  Credit Points 2 FIRST AID FOR ELECTRICAL INJURIESWhat would you do if you saw someone who had been hurt by electricity? Did you know that you could save his life, if you had taken the time to learn and practice a few simple rules of electrical first aid? First aid training equips you to know what to do and what not to do for the injured until medical help can be obtained. While the main benefits are for you and your family, no one can call himself a good citizen if he fails to help a stranger who has been hurt. The information given here is only for electrical injuries. Perhaps what you learn will inspire you to take a complete course in first aid. What to DoLearn how to prevent electrical accidents, and what to do if an electrical accident occurs. 1. Make an electrical hazard hunt in your home or on your farm. Point out to your parents everything that should be repaired or replaced for safety's sake. 2. Read the first aid suggestions that follow. Learn them. 3. Get to know the six steps that are outlined for mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing. Practice them on your brother, sister, or parents. Teach the entire family how to do it. Electricity Can KillIn this day of hundreds of uses of electricity, you should know about electrical dangers. Electrocution can occur from either low voltage (household type) or high voltage currents. Sometimes household voltages are more hazardous because people underestimate the dangers involved. A fraction of an ampere passing through your heart muscles can be fatal. Your body offers some resistance to the flow of electricity to ground. If you are standing on wet ground or in water, or if your skin is damp, this resistance is greatly reduced. Wire cables within walls and cords on appliances are all insulated with a shock proof covering. Continued use, age, or damage may expose a bare wire and create a hazard. The point of exposure need be only a fraction of an inch. Cords are often used and abused. Exposed wires and signs of wear are danger signals. Always be wary of overhead wires. People have been injured or killed when kite strings, model plane control lines, irrigation pipe, and water well equipment have come in contact with the power supplier's or their own overhead wiring. Prevent AccidentsUnderwriters' Laboratories (UL) have taken steps to see that minimum safety standards are met in the manufacture of electrical equipment. Look for the UL label when you buy cords or appliances. Never place cords under carpets or furniture, or drape them over a nail. Replace or repair worn cords without delay. Be especially careful when operating electric devices in the bathroom. Keep in mind the dangers of a wet floor, grounded metal pipes, and wet skin. Turning on an AC radio while you are taking a bath is asking for real trouble. There may be shorts in electric devices. Keep your hands dry when using them, and do not touch them along with grounded metal objects. If you ever get a slight shock, sound the danger signal and do something about it. Think, Then ActYour first thought in rescuing a victim from an electrical accident should be your own safety. Speed is also important, because a few seconds or minutes may save a life. The first question you should ask yourself is "Can I quickly turn off the power?" This would be easier to do in the home than outside. In the case of a victim trapped in a bathtub from a radio accidentally knocked into the water, it might mean simply removing the plug from the wall outlet. If a victim is found grasping shorted, permanently installed equipment and cannot let go, the main switch might be used for quick release of the current. Outdoors, especially with high tension wires, your danger in rescue is much greater. To handle the victim, touch him only with a long dry stick, dry rope, or a long length of dry cloth. Be sure your hands are dry and that you are standing on a dry board. A broom might be a good lever to pry a victim from a high tension wire but never use a green stick containing sap. First AidOnce the rescue has been made and the victim is free of further danger, check to see if breathing has stopped. If so, start artificial respiration immediately and send someone for a doctor. Artificial respiration must be started as soon as possible after normal breathing ceases. Most persons will die within 6 minutes or less if breathing stops completely unless they are given artificial respiration. Precious minutes may have passed before you get to the victim. Since the victim may be within seconds of death by the time you are able to touch his body, you should seek to obtain an air flow to and from the lungs immediately. The victim may seem stiff as an effect of the current, so don't give up easily. Continue the procedure for several hours. If transportation is necessary, remember that there may be internal injury, fractures, or severe burns. Mouth-To-Mouth Rescue BreathingThere are various effective ways to give artificial respiration, each with its advantages and disadvantages. The mouth-to-mouth method is recommended as a good one to master. It can be used on victims of drowning, suffocation, and asphyxiation, too. People have been known to save lives with less exposure to the correct procedure than you are getting by reading this. So, pay attention and remember what you read. Step 1. Turn the victim on his back. Wipe out victim's mouth quickly. Turn his head to the side. Use your fingers to get rid of mucus, food, sand, and other matter. Head Position Step 2. Straighten victim's head and tilt back so that chin points up. Push or pull his jaw up into jutting out position to keep his tongue from blocking air passage. This position is essential for keeping the air passage open throughout the procedure. Push Jaw Up Pinch Nostrils Step 3. Take a deep breath, place your mouth tightly over victim's mouth, and pinch nostrils closed to prevent air leakage. For a baby, cover both nose and mouth tightly with your mouth. (Breathing through handkerchief or cloth placed over victim's mouth or nose will not greatly affect the exchange of air.) Breathe Step 4. Breathe into victim's mouth or nose until you see his chest rise. (Air may be blown through victim's teeth, even though they may be clenched.) Step 5. Remove your mouth and listen for the sound of returning air. If there is no air exchange, recheck jaw and head position. If you still do not get air exchange, turn victim on side and slap him on back between shoulder blades to dislodge matter that may be in throat. Again, wipe his mouth to remove foreign matter. Step 6. Repeat breathing, removing mouth each time to allow air to escape. For an adult, breathe about 12 times per minute. For a child, take relatively shallow breaths, about 20 per minute. Continue until victim breathes for himself. What Did You Learn? True or False1. A broken arm should be splinted before artificial respiration is applied to a victim who is not breathing. 2. A person who has been severely shocked with an electric current should lie down. 3. A doctor should be called even though you successfully have revived a victim's breathing. 4. A fraction of an ampere through the human heart muscles can be fatal. 5. A copper wire would provide a better path than your body for stray currents, therefore all appliances should be grounded if possible. 6. Outside wires are never a hazard because they are covered with insulation when they are installed. 7. Cords need not be repaired until you can see bare wires. 8. Tuning in an AC radio while you are bathing is always dangerous, even though your hands are dry. 9. In an emergency, a broom is an acceptable tool for prying a victim off a high tension wire. 10. In mouth-to-mouth breathing, an adult's lungs should be filled 12 times per minute and a child's 20. Demonstrations You Can GiveShow how to deal with an electrical first aid "problem" given to you by your leader. For More InformationAsk your leader to have a first aid expert put on a demonstration. (Many industrial plants and power suppliers have such people.) |
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