Tag Archives: Alberta Heart and Stroke

First Aid Techniques

Wound Care – Part 4 “Impaled Objects”

With our fourth look into Wound Care will mainly focus on Impaled Objects and what we can do to help someone experiencing this type of emergency. If the “Object” that created the injury is stuck within the wound it is called an “Impaled Object“. This can be very painful, lead to blood loss, internal damage / bleeding, infection and many other complications. With an “Embedded or Impaled Object NEVER remove the object” leave the object in place for medical professionals to remove to reduce further injury. For this post lets utilize the information we have gained in previous clips to assess, evaluate and control the hazards and injuries associated with Impaled Objects.


Common Causes:

  • Injuries from pointed objects like nails, glass, pens or needles.
  • Unsafe play habits with long or pointed objects

Prevention:–

  • Wear PPE or Personal Protective Equipment when available
  • Stay away from unfamiliar or wild animals
  • Implement safe play habits with children and adults to avoid injuries such as “running with scissors“
  • Wear Proper footwear outdoors at work or at play
  • Nails sticking out from boards should be removed and sweep up broken glass either inside or outside “Animals and Children can easily be exposed to sharp objects hidden in grass“

What it Looks Like:

  • An object sticking out of the body.
  • Bleeding, depending on the size of the object and depth of penetration.
  • Pain
  • Shock

How to Help:

  1. Check the area, once the area is safe, Check the person and ensure the persons ABC’s are present “Airway / Breathing / Circulation” REMEMBER – Wear gloves if available to avoid bodily fluids.
  2. Call 911 if you suspect the injuries could be severe or if there object is large, the person is impaled “Onto” the object, is in the chest, head or neck.
  3.  Care for the Impaled Object by:–**LEAVE THE OBJECT IN** it may be acting like a plug and preventing the victim from severe blood loss. 
  4. Stabilize the object by putting bulky dressings around the object to prop it in its original position “Try not to move the object as much as possible” IF THERE IS AN ENTRANCE THERE MAY BE AN EXIT, check for an exit wound and stabilize like the first.
  5. Use long bandages or tape to keep the dressings in place securing the Object & dressings.
  6. With an Impaled Object it is important that the person “ALWAYS” seeks further medical attention and avoids removing the object themselves. The object should be removed by properly trained medical personnel.

As you can see the treatments for an Impaled object and a Puncture Wound are very similar.


In any emergency just remember to Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!


Swoop into First Aid and give a breath of Life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.


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Wound Care – Part 3 “Puncture Wounds”

 Our third look into Wound Care will mainly focus on Puncture wounds and what we can do to help someone experiencing this type of emergency. Puncture wounds happen “all the time” and can easily be defined as “when something pointed creates a hole in the skin” or when an embedded object within the skin has been removed. This can be very painful, lead to blood loss, internal damage, infection and many other complications. With an “Embedded or Impaled Object NEVER remove the object” leave the object in place for medical professionals to remove to reduce further injury. For this post lets utilize the information we have gained in previous clips to assess, evaluate and control the hazards and injuries associated with Puncture Wounds.


Common Causes:

  • Injuries from pointed objects like nails, glass, pens or needles.
  • Animal Bites “Fangs or pointed teeth may cause puncture wounds“
  • Unsafe play habits with long or pointed objects

Prevention:–

  • Wear PPE or Personal Protective Equipment when available
  • Stay away from unfamiliar or wild animals
  • Implement safe play habits with children and adults to avoid injuries such as “running with scissors”
  • Wear Proper footwear outdoors at work or at play
  • Nails sticking out from boards should be removed and sweep up broken glass either inside or outside “Animals and Children can easily be exposed to sharp objects hidden in grass“

What it Looks Like:

    • A hole in the skin where the object penetrated or went through.
    • Possible Bruising around a wound with a depressed pointed center.
    • Bleeding, depending on the size of the object and depth of penetration.

How to Help:

  1. Check the area, once the area is safe, Check the person and ensure the persons ABC’s are present “Airway / Breathing / Circulation” REMEMBER – Wear gloves if available to avoid bodily fluids.
  2. Call 911 if you suspect the injuries could be severe or if there is “Animal Attack“.
  3. Care for the Puncture Wound by:
  • If the wound is bleeding place “Direct Pressure on the wound with “dressings“ until the bleeding stops“
  • After the bleeding stops and there is no risk of further opening the wound “rinse with cool clean water for roughly 5 minutes” add soap if the person is comfortable to do so *Avoid fragrant soaps or soaps with grit*
  • Antibiotic ointments or creams may be applied once the bleeding has stopped. Follow the directions recommended by a pharmacists and check the “5 Rights of Medications” **Always ask the person if they have allergies or sensitivity to antibiotics such as penicillin, if so Do NOT apply the ointment**

In any emergency just remember to Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!


