12

First Aid Common

Emergencies and Safety
Practices in Outdoor
Activities
 TASK 1: “EMERGENCY! EMERGENCY! WHAT WILL I DO?”
Directions: To become a first aider, one must know how to respond to the different risky situations.
Now, test your skills in applying first aid by writing down your immediate action to the following
situation:

SITUATION IMMEDIATE ACTION TAKEN

1. While trekking, your friend slipped on a
sloppy terrain and twisted his/her ankle.
2. While camping, one of the campers was
attacked and bitten by a snake.
3. Your brother was setting up the tent when
cuts his finger with the pole.
4. Your mother accidentally touches a hot
pan.
5. Your friend experiences stroke.

Do you think you did the right action for each situation? Do not worry. As you go on with
this lesson, you will discover the proper ways of addressing those situations.

OUTDOOR RECREATION SAFETY TIPS

As an adventurer, it is best to ensure safety practices to help you become safe as well
as your fellow outdoorsmen, and the environment. With these practices, it will make the
activity
becomes enjoyable and memorable
one.
According to
https://www.stanley1913.com/ n.d., these are
the safety tips to consider in engaging an
outdoor activity.
1. Plan Ahead. To make the most of
your outdoor time, it’s important to
plan before leaving for your
https://sportsguidemag.com/outdoor-safety-tips-to-remember/
destination. Preparing for different
scenarios can help you and your
family have a successful outing while staying safe. Before leaving for your destination,
consider the following preparation best practices:
  Check the accessibility of your destination. This includes looking up the hours of
operations to ensure the trail or campground is open, as well as directions if you are
planning to take more than one car.

 Look at the weather in advance. Different weather patterns may cause trails or
campgrounds to become impassable. Knowing the weather beforehand can help you be
prepared for any type of scenario

 Get advice from experienced outdoorsmen. If you are going to a destination for the first
time, it can be helpful to get advice from people who have already been there. This advice
can include which campgrounds to go to, activities to participate in, and safety precautions.

 Go during the safest time of day. If you are participating in outdoor activities for the first
time and have never been to the destination, it’s important to go during a safe time of the
day. Make sure you have enough daylight to see where you are going and to ensure you
won’t get stuck in an unknown location at nighttime.
2. Communicate. Many hikers, campers, and other outdoor enthusiasts may find themselves
lost during an excursion. This situation can become instantly overwhelming and may push
back your expected arrival time. Outdoor recreation can come with risks, and it’s important
to let friends and family know your plans in case something happens. Consider telling a
few friends and family this pertinent information:
 A basic timeframe of your arrival;
 An itinerary with numbers you can be reached at;
 Phone numbers of the people you are going to be with;
 Updates to your location when you have cell service;
 Specific trails and campgrounds that you will be using.

3. Bring the right gear. Bringing the right

equipment or gear can help ensure
you have a successful outdoor adventure.
Many outdoor activities need special gear.
Additionally, you should take
weather and climate into consideration so
you can stay comfortable. For instance, hikers
will need the backpack, hiking boots
or shoes, moisture-wicking pants and jacket,
food andwater, navigation tools, first-aid
kit, extra clothes, and a knife. Additionally,
campers will need a tent, sleeping bags, pads, (Expedition Alpine, 2019)
and pillows; headlamps and flashlights, camping
chairs and tables, camping cutlery, plates, and
mugs, lanterns, firewood, cooler with drinks
and food and trash bags.
4. Don’t go alone. Bringing a friend or two with you when you camp or hike can be helpful if you
encounter problems. Additionally, bringing experienced campers or hikers can help you learn
the essential skills you need to successfully do these activities alone.

5. Practice “Leave No Trace”. Leave No Trace is a set of seven principles that helps outdoor
enthusiasts maintain the integrity of the outdoors. While Leave No Trace was created to
maintain backcountry areas, it has adapted to fit a variety of outdoor settings and recreational
activities. The seven principles are as follows:

Plan Ahead and Prepare: Poor

planning can lead to damage to natural
resources. By planning, outdoor
adventurists can minimize their impact
on the land while staying safe.

Travel and Camp on Durable

Surfaces: Campers and hikers must
stick totrails and campgrounds to lessen
https://leavenotrace.org.nz/ n.d. the risk of soil erosions and undesirable
trails.

