First Aid in a Crisis: Medical Care When Help Is Far Away

When Professional Help Is Not Coming

In most crises, emergency medical services remain available. But in severe infrastructure failures, natural disasters, or situations requiring shelter-in-place, the time between injury and professional care can stretch from minutes to hours or days.

This guide prepares you for the medical dimension of crisis preparedness: what to have on hand, how to use it, and how to recognize when a situation requires more than home treatment.

The Two Levels of Medical Preparedness

Level 1: Standard first aid For injuries and illnesses that could occur any day — cuts, burns, fractures, infections. Every household should maintain this level regardless of crisis preparedness.

Level 2: Extended care capability For situations where professional help is delayed or unavailable for 24–72+ hours. Requires additional training and supplies.

This guide covers both levels.

Your Home Pharmacy: What You Need

Pain and Fever Management

Medication	Dose	Purpose	Quantity
Ibuprofen 400 mg	Adults: 1–3 × daily	Pain, fever, inflammation	100 tablets
Paracetamol 500 mg	Adults: 1–3 × daily	Pain, fever (gentler on stomach)	100 tablets
Aspirin 500 mg	Adults: 1–2 × daily	Pain, blood thinning	50 tablets

Note: Ibuprofen and paracetamol work differently and can be alternated for severe fever management.

Wound Care

• Antiseptic solution (Betadine/povidone-iodine or chlorhexidine): 500 ml
• Sterile gauze pads (5×5 cm and 10×10 cm): 50 of each
• Elastic bandages (6 cm and 8 cm): 5 of each
• Adhesive bandages (assorted sizes): 100 pieces
• Medical tape (2 rolls)
• Wound closure strips (steri-strips): 20 packs
• Triangular bandages: 4
• Nitrile gloves: 2 boxes

Infection and Illness

• Antibiotic eye drops (consult pharmacist): 1 tube
• Antifungal cream (clotrimazole): 1 tube
• Antihistamine tablets (cetirizin 10 mg): 30 tablets
• Oral rehydration salts: 20 sachets
• Activated charcoal tablets: 20 tablets (food poisoning)
• Loperamide (anti-diarrheal): 20 tablets

Specialty Items

• Oral thermometer (digital)
• Blood pressure cuff
• Pulse oximeter
• SAM splint (moldable aluminum splint): 2
• Israeli bandage or emergency pressure dressing: 2
• Tourniquet (CAT or similar): 1
• Hemostatic gauze (QuikClot or similar): 2 packs
• Tweezers (splinter and tick removal)
• