First Aid and Emergencies

The lessons at a glance

1. Before you help: danger, calling 998 and the primary survey

In an emergency, the first two minutes are about staying safe, getting professional help on the way and finding out what is wrong. This lesson gives you a calm, repeatable order of actions so you never freeze.

• Danger first: never become a second casualty.
• In the UAE, call 998 for an ambulance; 999 is police and 997 is fire.
• Give a precise location, not just a building name.
• DR ABC: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing (no more than 10 seconds), Circulation.
• Gasping is not normal breathing: treat it as cardiac arrest.

2. The recovery position

If someone is unresponsive but breathing, lying on their back can let their tongue or vomit block their airway. The recovery position keeps the airway open and lets fluid drain out of the mouth.

• Recovery position: unresponsive but breathing normally.
• Not breathing normally means CPR, not the recovery position.
• Hand under cheek, top leg bent at right angles, head tilted back.
• Keep monitoring breathing; turn to the other side after 30 minutes.
• With a suspected spinal injury, keep head and spine in line.

3. CPR and using a defibrillator (AED)

When the heart stops (cardiac arrest), every minute without CPR lowers the chance of survival. Dubai sees about 1,600 cardiac arrests a year, with survival around 5 percent, which is why the city is training residents and installing defibrillators. Hands-only CPR is something you can learn today.

• No response and not breathing normally: call 998, start CPR, send for an AED.
• Middle of the chest, 5 to 6 cm deep, 100 to 120 per minute.
• Hands-only CPR is fine if you are not trained in rescue breaths.
• Switch on the AED and follow its voice; nobody touches during analysis or shock.
• Swap rescuers every one to two minutes if you can.

4. Choking

Choking happens fast, often at mealtimes, and a person who cannot breathe needs help within seconds. The steps are simple to remember: cough, back blows, abdominal thrusts, call for help.

• If they can cough, encourage coughing.
• Up to five back blows, then up to five abdominal thrusts, checking the mouth each time.
• Not cleared: call 998 and keep repeating.
• Unresponsive: start CPR.
• Babies under one get back blows and chest thrusts, never abdominal thrusts.

5. Severe bleeding, small cuts and nosebleeds

Most cuts are minor and easy to treat at home, but heavy bleeding can become life-threatening within minutes. This lesson covers both, plus the right way to stop a nosebleed.

• Severe bleeding: firm direct pressure, call 998, treat for shock.
• Never pull out an embedded object; press around it.
• Small cuts: stop, clean, cover.
• Nosebleed: lean forward and pinch the soft part for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Spurting blood, deep wounds or bites need medical help.

6. Burns and scalds, including hot oil

Kitchen burns from boiling water, hot pans and frying oil are among the most common home injuries. The right first aid in the first minutes reduces pain, scarring and the risk of a hospital visit.

• Cool running water for 20 minutes, as soon as possible.
• Remove jewellery and loose clothing, not anything stuck.
• Cover loosely with cling film.
• No ice, butter, oil, creams or toothpaste; do not pop blisters.
• Never throw water on an oil fire.

7. Heat illness in the Gulf: heat exhaustion and heatstroke

UAE summer temperatures can approach 50°C, and heat illness can affect fit, healthy teenagers playing sport, queuing outside or walking home at midday. Knowing the difference between heat exhaustion and heatstroke can save a life.

• Heat exhaustion: heavy sweating, dizziness, cramps. Cool down and drink water.
• Not better within 30 minutes, or any heatstroke sign: call 998.
• Heatstroke red flags: confusion, hot skin without sweating, seizure, collapse.
• Avoid the midday sun, drink water, wear light loose clothing.

8. Sprains, strains and suspected broken bones

Twisted ankles and sore wrists are common in sport and daily life. Most sprains heal with self-care, but some injuries are actually fractures. This lesson helps you tell the difference and act correctly.