Swoop into First Aid and give a breath of Life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.


‪#PunctureWound #FirstAidTrainingCourse #BasicLifeSupportBLSforHCP #H2SAliveCourse #BCLScours

Uncategorized

Wound Care – Part 2 “Cuts & Scrapes”

 For our second part of Wound Care lets focus on one of the most common injuries we sustain on a daily basis, whether it be from a paper cut, road rash or even snipping with a bread knife wounds happen almost every day. Lets look at how we can help someone with a cut “a wound where the skin has been split open or torn away with either jagged or smooth edges“, or a scrape “a wound where the skin has been rubbed or scraped away“.

Common Causes:

  • Dull knives or improper safety technique during cutting
  • Falling or impacting on an abrasive surface
  • Contact with dull, abrasive or sharp object with force enough to rub or scrape the skin away.

What to Look for: 

  • Skin pealed away
  • Bleeding
  • Pain & Tenderness
  • Raised or swollen area with potentially broken skin

How to Help:

  1. Check the area, once the area is safe, Check the person and ensure the persons ABC’s are present “Airway / Breathing / Circulation“
  2.  Call 911 if you suspect the injuries could be severe.
  3.  Care for the scrape or cut by: -*REMEMBER* Put your gloves on if there is bodily fluids.
  • Wash the wound with soap & clean cool water. 
  • If possible rinse the wound with cool clean running water for up to five minutes to help reduce infection & bleeding. Once the wound is clean and if bleeding persists apply “Direct Pressure” on the wound until the bleeding stops, if the blood soaks through the dressing ADD more dressings on top
  • Do not remove blood soaked bandages as they are already assisting in clotting the wound. If bleeding persists seek further medical attention. 
  • Antibiotic ointments or creams may be applied once the bleeding has stopped. Follow the directions recommended by a pharmacists and check the “5 Rights of Medications“ **Always ask the person if they have allergies or sensitivity to antibiotics such as penicillin, if so “Do NOT apply the ointment**
  • Cover the wound with a non-stick sterile dressing if available or bandage.

If there is substantial amount of dirt or contaminant’s within the wound, the injured person should seek further medical attention to avoid the risk of infection.


Stitches:

  • Any wound that needs “Stitches” should be assessed and stitched by a trained medical professional as soon as possible “Golden Hour Rule” wounds should be assessed and stitched within an hour if possible to avoid complications, stitches help speed healing, reduce chance of infection and leave a less noticeable scar.

A wound may need to be stitched if:

  • The wound is more than 2 1/2 cm or 1inch long
  • Edges of the wound do not fall together
  • The wound is near a joint or on the hands or feet
  • The wound is on the face

In any emergency just remember to Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!


Swoop into First Aid and give a breath of Life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.


‪#FirstAidTraningCourse‬ ‪#BasicLifeSupportBLSforHCP‬ ‪#H2SAliveCourse‬ #BCLScourse

First Aid Techniques

Wound Care – Part 1 “Bruises”

Cuts, nicks, gashes, bashes, bruises and burns are very common injuries and there are many ways that they can happen. For this post lets focus on the basics of how to treat both minor and major wounds, we’ll provide simple steps to help guide you through treating most wounds that can happen in every day life. To begin lets go through some basic terms that you can run into like dressings or bandages and some some strait forward prevention ideas to help avoid injuries.

Dressings or Bandages
Dressings are pads or any material you can place on an open wound to help absorb blood and other bodily fluids to help prevent infection as well as build clots. Bandages are materials you can use to secure, wrap or cover a dressing. Combined they are used to control bleeding, apply pressure, provide support and to protect a wound from dirt or infection. Never remove a blood soaked bandage, always add more to boost the bloods ability to create clots, dressings in contact with the would should remain in place until further medical care arrives or is needed.

