How to Handle Home Emergencies

From the October 2010 issue of Consumer Reports on Health comes information on how to handle home emergencies.

Some of the highlights:

• Cuts and scapes - Clean cuts with soap and running water, rather than alcohol, iodine, or hydrogen peroxide.
• Bleeding - Use pressure to stop bleeding, rather than elevating the affected area or applying chemical products designed to stem the flow of blood.
• Burns - Ice can damage skin further; run cool water over the burn for 10-20 minutes to stop the burning process.
• When to go to the hospital
• What should be in your home first-aid kit and your car first-aid kit.

Read the entire article at the UCSF Patient Health Library.

Other resources:

When Should I Go to the Emergency Department?  [from the American College of Emergency Physicians]

First Aid & Safety  [from KidsHealth.org]

First-aid kits: Stock supplies that can save lives  [from the Mayo Clinic]

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