Dispose of Waste Properly: Outdoor enthusiasts should be cognizant of

the impact of the waste left in the wilderness. This includes proper
disposal of human waste, trash, spilled foods, cigarette butts, plastic,
and fishing line.
Leave What You Find: This principle minimizes site alterations and
avoids damaging live trees and plants. Additionally, campers and hikers
should leave cultural objects where they stand on public lands.
Minimize Campfire Impacts: Campfires can degrade the natural
appearance of many areas due to smoke and the increasing demand for
firewood. Use existing fire rings or bring your firewood to help maintain
the natural appearance of camp areas.
Respect Wildlife: Wildlife and plants should not be disturbed. Campers
and hikers should travel quietly to avoid stressing the animals. Never
touch, feed, or get close to wild animals.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors: Maintaining courtesy toward other
outdoor enthusiasts can ensure that everyone enjoys the outdoor
experience. Excessive noise, uncontrolled pets, and damaged areas can
lessen other people’s experiences.

6. Stay in designated areas. Camping or hiking in designated areas can help lessen the
impact you have on the outdoors. According to the Leave No Trace travel principle, the goal of
outdoor travel is to move through natural areas while avoiding damage to land and
waterways.
 7. Leave Wildlife Alone. While seeing animals in
the wild can be inspiring, it is best to leave
them alone. Loud noises and quick movements
can cause the animal stress and affect its
ability to live in rigorous environments. If the
animal becomes dependent on campers
feeding it, it could lose its ability to hunt or
forage.

8. Hydrate. Campers and hikers may engage in

physical activity during the warm-weather Cabico, 2021
season, which can
easily lead to dehydration. Signs of dehydration include feeling very thirsty, dry mouth,
urinating and sweating less than usual, dark-colored urine, dry skin, fatigue, dizziness.
To combat these symptoms while outdoors, consider these tips to help keep you hydrated:

 Use insulated bottles to keep water cold

 Drink often rather than chugging a lot of water at once
 Replace electrolytes if you sweat a lot
 Drink more water at higher altitudes
 Hydrate before you go on hikes
 Wear sunscreen to avoid sunburns, which can speed up
dehydration.
.
9. Bring a first aid kit. Although campers and hikers may not expect to get hurt,
it’s important to bring a first aid kit just in case. However, first aid kits for the

outdoors may look different than typical first

aid kits you see at home or in school. For
instance, because you have limited space,
outdoor first aid kits generally only have the
bare essentials. It should carry
 items thatwill address common outdoor
maladies and pertain to your health situation. A
common outdoor first aid kit should
include prescription medication labeled in
a bag, s ingle-
use packs of ibuprofen,
Imodium, and an antihistamine,
moleskin or
athletic tape, bandages in multiple sizes, sterile gauze, latex gloves, sanitizer, tweezers, a
small knife or scissors and antiseptic ointment.
 10. Be mindful of your group. If you are camping or hiking with a large group, it’s important
to be mindful of everyone’s comfort level and abilities. For instance, if you are including
new campers, it may be difficult for them to camp in the backcountry for the first time.
Additionally, inexperienced hikers may find ten-mile hikes uncomfortable and
dissatisfying. For everyone to enjoy the outdoors safely, get the group’s perspective on
what is and is not attainable for your outdoor adventure. Lastly, assign roles for people
so that no one person is left doing all the work. For example, someone can be in
charge of cleaning up the campsite while another is in charge of cooking food. This way,
everyone will get to contribute to the excursion.

OUTDOOR RECREATION COMMON FIRST AID INJURIES

First aid is required in many ways, shapes and forms. it's always an honest idea to
possess basic first aid skills just in case you would like it yourself, or someone needs it around
you. Below are the lists of common injuries requiring attention and what you'll be able to do
when accidents like this occur (Tilton, 2017).
He introduces the following most common first aid injuries:
Cut/Scrape
Cuts and scrapes happen when your skin is
accidentally broken or worn away. This can be
the result of a fall, banging against a hard
object, or being cut by something sharp.
 If there is bleeding, press firmly over
the site with a clean cloth until it stops,
anywhere from three to 15 minutes.
 Clean with lukewarm running water and
gently pat dry.

Mendenhall, n.d.  If the skin is broken, apply a thin layer

of antibiotic ointment,
then cover with a bandage or gauze and adhesive tape.
 If you can't control the bleeding after several attempts with direct pressure, call
immediate medical help.
 Continue utilize antibiotic ointment and apply a new bandage daily (or more often if
necessary) until the cut heals.
 If the wound appears to be forming or draining pus or becomes swollen, tender, or
red, see a doctor right away to treat the infection.
Burn
Burn is damage to the skin or other body parts
caused by extreme heat, flame, contact with
heated objects, or chemicals.
 Immediately hold injury under cold
running water or apply a cold, wet towel
until the pain subsides.
 Cover any small blisters with
a loose bandage or gauze and tape.
 Call a doctor as soon as possible if burns are on the face, hands, or genitals, or if they're
larger than 1/4 inch anywhere on the body.
 If the injury looks rooted, seek medical help immediately.
 For a burn covering a tenth of the body or more, don't use cold compresses; call
emergency hotline and cover up with a clean sheet or a blanket to prevent hypothermia
until help arrives.
 DO NOT pop any blisters yourself. If the skin breaks, apply antibiotic cream and cover
the area with a bandage or gauze until it's healed.
 Watch for any redness, swelling, tenderness, or discharge for these are all signs of
infection.
Insect Bite/Sting
It is a painful wound caused by the
thrust of an insect’s stinger into skin.
 If the insect left a stinger, gently scrape the
skin with your fingernail to remove it without
breaking it.
 Refrain from using tweezers because that
can squeeze more venom out of the stinger,
causing further injury.
 Call emergency personnel if you have trouble
breathing, coughing,
or develop a hoarse voice, hives, or swollen lips or tongue. Gina, 2020

