open wound is often seen in the area of the skull. Sometimes brain matter leaks from the wound. It is essential that the wound be covered sterilely. Unconsciousness should always be taken seriously – there is danger to life. The force exerted on the head can cause blood vessels under the skull to burst and form a bruise in the skull. This puts pressure on the brain and causes unconsciousness. Emergency medical services must be called immediately. Bleeding injuries must be covered in a germ-free manner.
Bone fractures
A broken bone (the medical profession calls it a fracture) usually results from a fall or twisting. In a closed fracture, the skin in the area of the fracture is unbroken. In an open fracture, on the other hand, there is a wound in the fracture area. The wound and bone are at considerable risk of infection. Not every closed fracture is recognized right away. But if the joints are unusually twisted, it is almost always a fracture. And swelling almost always occurs in the area of the fracture due to injury to blood vessels. Those affected experience severe pain there. If there is even a suspicion of a fracture, the injured person must not be moved much. Open fractures must be covered aseptically, otherwise the injured joints should be softly padded and immobilized: rolled-up blankets, pillows or clothing are suitable, then the emergency physician should be called. An injured person with a rib fracture will breathe shallowly because of his severe pain and try to straighten his upper body.Positioning with the upper body elevated brings relief, but there is a risk that the lungs are injured, and that means danger to life. Spinal fractures happen in falls from a greater height or frequently in two-wheeled accidents. The spinal canal of the spine contains the spinal cord with the important nerve connections from the brain to the various regions of the body and organs. If the spinal cord is also damaged by the fracture of the spinal column, paraplegia may result. In this case, paralysis occurs from the point of fracture downwards – but not necessarily. If an accident victim has severe back pain and can hardly move his body, he may have a vertebral fracture. If the spinal cord is affected, he usually has paralysis symptoms with numbness and inability to move his arms and/or legs. If vertebral fractures are suspected, the injured person should not be moved because further injury can follow from any change in position.
Bleeding wounds
Wounds are contracted all the time: statistics cite around 3.15 million accidents that occur in the home – with falls being the most common. In addition to minor abrasions, there are also sometimes severely bleeding cuts that absolutely must be treated. In the case of a deeper injury, a pressure dressing consisting of a sterile compress and a bandage will stop the bleeding. If no suitable wound covering is at hand, the bleeding can be stopped by pressing on a cloth that is as clean as possible. The affected part of the body should be elevated. If the bleeding does not stop after five minutes despite firm pressure, if it is a gaping wound that cannot be closed, or if muscle or fatty tissue is visible, the injury must be treated by a doctor. If an adult loses about one liter of blood, life is in danger. If a wound is bleeding profusely, with blood pulsing out, a blood vessel may be involved. A pressure dressing – not ligating the joint – is the correct measure in this case. Lacerations can also bleed very heavily. There is an increased risk of infection because the wound edges are irregular. Heavily contaminated minor wounds can be cleaned under running water, but should always be disinfected afterwards and a sterile dressing applied. For larger wounds, always consult a doctor. For lacerations of the skull, several sterile compresses should be applied to the wound and bandaged. Such wounds almost always require surgical treatment. In the case of bite wounds, an immediate medical examination is required. What should also not be forgotten: Is the tetanus protection still adequate?
Burns
Among the most painful external injuries are burns and scalds. Assessing the severity of a burn is based on the degree of burn and the size of the burned body surface. Skin redness and blistering occur in 1st and 2nd degree burns. In 3rd degree burns, the tissue is burned grayish white or black. Burns cause the most severe pain and usually result in shock. In the worst case, when people are burning, it is necessary to immediately roll the affected person on the floor, smother the flames with a blanket or your own piece of clothing. Cold water for scalds helps. All other home remedies are taboo. Pour cold water on the burned parts of the body until the pain subsides – 10 to 15 minutes. Then the wounds must be covered sterilely, because the risk of infection is very high. In the case of extensive burns, you must expect shock, so you should elevate your legs.
Poisoning
Children are particularly often affected by poisoning: About 90 percent of all poisoning accidents involve young children between the ages of ten months and 4.5 years. The most important immediate aid is to give the child liquid (water, tea, juice), which must be drunk in small sips. In this way, the substances are diluted. Milk should not be given – it is harmful as it accelerates the absorption of the substance into the intestine. One should keep the toxic substance – tablets, chemicals, plants for the emergency doctor. One should not try to induce vomiting by, for example, salt water – it is more important to call the emergency doctor. If toxic vapors have been inhaled, fresh air will help, keeping the affected person warm and reassuring. If the eyes have come into contact with corrosive liquids or lime, rinsing under running cold water will help.
First-aid kit and first-aid courses
Every driver’s license applicant must take a first aid course.And that’s it. According to DRK surveys, most drivers have not attended a first-aid course for 15 years. Refresher courses make sense: Red Cross courses for life-saving emergency measures cost 15 to 25 euros. The right tools are also essential for providing the right help. For drivers, this is usually the first-aid kit. You should only use first-aid kits that comply with DIN standards. However, these have an expiration date, so they should be checked from time to time. In this context, it is advisable to check the disposable gloves, as one’s own safety may depend on their functionality.