How Tight should a Bandage be?
Bandages put on too tightly have the potential to “Stop Blood Flow” this is a negative outcome and should be avoided as the limb below the bandage may become cold, numb or begin to turn blur or paler than normal “If this happens loosen the bandage”. “Apply Even Moderate Pressure” that does not prevent circulation. “Never apply a tourniquet without proper knowledge, training and guidance”

Prevention of Injuries Include:

  • Developing safe play habits with both adults and children to prevent injuries “ie: running with sharp objects“
  • PPE or Personal Protective Equipment such as helmets, knee pads, elbow pads and eye protection should be used when called for during sports activities such as skateboarding, biking, skating etc..
  • Follow safety procedures at work or play.

Bruises & How to help:
Bruises are a discolored area of the skin that is created when blood and other fluids seep into nearby tissues. Most commonly caused by sudden impacts, blows or force against the tissue.
What bruises looks like:

  • Discolored tissue “purple, black, brown / yellow, red, or blue areas“
  • Swelling
  • Pain or tenderness

What to do:

  1. Check the area, once the area is safe, Check the person and ensure the persons ABC’s are present “Airway / Breathing / Circulation“
  2. Call 911 if you suspect the injuries could be severe.
  3. Care for the Bruise by:
  • Place a piece of cloth or fabric over the bruise
  • Cool the area to reduce pain, inflammation & swelling by placing an ice pack or cooling pad over the fabric covered bruise.
  • Continue to cool the wound for 20 of each hour for as long as needed to reduce pain. “Always keep the cloth between the ice and skin”

4) If the person experiences severe pain, cannot move the body part without pain, if you suspect internal bleeding or if the force causing the injury was enough to cause severe damage or bleeding “Call 911, get an AED, have the person rest & wait for medical aid”

In any emergency just remember to Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!

Swoop into First Aid and give a breath of Life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

‪#‎FirstAidTraningCourse‬ ‪#‎BasicLifeSupportBLSforHCP‬ ‪#‎H2SAliveCourse‬

First Aid Techniques

Things to Keep in Mind During CPR

In our previous posts “CPR & how to perform Parts 1 too 3” we described how to perform CPR “Cardio Pulminary Resuscitation” on all age groups, but what if the victim was “Pregnant? You had a broken arm? they begin to Vomit? Have a broken Jaw? or have a Stoma? We can’t prepare you for every outcome that you might encounter so we’ll do our best to help you with the big ones that we run into. Lets look at them one by one and give you options to help improve our chances of survival.


Vomiting:Vomiting can occur from just about anything, but most commonly during CPR its a build up of too much Air in the stomach, when the unconscious person vomits there is a risk that the vomit may enter the lungs, this is called “Aspiration“. To avoid Aspiration give breaths only until the chest starts to rise, once the chest rises stop.

What to Do:

  1. Turn the persons head & body together as one “H.A.IN.E.S Technique” onto the persons side.”Let the vomit drain out”
  2. Quickly wipe the persons mouth clean
  3. Roll the person onto their back once again and continue CPR

Mouth to Nose / Stoma Breathing:There are many reasons why you may not be able to seal your mouth well over the other persons mouth to give rescue breaths. Injured mouth or jaw, mouth shut too tight, your mouth is to small, or blood coming from their mouth, in any case there is a simple step to remedy the situation.

What to Do:

  1. Block the mouth to stop air from escaping & seal your mouth around the persons nose, give a breath to make the chest rise.
  2. If the victim has a “Stoma” it is the same technique but this time block “Both the Nose & Mouth” and give a breath through the Stoma

One Handed Compression’s: Some rescuers might be injured themselves “Broken arm / Wrist” or may have other medical conditions that prevent them from doing a proper two handed compression technique “Arthritis, lack of upper body strength” for these reasons you can still do CPR by using One hand.

What to Do:

  1. Place the heel of one hand in the middle of the persons chest
  2. Grasp the wrist of the hand on the chest or place your free hand behind your back
  3. Begin compression’s pushing Hard & Fast
  4. Keep your compression arm as strait as possible to keep position.

CPR for a Pregnant Woman: CPR for a pregnant woman is identical to any form of CPR with placing one or two hands in the center of the chest pushing hard & fast giving 30 compression’s & 2 breaths. If you have a soft object that you can place under the woman’s “Right Hip” Raise the hip about 3-4 inches or 7-10 cm’s, “Do Not interrupt CPR to find an object” just continue CPR as you normally would.
In any emergency just remember to Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!
Swoop into First Aid and give a breath of Life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.