Splinter

Splinters are objects that become embedded

under the skin.
 Use soap and water to wash around the
splinter.
 Clean a pair of tweezers with rubbing
alcohol and slowly pull the splinter out. Rewash
the skin.
 If you come across a fragment that is
hard to remove, leave it for a day or so to see if it
will come out on its own.
Sunburn
Sunburn is the term for red, sometimes swollen, and painful skin caused by overexposure to
ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. Sunburn can vary from mild to severe.
 If you feel dizzy, weak, sick to your stomach, or
are spiking a high fever—or if the burn is severe
(oozing blisters form within 48 hours) and covering
a significant portion of your body—go to the
Emergency Room.
 If your only symptoms are discomfort and redness,
apply cold compresses and aloe vera lotion and take
some ibuprofen.
 Avoid creams with petroleum, which can cause
infection, or anything ending in - Caine. When not
administered by a professional, these drugs may be
dangerous.

Nosebleed Jacobs, 2020

A nosebleed is blood loss from the

tissue that lines your nose. It can
affect both nostrils, but most often
occurs in only one nostril.
 Sit upright and don't tilt your
head back. Loosen any tight clothing
around your neck.
 Pinch the lower end of the nose
close to the nostrils and lean forward
while you apply constant pressure
Kennedy, 2020
for five to ten minutes.
 Don't release and check the
nose; it could prolong the bleeding.
 If the nosebleed is the result of
trauma, you can reduce swelling by
holding an ice pack against the bridge
of the nose after the bleeding slows
down.
 If it persists for more than ten
minutes or returns later, call medics
or seek medical help in order to check
for breakage.
Sprains, Strains, and Tears
A Sprain is an injury to the ligaments or capsule that
holds a joint together. A strain is an injury to a
muscle or to a tendon (tissue that connects muscle to
bone). It is sometimes called a “pulled muscle.” A strain
happens when a muscle or tendon is stretched too far
or is partially torn. Symptoms of a strain are pain,
swelling, and having a problem moving or using the
injured area. The hamstring (thigh muscle), calf muscle,
and Achilles tendon are commonly strained. A tear
https://www.webmd.com/ n.d. often occurs when a joint is forced beyond its normal
range of motion. This can stretch or tear the ligament,
much like the fibers of a rope coming apart. Both
surgical and nonsurgical treatment has been used to
recover from a tear.
The most effective treatment is the RICE method. In
the first few days after an injury, you should:
https://creeksidechiro.com/ n.d.
 Rest the area you injured. Your doctor may
recommend crutches if you hurt your knee,
foot or ankle.
 Ice the injury for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day.
 Compress the injury with bandages or a splint to reduce pain and swelling.
Your doctor might also
recommend a cast or boot.
 Elevate the injury (arm, leg, elbow, knee,
etc.) on a pillow, to reduce swelling.
 A compression wrap is used to prevent
swelling, which can help your ankle feel
better. It does not support the ankle or
prevent it from moving, so it does not
protect it except by reminding you to be
careful of your ankle.
 Roll up the elastic bandage if it isn't
already rolled up. Hold your ankle at about
https://slideplayer.com/ n.d.
a 90-degree angle. Start where your toes
meet the body of your foot. Hold the loose
end of the bandage at the side of your foot.
Wrap the bandage around the ball of your
foot once, keeping it somewhat taut with a
light pull.
  After this, slowly start circling your way around the arch of the foot. Pull the bandage
diagonally from the bottom of the toes across the foot's top and circle it around the
ankle. Now bring the bandage diagonally across the top of the foot and under the arch in a
figure-eight pattern.
 When you get to the ankle bone, wrap the bandage around the felt piece so it stays in
place under the ankle bone. Continue around the ankle and foot in a figure eight, moving
toward the heel on the bottom and toward the calf at the top of the eight.
 The wrap should cover the entire foot and end about 7 centimeters above the ankle. Most
compression wraps are self-fastening or come with clip fasteners. If not, use tape to
secure the end. The wrap should be snug but should not cut off circulation to the foot.

