The importance that learning basic first aid has within a preppers toolbox is key. You do not want to find yourself in a situation where you lack the skills to protect and help those you love. Think of if you did not know how to use a tool when you are someone else’s life depended on it. Yes, you would have the tool but without the ability to actually use it. Which in the end defeats the point of having it, if you do not know how to use it. Think of all the emergency preparedness situations which could require you to know basic first aid.
Why Is Learning First Aid Important
Well, there are many reasons why learning first aid is important. It comes down to skills and in an emergency, you will need them to get you through. Small things can become big things in a matter of seconds, minutes, and hours. The ability for you to use your skills for the betterment of yourself and others will be the determining factor to your success.
In a SHTF or emergency situation, small minor injuries could present themselves. This happens all the time, and when or if there is no running water hygiene is not at its best. When personal hygiene is not easily maintained in an emergency even small injuries can be confounded into big ones. A small cut could easily become infected if you do not clean it properly and cover it with a clean bandage.
Things can change and so can our immune systems. Injuries and illnesses can make a bad situation worse. So I would make sure you know the basics of what medicines to use to treat illnesses. Hopefully, you will never have to use them. On the off chance that SHTF, you will have the knowledge to take action!
Natural Disasters
Natural disasters can happen at a moment’s notice. Think of that small cut we talked about above. What if you found yourself in deep water from a flood. That small cut regardless of cleaning it and the bandage could easily become infected. The water in the flood could have many different viruses and microscopic germs that we want to keep out of our bodies. It would be up to you to treat the wound once you have found high ground or are out of harm’s way in this instance.
The Key Things You Should Know
When it comes to first aid there are a few things that a person should know. You want to make sure you’re proficient in first aid. This doesn’t mean you are going to be a doctor or nurse but know enough to get you through an emergency. The first thing I would focus on learning is how to use my first aid to control bleeding.
Blood
Our bodies need blood to function. When we lose too much we can pass out and ultimately die. This is why stopping or controlling the amount of blood that is coming out could save you or a loved one’s life.
Wounds
Wounds are common in daily life and more likely to happen in an emergency situation. The key thing you should know is how to properly bandage wounds. You have to ensure that when there is an opening of the skin that it is bandaged correctly. Or it will become infected. A good rule of thumb in an emergency is to clean the wound with an antiseptic, then an antibiotic followed by bandaging it.
Air-Flow
It is highly likely that in an emergency you will not be able to get help fast enough. There could be no help at all. So it is essential to know what to do if someone has stopped breathing. This is where every second counts. The person’s only chance of surviving will be down to your efforts. You should learn CPR as it’s a skill that is good to have in general.
You must make sure to learn how to properly administer CPR.
How Do I Learn?
There are many places where you can learn these essentials in first aid skills. I would focus on all the resources that are currently out there. There are various courses that a person could take or books about each of these topics. Or you could take a local class such as one by the Red Cross. There is no excuse not to learn these skills, because once you know them, you are so much stronger than before.
So please learn basic first aid skills. They are not hard to learn and something which could make all the difference. There are many resources out there to make sure that you are ready in basic first aid, for an emergency situation that arises. Don’t wait and start learning!