#FirstAidTraningCourse #BasicLifeSupportBLSforHCP #H2SAliveCourse

First Aid Techniques

A.E.D’s “Automatic, External, Defibrillators” & What to Do

As technology in the medical industry increases we begin to see more and more devices, apps, services and tools used to help save lives during emergencies. The AED has been an invaluable tool in today’s emergency scene’s as it has the unique ability to “Reset” a heart with an abnormal rhythm. There are also a few Hollywood myths about AED’s that we should clear up so that using them becomes a little less scary, just remember “Its not like you see in TV, most of what you see on TV during an Emergency is dramatized to the highest form“.
To clear up a couple questions we get from our students, lets focus on what the AED is supposed to do. AED’s are designed to “Reset” a heart rhythm that is beating abnormally in 2 ways, 1 the heart is quivering like a bowl of jello “Fibrillation” and 2 beating wildly out of control “Tachycardia“. These are the 2 main problematic abnormal rhythms that the AED is designed to look for. Once it finds them it will deliver a “Small” amount of “Amperage” through the chest & Heart causing the heart muscle to contract suddenly. The electrical charge that passes through the heart muscle is designed to work with the heart muscle and “Reset” the rhythm. This may work the first time the victim is shocked or it may take several shocks, the key is to listen to the AED as it will “Talk to you“ and guide you through what it wants.

  • The amount of electricity that passes through the heart will be “Small” so will it blow you across the room if your accidentally touching the victim? “NO” The electricity does have the ability to reset a heart so….. “try not to touch them & STAY CLEAR!“
  • Will the victim spasm wildly? “NO” the amount of electricity is “small” so you may only see a pectoral flex or slight quiver of their muscles. If they don’t spasm that is normal as many people don’t.
  • Is there a recording device monitoring what I say hidden on the inside? “NO” the Public AED device is designed specifically to analyze the heart rhythm, there is no known recording device hidden on the public models. The “Medical AED’s” have a memory card to keep track of what the heart was doing during the emergency for Cardiologists to look over later for irregularities in the heart muscle.

HOW TO USE AN A.E.D “Automatic External Defibrillator”:

  1. Open the Case
  2. Turn on the AED
  3. Listen & Do what it tells you to do “Follow the Diagrams”

***When the AED Prompts you to give a shock, Stand Clear and say LOUDLY “I’m Clear, Your Clear, Everybody’s Clear!” Make sure no one is touching the victim and press the SHOCK button to deliver the shock***

  • Continue CPR if the AED tells you too:

Things to consider:

  • DON’T STOP CPR while the AED is being put on, you want to continue to pump blood and oxygen to the body, the AED will tell you when to stop. 
  • Use the Age appropriate pads for the person you are using the AED on. Adults have larger pads and children have smaller pads. There are normally “NO” infant pads in public AED kits. For infants use the Child pads and place the pads according to the Diagram. **If you don’t have the appropriate age group pad use what you have “Keep the heart /Center of the chest in between the pads” and deliver the shock as advised** “Any shock is better than no shock!!“
  • Remove any clothing, hair or objects in the way of the pads like jewellery or medical patches. AED kits are normally stocked with a single disposable razor for chest hair if needed.Things like Pacemakers and Piercings you “Can Not” remove so put at least 1 inch distance between the object and the pad.

In any emergency just remember too:

Protect yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!


Swoop in and give a breath of life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace!

First Aid Techniques

CPR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation “Infant / Baby” How to Perform CPR “Part 3 of 3”

In our last post we focused on the basic information you would need to know about CPR and how its performed. For this Post we will focus giving you the “Step by Step CPR Guide“. This guideline is for the “General Public” for the Health Care Provider we will have a post later on dedicated to the new standards set by ILCOR, The Heart & Stroke Foundation, and the Basic Life Support CPR-C for HCP’s Health Care Providers guidelines.

In any Emergency remember to:

  1. Protect yourself “Make sure its safe before helping“
  2. Call 911 “Get your Paramedic Partners going“
  3. Don’t Waste Time “Each second without oxygen can cause brain damage, don’t waste it wondering what to do, just help“

If the Baby / Infant is “Not breathing” and has gone unconscious for any reason “START CPR, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation”

