SIA Guard First Aid Awareness — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the first thing you should do before providing first aid to a casualty?
- Begin CPR immediately
- Check that the scene is safe for you and the casualty (Correct answer)
- Call for an ambulance
- Put on gloves
Correct answer: Check that the scene is safe for you and the casualty
Before approaching a casualty, always check the scene is safe. If the area is dangerous (e.g., traffic, electrical hazard, chemical spill), you could become a casualty yourself, making the situation worse.
Question 2: What should you do if you find a person who is unresponsive and not breathing normally?
- Place them in the recovery position
- Call 999 and begin CPR immediately (Correct answer)
- Give them water
- Wait to see if they start breathing
Correct answer: Call 999 and begin CPR immediately
If a person is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 999 immediately (or ask someone else to) and begin CPR: 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths. Continue until help arrives or the person starts breathing.
Question 3: What is the recovery position used for?
- To treat broken bones
- To maintain an open airway in an unconscious casualty who is breathing normally (Correct answer)
- To treat heat stroke
- To perform CPR
Correct answer: To maintain an open airway in an unconscious casualty who is breathing normally
The recovery position (lying on the side with the top leg bent for stability) keeps the airway open and allows any fluid (such as vomit) to drain from the mouth, preventing choking in an unconscious but breathing casualty.
Question 4: How should you treat a suspected heart attack?
- Give them cold water and tell them to lie down
- Call 999, help them into a comfortable position (usually sitting), give aspirin (300mg) if available and not allergic, and monitor (Correct answer)
- Perform CPR immediately
- Place them in the recovery position
Correct answer: Call 999, help them into a comfortable position (usually sitting), give aspirin (300mg) if available and not allergic, and monitor
Call 999, help the person sit in a comfortable position (often sitting up with knees bent), give a 300mg aspirin to chew slowly if they are not allergic, keep them calm, and monitor their condition. Be prepared to perform CPR if they become unresponsive.
Question 5: What are the signs and symptoms of shock?
- Red face, high temperature, and excessive sweating
- Pale, cold, and clammy skin, rapid pulse, rapid breathing, dizziness, and nausea (Correct answer)
- Excessive hunger and thirst
- Swollen joints and bruising
Correct answer: Pale, cold, and clammy skin, rapid pulse, rapid breathing, dizziness, and nausea
Shock occurs when the circulatory system fails to deliver enough oxygenated blood. Signs include: pale, cold, clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, rapid shallow breathing, dizziness, nausea, thirst, and confusion.
Question 6: What is the correct first aid for a nosebleed?
- Tilt the head back and stuff tissue up the nose
- Lean forward, pinch the soft part of the nose for at least 10 minutes, and breathe through the mouth (Correct answer)
- Lie the person flat on their back
- Apply ice directly inside the nostril
Correct answer: Lean forward, pinch the soft part of the nose for at least 10 minutes, and breathe through the mouth
Lean forward (not back — to prevent swallowing blood), pinch the soft part of the nose firmly for at least 10 minutes, and breathe through the mouth. Do not stuff anything up the nose or tilt the head back.
SIA Guard First Aid Awareness
What is the first thing you should do before providing first aid to a casualty?