In an emergency, call 119 first

Do not drive there yourself — call for help

Symptoms

• No response when called
• Not breathing, or gasping

119? Or the ER?

• · If there is no response, always call 119
• · If you are unsure, start chest compressions right away

What to do until you get help

1. 1Tap the shoulders and call out loudly
2. 2If there is no response, call 119 and ask for an automated external defibrillator (AED)
3. 3Put both hands, one on top of the other, on the center of the chest
4. 4Push hard, 5–6 cm deep, 100–120 times per minute
5. 5Do not stop until the ambulance crew arrives

If you cannot do rescue breathing, chest compressions alone are enough. For infants and children, follow the instructions from 119.

Do not drive there yourself — call for help

Symptoms

• Clutching the throat and unable to speak
• Cannot even cough, and the face turns blue

119? Or the ER?

• · If they can neither speak nor cough, call at once
• · If they can cough, let them keep coughing

What to do until you get help

1. 1If they can cough, let them keep coughing
2. 2If they cannot speak or cough, call 119
3. 3Bend their upper body forward and strike the middle of the back 5 times, hard
4. 4Hold them from behind and push up 5 times just below the breastbone
5. 5Repeat until it comes out; if they lose consciousness, start chest compressions

For infants under 1 year old, you must not push on the abdomen.

Do not drive there yourself — call for help

Symptoms

• One side of the face droops
• One arm has no strength
• Speech is slurred

119? Or the ER?

• · If even one of the three is abnormal, call at once
• · Do not drive here yourself

What to do until you get help

1. 1Ask them to smile — does one side droop?
2. 2Ask them to raise both arms — does one drift down?
3. 3Ask them to repeat a short sentence — is it slurred?
4. 4If even one is abnormal, call 119
5. 5Write down the time the symptoms started

The treatment is decided by the "time the symptoms started." Be sure to remember it.

Do not drive there yourself — call for help

Symptoms

• Pain in the center of the chest for more than 20 minutes
• Cold sweat, nausea, shortness of breath
• Spreading to the left arm, jaw, or back

119? Or the ER?

• · If it lasts more than 20 minutes, call at once
• · The patient must not drive

What to do until you get help

1. 1Call 119
2. 2Have them sit or lie down and rest
3. 3Loosen anything tight, such as a necktie or belt
4. 4If they have nitroglycerin that was prescribed to them, let them take it
5. 5If there is no consciousness or breathing, start chest compressions

Do not drive there yourself — call for help

Symptoms

• Lips or tongue swell
• Hives all over the body
• Hard to breathe, dizziness

119? Or the ER?

• · If they are short of breath or the mouth swells, call at once
• · It can get much worse within minutes

What to do until you get help

1. 1Call 119
2. 2If an epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen) is available, inject it at once into the outer thigh
3. 3Lay them down and raise their legs
4. 4If they are short of breath, let them sit up
5. 5If they are unconscious, start chest compressions

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Symptoms

• Still bleeding even while pressing
• The wound is deep and gaping

119? Or the ER?

• · Blood is spurting out
• · It does not stop after 10 minutes of pressure
• · Pale, with cold sweat
• · The wound is deep or gaping
• · It looks like it needs stitches

What to do until you get help

1. 1Press hard on the wound with a clean cloth
2. 2If blood soaks through, do not remove the cloth — add another on top
3. 3Raise the wound above the level of the heart
4. 4If they turn pale, lay them down and raise their legs
5. 5Go to the ER while keeping the pressure on

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Symptoms

• The body stiffens and shakes
• Unconscious and drooling

119? Or the ER?

• · It lasts more than 5 minutes
• · It repeats one after another
• · It is their first seizure
• · After an injury, or during pregnancy
• · It stopped, but they are not their usual self

What to do until you get help

1. 1Move dangerous objects out of the way
2. 2Put something soft under the head
3. 3Loosen tight clothing
4. 4When it stops, roll them onto their side
5. 5Time how long the seizure lasts

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Symptoms

• Burned by hot water, fire, or oil

119? Or the ER?

