First Aid - Rivers SES Unit - Established 10th February 1997

Rivers Info Centre

First Aid

DISCLAIMER: The information provided on this page is intended as a general guide and should be used as an aide-memoire only. It is NOT intended to be used in, or take the place of, first aid training. Anybody who is trained in first aid should ALWAYS stay within the scope of their training when rendering first aid.

National Australian Emergency Phone Numbers:

‘000’

Triple Zero

Note: ‘112’ is another emergency number that works from any mobile phone in Australia!

Primary Assessment

DRABCD (as per ARC BLS Chart below, AND first aid training)

Secondary Assessment

1. Vital Signs Survey

a. Level of Responsiveness (LOR) – using AVPU;

b. Pulse (rate, rhythm, quality);

c. Breathing (rate, rhythm, quality, depth); and

d. Skin (Colour, Temperature, Moisture)

2. Top-to-Toe Survey

3. SAMPLE History (View Document)

When providing first aid, First Aiders should always try to be:

1. Calm

2. Confident

3. Capable

First Aid Resources:

Basic Life Support

- Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) - (http://www.resus.org.au/)

- ARC DRABCD/ Basic Life Support Flow (BLS) Chart - (http://www.resus.org.au/public/arc_basic_life_support.pdf)

- ARC Choking Flow Chart – (http://www.resus.org.au/public/arc_choking.pdf)

- ARC Index of Guidelines – (http://www.resus.org.au/public/guidelines/index.htm)

Anaphylaxis

- Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) – (http://www.allergy.org.au/)

- ASCIA Anaphylaxis Action Plan (Generic) – (http://www.allergy.org.au/images/stories/anaphylaxis/anaphylaxis_plan_gen_au.pdf)

- ASCIA Anaphylaxis Action Plan (Child Specific) – (http://www.allergy.org.au/images/stories/anaphylaxis/anaphylaxis_plan_gen_au.pdf)

Heart Attack

- Heart Foundation – (http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/index.htm)

- Heart Attack Warning Signs (General Signs and Symptoms) – (http://www.heartfoundation.org.au/Heart_Information/Warning_Signs.htm)

Asthma

- National Asthma Council of Australia (http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/html/emergency/em001.asp)

- First Aid for Asthma (http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/html/emergency/print/NACA_first_aid_for_asthma_2007.pdf)

- Asthma Emergency Action Plan (http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/html/emergency/print/NACA_first_aid_for_asthma_2007.pdf)

General First Aid

- Health Insite – First Aid - (http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/First_Aid)

Australian Resucitation Council (ARC) Guidelines

The ARC Guidelines provide first aid management protocols for a wide variety of potentially life-threatening conditions including anaphylaxis, crush injuries, shock, burns and hypothermia as well as aspects of casualty management, including triage, moving casualties and advanced life support.

Bites & Stings

Pressure Immobilisation – First Aid/ Medical Treatment for All Australian Snake Bites

Pressure Immobilisation Bandaging (AVRU)

Pressure Immobilisation Technique (CSL)

Further First Aid and Venom Information

Australian Venom Research Unit (AVRU) - University of Melbourne

Commonwealth Serum Laboratory (CSL) Anti Venom Handbook

Clinical Toxinology Resources - Women & Children’s Hospital, Adelaide SA

More About Venomous and Poisonous Creatures and Plants in the ACT

Australia is home to some of the most venomous snakes in the world. Go to AVRU to see the list:

http://www.avru.org/general/general_mostvenom.html

The following venomous creatures and plants may be found in the ACT include:

Snakes	Spiders
1. Eastern Brown Snake 2. Mainland Tiger Snake 3. Red-Bellied Black Snake 4. Highland Copperhead Australian Snake Distribution Map (AVRU)	1. Southern Tree Funnelweb Spider 2. Atrax Species 1 3. Atrax Species 2 (Brindabella Mountains) 4. Kosciuszko Funnelweb (South-Western Mountain area of the ACT) 5. Redback Spider (add below photos) 6. White-tailed Spider
Other Creatures	Plants
1. Platypus 2. Scorpion 1 3. Scorpion 2 4. Scorpion 3 5. Australian Paralysis Tick 1 6. Australian Paralysis Tick 2	1. Death Cap Mushroom 2. Satan’s Mushroom

(Note: all of the above entries have been hyperlinked to the corresponding item in www.toxinology.com.

Click on the desired item to see more detail about it)

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Disclaimer: This site was developed by Rivers Unit volunteers. It is not a an official ACT Emergency Services Agency (ACT ESA) web site and some views shared in this web site are not necessarily the views of the ACT ESA. Information in this site should not be relied upon to deal with an emergency.

Site Last Updated: 19/01/2010