• Heard a crack, odd shape, numbness or colour change: suspect a break and get urgent help.
• PRICE for 2 to 3 days: Protection, Rest, Ice (wrapped), Compression, Elevation.
• Never ice directly on skin; up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.
• Do not straighten or move a suspected fracture; support it.
• Open fracture: press around the wound, not on the bone.

9. Allergic reactions, anaphylaxis and asthma attacks

Food allergies and asthma are common among teenagers, and both can become life-threatening quickly. If a friend carries an adrenaline pen or a blue inhaler, knowing how to help them could save their life.

• Anaphylaxis: adrenaline first, then call 998.
• Lie down with legs raised; sit up if breathing is hard; never stand or walk.
• Second auto-injector after 5 minutes if no improvement.
• Asthma: sit up, one puff every 30 to 60 seconds, up to 10 puffs.
• No better after 10 puffs, getting worse or no inhaler: call 998.

10. Fainting, seizures and head injuries

Seeing someone faint, have a seizure or hit their head can be frightening. Most of the time, calm and simple actions are all that is needed, but certain signs mean you must call 998 immediately.

• Fainting: on their back, legs raised; most wake within 30 seconds.
• Seizure: protect, cushion, time it; nothing in the mouth, no holding down.
• Call 998 for a first seizure or one longer than five minutes.
• Head injury: someone should stay with them for 24 hours.
• No contact sport for at least 3 weeks after a head injury.

11. Building a first aid kit for home, car and travel

A good first aid kit only helps if it is complete, easy to find and in date. This lesson helps you build kits for home, the car and travel, adapted for the Gulf climate.

• Know where your kit is and make sure everyone else does.
• Basics: bandages, non-stick dressings, gloves, tape, scissors, tweezers, face shield, thermal blanket.
• Add cling film, ice pack and rehydration sachets for Gulf life.
• Keep medicines out of hot parked cars.
• Check and restock every six months.

Talk about it, then try it

The real-life practice tasks from each lesson. Pick one or two a week and agree when you will check in.

1. Before you help: danger, calling 998 and the primary survey
   • Save 998, 999 and 997 in your phone under a clear name, and check that family members have them too.
   • Practise saying your home address the way DCAS asks for it: area, street, landmark, building name, floor and flat number. Time yourself: aim for under 20 seconds.
   • Walk through DR ABC out loud with a friend or family member lying on the floor (without actually tilting hard or pressing), so the order feels automatic.
2. The recovery position
   • With a willing friend or family member on a carpeted floor, practise the full recovery position three times, then swap roles.
   • Practise rolling someone onto their other side (the 30 minute rule) without letting the head drop.
   • Explain to someone else, in your own words, when you would use the recovery position and when you would start CPR instead.
3. CPR and using a defibrillator (AED)
   • Find the AED nearest to your home, school and gym, and note exactly where it is kept.
   • Practise the rhythm: compress a firm cushion at 100 to 120 per minute using a metronome app for two minutes, and notice how tiring it is.
   • Look up a certified CPR or basic life support course you could join in the next few months, and book it if you can.
4. Choking
   • Practise the hand positions (not the force) on a willing family member: find the spot between belly button and ribs and form the fist.
   • Teach younger siblings the universal choking sign (hands at the throat) and to say 'Are you choking?'
   • At your next family meal, check that small children's food is cut into small pieces and that everyone eats sitting down.
5. Severe bleeding, small cuts and nosebleeds
   • Check your home first aid kit for gloves, sterile dressings, plasters and a bandage; add anything missing.
   • Practise the circulation check on your own fingernail: press for five seconds and count how long colour takes to return.
   • Ask a parent or check your records to find out when you last had a tetanus vaccination.
6. Burns and scalds, including hot oil
   • Find a phone timer you can start one-handed and practise starting a 20 minute countdown.
   • Check that your kitchen has cling film and that everyone knows it is for burns as well as food.
   • Walk through with your family what you would do if a pan of oil caught fire: heat off if safe, get out, close the door, call 997.
7. Heat illness in the Gulf: heat exhaustion and heatstroke
   • Check the weather app each day this week and plan any outdoor activity outside the hottest hours.
   • Keep a refillable water bottle with you and track how much you drink in a hot day.
   • Tell a friend the three heatstroke red flags: confusion, hot skin without sweating, loss of consciousness.
8. Sprains, strains and suspected broken bones
   • Make sure your freezer always has an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables you can use, and a tea towel to wrap it.
   • Practise tying a simple arm support using a scarf or large triangular cloth with a family member.
   • Before your next sport session, do a proper warm-up and agree with teammates who would call for help if someone is injured.
9. Allergic reactions, anaphylaxis and asthma attacks
   • If you or a friend has an allergy or asthma, read the instructions on the auto-injector or inhaler together and agree what you would do in an attack.
   • Ask whether your school has a policy and spare auto-injectors or inhalers, and where they are kept.
   • Check the expiry date on any auto-injector or inhaler at home.
10. Fainting, seizures and head injuries
    • Add a stopwatch shortcut to your phone's home screen so you can time a seizure quickly.
    • If you play a contact sport, ask your coach what the team's concussion policy is.
    • Learn the five 'do not' rules for seizures and teach them to a family member.
11. Building a first aid kit for home, car and travel
    • Find your home first aid kit, lay everything out and compare it with the basic list. Write a shopping list for the gaps.
    • Make a small card with UAE emergency numbers and your home address in DCAS format, and put it in the kit.
    • Set a recurring six-month reminder in your phone to check all kits and expiry dates.