CPR “Infant / Baby“

  1. Start CPR by:– Place one hand on the forehead to maintain an open airway with a slight head tilt chin lift “like the baby is sniffing“–Place 2 fingers on the middle of the chest just below the nipples.– Push Hard / Push Fast “DO 30 Compression’s in a row at a rough depth of 4cm’s or 1 1/2 inch allowing the chest to recoil or raise up to the top after each compression“
  2. Give two Breaths by:– If you have a pocket mask “Use it now” or:– Open the airway by using the “Head-tilt / Chin lift technique-” Seal your lips tightly over the baby’s “Mouth & Nose“– Give two “baby size” breaths, taking about 1 second per breath with just enough volume to make the chest rise up.
  3. If your breaths go in:– Repeat the cycle of 30 chest compression’s and 2 breaths– If your breaths do NOT go in: Repeat the cycle of 30 chest compression’s and before giving the next 2 breaths look into the mouth for obstructions. “Choking in infants is very common” remove the object if you see it then continue with 30 compression’s & 2 Breaths.
  4. Continue CPR until:– The scene is no longer safe to be in– More advanced care arrives.– An A.E.D arrives and has told you to stop.– You have become physically unable to continue.– The victim starts to breath normally on their own.

Just Remember in Any Emergency: Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!


Swoop into First Aid and give a Breath of Life, Let First Aid Training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

Uncategorized

CPR “Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation” Adult & Child How to Perform CPR “Part 2 of 3”

In our last post we focused on the basic information you would need to know about CPR and how its performed. For this Post we will focus giving you the “Step by Step CPR Guide”. This guideline is for the “General Public” for the Health Care Provider we will have a post later on dedicated to the new standards set by ILCOR, The Heart & Stroke Foundation, and the Basic Life Support CPR-C for HCP’s Health Care Providers 2015 guidelines.

In any Emergency remember to:

  1. Protect yourself “Make sure its safe before helping“
  2. Call 911 “Get your Paramedic Partners going“
  3. Don’t Waste Time “Each second without oxygen can cause brain damage, don’t waste it wondering what to do, just help“

If the person is “Not breathing” and has gone unconscious for any reason “START CPR, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation“


CPR “Adult & Child”

  1. Start CPR by:– Place the hell of one hand on the middle of the person’s chest, place the other hand on top “Palm above Palm in the Center of the Chest“– Push Hard / Push Fast “DO 30 Compression’s in a row” Allowing the chest to recoil or raise up to the top after each compression.
  2. Give two Breaths by:– If you have a pocket mask “Use it now” or:– Open the airway by using the “Head-tilt / Chin lift technique” – Pinch the person’s nostrils closed.– Take a normal breath– Cover the person’s mouth with your mouth– Give two breaths, taking about 1 second per breath with just enough volume to make the chest rise up.
  3. If your breaths go in:– Repeat the cycle of 30 chest compression’s and 2 breaths– If your breaths do NOT go in: Repeat the cycle of 30 chest compression’s and 2 breaths.
  4. Continue CPR until:– The scene is no longer safe to be in– More advanced care arrives. – An A.E.D arrives and has told you to stop. – You have become physically unable to continue. – The victim starts to breath normally on their own.

Just Remember in Any Emergency: Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!
Swoop into First Aid and give a Breath of Life, Let First Aid Training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

First Aid Techniques, Uncategorized

CPR “Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation” Adult & Child, What to Know About CPR “Part 1 of 3”

Over the past 4 years our school has provided training in the basics of CPR or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation techniques, we have learned that once you get the hang of it, its a skill that can stick with you for a lifetime giving you the ability to save a loved one when tragedy strikes. Many people are also unaware of the fact that some day, somewhere, “Someone is going to do CPR ON YOU“!! Once we tell our students this many questions start to pop up like “What are my chances of surviving CPR without brain damage? What if I have a DNR “Do Not Resuscitate”, Can I kill someone by doing CPR? Will I hurt them? Can I get sued by doing CPR incorrectly? Is it performed differently for different age groups?

Lets go through those questions one by one before we get the basics of CPR put into your mind, just remember that “Anyone Can do it” The first question of “What are my chances of surviving CPR?” is always the first one put forward, but to keep your stats up to date the chances have gone “UP“, 5 years ago we normally heard the average chance of about 4%-7% chance of survival “Without Brain Damage”, however after only 5 years of study and practicing of new techniques the resuscitation rate is now actually 22%-26%. We are teaching it the best way possible and its working!


Those with DNR’s will also have CPR performed on them weather they wanted it or not, its simply said like this “Will a Paramedic look through your Freezer for your DNR? Will they go through your wallet to find it?” The answer being NO means that if a Paramedic or even someone in the general public finds “You” and “You are NOT” breathing and have no pulse… “We will Start CPR on you” DNR’s are for Doctors, Lawyers and Hospice Facilities.