Fractures
Fractures are broken bones, and they can occur as a result of
falls or other harsh impacts.
◆ Stop Bleeding, if Necessary

 Apply firm pressure to wound with clean cloth until

bleeding stops.
 If bone is pushing through skin, do not touch it or try to
put it back in place.

◆ Splint the Area, if Possible

The purpose of the splint is to hold still and protect a wounded https://www.academyorthopedics.com/ n.d.
body part from further damage.

 Cut away clothing if it cannot be removed without moving the injured body part.
 Gently tape the dislocated area or fracture to a rolled-up newspaper, ruler, stick, or a
rolled-up piece of clothing with first aid tape. In general, try to include the joint above
and below the injury in the splint. As much as possible, avoid moving the injured limb,
and never force it or try to twist it back into place.

◆ Call immediate medical help if:

 The person is seriously injured.

 You suspect injury to the person's head, neck, or back.
 Bone is sticking out of the skin.
 Bleeding doesn't stop after several minutes of firm pressure.
 Blood spurts from the wound.
 Experience loss of feeling at the injured site
 Experience loss of warmth beyond the injured area.
 FIRST AID FOR SNAKE BITE: WHAT TO DO WHEN BITTEN BY A SNAKE
In https://disasters2.jimdofree.com/ n.d., in the Philippines, out of the few hundred species
of snakes, there are thirty poisonous snakes that can be identified. Snakes are often found in rural
areas, especially farmlands and rivers where they will easily feed on smaller animals and sleep in
the moist. This also makes people in rural areas at risk of snake encounters and snake bites
something that ought to not be taken lightly, even from non-venomous snakes.
Mary Ellen Ellis (2018) suggests that, to identify a snake bite, consider the following
general symptoms:

 two puncture wounds

 swelling and redness around the wounds
 pain at the bite site
 difficulty breathing
 vomiting and nausea
 blurred vision
 sweating and salivating

 numbness in the face and limbs

https://disasters2.jimdofree.com/ n.d.,

First aid steps you can take after a snake bite occurs include cleaning the wound,
remaining calm, and immobilizing the affected area. However, it’s essential to get to a medical
facility immediately for emergency treatment. If treated in time, the outlook for recovery is good.
 What I Have Learned

TASK 2: COMPLETE ME
Directions: Complete the unfinished statements individually.
I can be a first aider because
_ _
_
I will be a first aider because
_ _
_.
As a first aider, I will
_
_.

Processing Questions:
1. Why is first aid important?

2. Can we help others through our knowledge and skills in first aid? How?
_

What I Can Do

TASK 3: "IS HE A GOOD FIRST AIDER?”

Directions: Analyze the situations and answer the process questions that follow.
■ Student A is very relaxed in controlling the bleeding on her classmate’s finger.
■ Student B is insisting that her unconscious sister drink water.
■ Student C immediately brings her friend, who fell down the stairs, to the clinic.
■ Student D makes use of his clean handkerchief to tie his best friend’s bleeding
arm.
■ Student E speaks comforting words to her cousin who sprained his ankle while trekking.

Process Questions:
1. Who among the students are good first aiders? Why?
 2. Who among them are not good first aiders? Why?

3. What characteristics should a good first aider possess?

4. If you were a first aider, what would be your goal?

Assessment

TRUE or FALSE. Directions: Write TRUE if the statement is correct or FALSE if it is wrong.
Write your answer in your notebook.
1. Before leaving the house for a trek through the wilderness, make sure
you’ve packed a first aid kit to treat future hiking injuries.
2. Treating burns and scalds can be done by putting layers of clothing on the injured
area.
3. First aid steps one can take after a snake bite occurs include sucking and cutting
the wound open.
4. No need to call for emergency if the patient’s blood spurts out of wound.
5. If still on fire, stop burning immediately through the “stop, drop, and roll” method.
Then remove the flamed material from the person. However, if the clothing
sticks to the skin, do not pull it out but cut or tear around it.
6. It is a common sense to give food and drink to an unconscious person.
7. Emergency personnel must be called immediately if severe bleeding or bleeding
does not stop despite pressure.
8. To treat minor cuts, clean it with soap and water then apply antibiotic cream then
cover with sterile bandage and secure using medical tape.
9. Strains and sprains Grade 1 & 2 may be treated with RICE (rest, ice pack,
compression, and elevation) method.
10. It is a must to always carry a first aid kit whenever you do any sort of outdoor
recreation.
 Additional Activities

ADMINISTERING FIRST AID

Directions: For 10 points, read and answer the question and statement below.
SCENARIO: You and your two friends were hiking and along the trail you saw a man who is
unconscious, with blood oozing from his head. How should you deal with this situation?
1. What is the first thing that you should do?
_
_
_
2. List everything you think you would need to do as the first persons to arrive at the scene.
_
_
_