Quiz

Name: ______________________ Date: ____________ Circle one answer for each question.

Answer key

1. D: UAE Government Portal: 998 is ambulance, 999 is police and 997 is fire (Civil Defence).
2. D: St John Ambulance: look, listen and feel for no more than 10 seconds.
3. B: St John Ambulance: it is safe to place someone who is not responding but is breathing normally in the recovery position.
4. A: St John Ambulance: bring the far arm across the chest and hold the back of the hand against the cheek nearest you.
5. A: St John Ambulance and Resuscitation Council UK: compress at 100 to 120 per minute.
6. A: Resuscitation Council UK: at least 5 cm but not more than 6 cm.
7. B: St John Ambulance: encourage them to cough; they may clear it themselves.
8. B: St John Ambulance and Resuscitation Council UK: give up to five back blows, then up to five abdominal thrusts.
9. A: St John Ambulance: apply direct firm pressure with a sterile dressing or clean, non-fluffy cloth.
10. B: St John Ambulance: do not remove an embedded object; it may be slowing the bleeding. Press on either side.
11. B: NHS: hold the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes.
12. A: NHS and St John Ambulance: cover loosely with cling film.
13. A: NHS: heatstroke signs include confusion, restlessness, hot skin without sweating, seizure and loss of consciousness.
14. B: NHS: call for help if they are still unwell after 30 minutes of rest, cooling and fluids.
15. B: NHS: apply a wrapped ice pack for up to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours.
16. B: NHS: go to A&E if you heard a crack, the part has changed shape, is numb or tingling, or has changed colour.
17. A: St John Ambulance: use the auto-injector straight away, then call for an ambulance.
18. A: NHS and St John Ambulance: lie down with legs raised; sit up only if breathing is difficult.
19. C: Epilepsy Action: do not hold the person down or put anything in their mouth.
20. A: Epilepsy Action: seizures lasting over five minutes, or longer than normal for that person, are a medical emergency.
21. C: Better Health Channel: keep the kit in a dry, cool location that is easily accessible and that everyone knows about.
22. D: NHS: once cooled, cover a burn loosely with cling film.

General information only, written from the sources listed in each online lesson. Laws, numbers and services change, so check official sources. Life-Ready Society, https://lifereadysociety.com/first-aid/