Can you kill someone by performing CPR on them? Well if you think about how the skill is designed the answer should be quite easy. CPR is designed to help push or supply blood and oxygen to the organs that need it if the heart has failed. The CPR technique of Compression’s “Building Blood Pressure to force blood through the body” & Breaths “providing the main fuel the body uses to support life”. CPR is designed to save your life, not stop it, the chance of you doing more harm than good once someone has stopped breathing is “Minimal” CPR SAVES LIVES, don’t worry “Anyone Can Do It”.


Can you hurt someone by doing CPR? Simply put its life over limb, which means don’t worry about breaking a rib “the ribs will NOT” puncture the lungs. Paramedics have had a slogan for many years “If the ribs POP, Don’t Stop!! But if you hit the Spine, that’s NOT fine!! Depth is something to consider as you need to push Hard & Fast on ALL age groups, if you break a rib DON’T STOP, just DON’T Bottom out, you want to use hard pressure just not enough to crush them.


Can you get sued by performing CPR? Depending on where you live the answer is almost always NO. When someone’s life is in danger and you attempt to save their life you are doing what you thought was necessary to save a life. Alberta. Canada has what is known as the Emergency Medical Aid Act also known as the Good Samaritan Act which helps protect First Aid providers from Liability issues and allows them to act in the victims best interest to preserve their life. Don’t hesitate just do what you can!


To avoid any liability issues just remember to:

  • a) Get Consent / Permission /Cooperation
  • b) Stick within your level of training “Do what you KNOW”
  • c) Don’t make it worse “Help them don’t hurt them”

Last and final question, about the difference between the age groups and how we perform CPR. As previously stated in other posts age groups are separated like this:

  • Infants – Age 0-1 “Or toddlers”
  • Children – Age 1-Puberty “normally found from age 8 and up”
  • Adult – Any sign of puberty

For the General public we will always refer to the “Skill” of CPR as being performed “The Same” on all age groups, its the technique we modify for the smaller size of the victim we are rescuing. For our general public CPR is performed by providing 30 Chest Compression’s and Giving 2 Breaths, this skill is the same for “All Age Groups“.


Just Remember in Any Emergency: Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!
Swoop into First Aid and give a Breath of Life, Let First Aid Training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.

First Aid Techniques

How to Roll A Person Over “H.A.IN.E.S Technique”

There are many different ways to help a victim during an emergency, but what can we do if we find someone unconscious and laying face down? If the victim is “Unconscious without Spine Injuries but laying face down” rolling the victim over using the “H.A.IN.E.S technique” is designed to help keep the victims airway open as well as keeping the Head, Neck & Spine in a relatively strait line so that we can avoid possible “Head, Neck or Spine injuries“. If you’ve ever wondered “How do I roll a person over? What risks are there to rolling a person over? is there any technique in rolling a person over? what does the H.A.IN.E.S Technique stand for?” this is a tutorial for the best known way to roll a person over from face down and prevent further injuries.


H.A.IN.E.S – “Stands For” High – Arm – In – Endangered – Spine
The H.A.IN.E.S technique is designed to keep the head, neck and spine in a relatively strait line as you roll the person over avoiding further damage or spinal injuries. As we may not know what caused the person’s injuries or emergency once the person is face down remember its often difficult to breath face down on the ground, rolling them over secures the airway and makes it possible to perform CPR or other life saving techniques.

To Roll a Person Over using the “H.A.IN.E.S Technique”

  1. Kneel Beside the victim and place the victims furthest arm from you above their head.”High – Arm” In Endangered Spine.
  2. Place the arm closest to you against the victims side.
  3. Cross the legs using the leg that is closest to you to overlap hooking the ankles. 
  4. Place a hand under the victim’s jaw using your thumb and index finger to grip the jaw firmly letting your last three fingers rest against the side of the neck. Slip your forearm under the victims shoulder to act as a lever.
  5. Grip the victims belt by the hip with your remaining hand, if the victim is not wearing a belt grip the pant material firmly
  6. Check the Airway to make sure the person is still breathing. If they are not breathing “Start CPR“ 30 Compression’s, 2 breaths for all age groups.

We never know what can happen, its always good to be prepared and have the knowledge we need to help those who need it.


Just Remember in Any Emergency:Protect Yourself!!! Call 911!!! Don’t Waste Time!!!


Swoop Into first aid and give a breath of life, let first aid training in Edmonton be your Saving Grace.