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Skill 2 · Be Helpful

First Aid Basics

Cuts, scrapes, bumps, burns, nosebleeds. The right thing to do — and when to call a grown-up.
Always first

The grown-up rule

⚠️ Anything serious — get a grown-up immediately. Bad bleeding, hard to breathe, can't move, very tired or floppy, hurt their head. Don't try to fix it yourself. Find Mum, Dad, a teacher, a parent of a friend, or a neighbour.

For the small stuff below, you can help by yourself or just keep someone calm until a grown-up gets there.

Scene 1 · Cuts and scrapes

Clean it, cover it

  1. Wash your hands with soap and water first.
  2. Gently rinse the cut with cool water for a minute. This washes out dirt.
  3. Press a clean tissue or cloth on it for 1–2 minutes if it's bleeding. Pressure stops bleeding.
  4. Put on a plaster (band-aid) when it's clean and dry.

If the cut is deep, very bleedy, or has glass or metal in it — get a grown-up. Don't pull anything out.

Scene 2 · Bumps and bruises

Cold, then rest

  1. If you bonk your head, arm, or leg — put something cold on it for ~10 minutes. A cold spoon, a wrapped ice cube, a bag of frozen peas.
  2. Sit down. Rest. Have some water.
  3. If it's your head and you feel sleepy, dizzy, or sick — tell a grown-up now. That can be serious.
Scene 3 · Nosebleeds

Lean forward, pinch the soft bit

1
🪑
Sit up. Lean a little forward (not back).
2
🤏
Pinch the soft bit of the nose, just below the bone, for 10 minutes.
3
😮‍💨
Breathe through your mouth. Stay calm.
4
🚫
Don't blow your nose for an hour after.

If it's still bleeding after 20 minutes — get a grown-up.

Scene 4 · Burns

Cool water, lots of time

  1. Hold the burn under cool running water for at least 20 minutes. This is the most important part.
  2. Don't put butter, toothpaste, or ice on it. Just cool water.
  3. Cover loosely with cling film or a clean cloth after.

Always tell a grown-up if you burn yourself. Bigger burns, blistery burns, or burns on the face — call 115 for an ambulance.

Scene 5 · Choking

When food goes the wrong way

If someone is eating and suddenly can't talk, can't cough, can't breathe — and maybe their hands fly to their throat — they're choking. Every second matters. Shout for a grown-up immediately while you start helping.

Step 1
📣
Shout: "Help! Choking!" Don't whisper — make it loud.
Step 2
🤚
Bend them forward. Five firm slaps between the shoulder blades, with the heel of your hand.
Step 3
👀
Check the mouth. If you can see the food, scoop it out — never blindly.
Step 4
📞
Still stuck? Call 115 (or 911 / 999 / 112). Keep alternating back blows + the next step until help comes.

🆘 The Heimlich (for grown-ups to do)

If back blows don't clear it, a grown-up can do abdominal thrusts — also called the Heimlich manoeuvre. It's not for small children to do alone, but you can show a grown-up where to stand:

  1. Stand behind the person.
  2. Make a fist just above their belly button, thumb side in.
  3. Wrap the other hand around the fist, and pull sharply inward and up, like trying to lift them off the floor.
  4. Five thrusts, then five back blows, repeat. Stop the moment they cough the food out or can breathe again.

Babies are different — never do the Heimlich on a baby. They get back blows held face-down on the forearm, then chest thrusts. That's a grown-up's job.

Knowing the name "Heimlich" is enough — if you ever see someone choking and a grown-up looks frozen, you can shout "Do the Heimlich!" and that one word might save a life.

Scene 6 · Stings and bites

Wash, soothe, watch

★ The big idea

Stay calm, then think

The brave thing in any first-aid moment is not panicking. Take a breath. Look. Decide: small enough to help with, or grown-up needed?

Small things you can handle yourself or with a friend. Big things — find help immediately and don't be embarrassed to ask. That's the rule.

Vietnam emergency: 113 police · 114 fire · 115 ambulance.