• · A large burn
• · Hard to breathe (smoke inhalation)
• · Blisters have formed
• · Larger than the palm of a hand
• · On the face, hands, feet, or genitals
• · The skin is white or black
• · If it is only red and small, cool it and watch how it goes

What to do until you get help

1. 1Cool it under cool running water for 15–20 minutes
2. 2Take off rings and watches before swelling starts
3. 3Cover it loosely with clean gauze
4. 4Leave blisters alone
5. 5If it is large or deep, go to the ER

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Symptoms

• Hurt the head in a fall or a collision

119? Or the ER?

• · Consciousness is clouded
• · Vomiting
• · Seizure
• · Weakness in the arms or legs
• · Cannot remember
• · Elderly people or children
• · Currently taking blood-thinning medicine
• · In a drunken state
• · Even if they look fine, stay with them and watch for 48 hours

What to do until you get help

1. 1Lay them down and let them rest
2. 2If there is bleeding, press to stop it
3. 3Watch for consciousness, vomiting, and headache
4. 4If even one is present, call 119
5. 5Even if they look fine, watch for 48 hours

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Symptoms

• Badly swollen and painful
• The shape is deformed
• Cannot put weight on it

119? Or the ER?

• · Bone is sticking out
• · No sensation, or pale
• · Injury to the lower back or neck
• · Swollen and cannot step on it
• · The shape has changed

What to do until you get help

1. 1Do not move the injured area
2. 2Place something rigid against it and fix it above and below
3. 3Wrap ice in a towel and apply for 15–20 minutes
4. 4Raise it above the level of the heart
5. 5Go to the ER

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Symptoms

• Dizzy and nauseated
• Loss of strength

119? Or the ER?

• · Consciousness is clouded
• · Body temperature is very high but there is no sweat (heat stroke)
• · If they are dizzy and sweating a lot, cool them in the shade and watch them recover

What to do until you get help

1. 1Move them to cool shade
2. 2Loosen their clothing
3. 3Spray them with cool water and fan them
4. 4Cool the neck, armpits, and groin with ice
5. 5If they are fully conscious, give small sips of water

Do not drive there yourself — call for help

Symptoms

• Took too much medicine
• Swallowed detergent or pesticide
• Inhaled gas

119? Or the ER?

• · If they swallowed or drank anything at all, call at once

What to do until you get help

1. 1If it is gas, ventilate the area and move them out (your own safety comes first)
2. 2Call 119
3. 3Take the medicine bottle or container with you
4. 4If it got on the skin, wash it off with water
5. 5If they are unconscious, lay them on their side

Strong acids, strong alkalis, and petroleum products injure the esophagus and airway even more when vomited.

If it does not stop or gets worse, go to the ER

Symptoms

• Blood coming from the nose

119? Or the ER?

• · It does not stop after 20 minutes of pressure
• · It started after an injury
• · A lot of blood is being lost
• · Pressing for 10–15 minutes usually stops it

What to do until you get help

1. 1Sit down and tilt the head slightly forward
2. 2Pinch the soft part of the nose and press for 10–15 minutes
3. 3Do not let go partway through to check
4. 4Put ice on the bridge of the nose
5. 5If it goes past 20 minutes, go to the ER

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Symptoms

• Detergent or a chemical splashed in
• Dust or metal filings got in

119? Or the ER?

• · A chemical got in
• · Something is embedded
• · Cannot see well
• · For small dust, rinse it out and watch how it goes if it feels fine

What to do until you get help

1. 1If it is a chemical, rinse with water at once for 15–20 minutes
2. 2Keep the eye open and let the water run toward the outside
3. 3If a contact lens comes out, leave it out
4. 4Cover the eye lightly with gauze
5. 5Take the product container with you to the ER

If it does not stop or gets worse, go to the ER

Symptoms

• A permanent tooth came out whole after a blow

119? Or the ER?

• · Get to a dentist or the ER within 1 hour — the sooner, the better it reattaches
• · As a rule, baby teeth are not put back in

What to do until you get help

1. 1Hold only the crown of the tooth (do not touch the root)
2. 2If there is dirt on it, rinse it just lightly
3. 3Put it in milk or saline
4. 4If you have neither, hold it inside your cheek on the way
5. 5Get to a dentist within 1 hour