Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

1 Introduction to First Aid

Who is a First Aider? Like first aid, a first aider or first aid provider is simply the first person to provide help to those in need. A first aider could be a professional health care provider (HCP) trained in first aid, or simply a good samaritan. The First Aider is the person who takes control of the scene and provides first aid. It is important to remember that the first aider does not diagnose illness and injury. All emergency care is built upon basic life support and safe transport. What trained first aiders and all Paramedic personnel do is suspect injuries and illness. They give aid and support until the patient is transferred to the next level of care.

What is First Aid? First Aid is simply that, the first assistance (or aid) given to an injured or suddenly ill person. First aid may involve nothing more than being aware and noticing the possibility of an emergency. Is the woman who’s coughing at the next table choking, or is she just coughing on a bit of food that went down the wrong way? Is a crying child hurt or just upset? Did the skateboarder injure herself when she fell? The key to first aid is managing emergencies in a calm and concise manner.

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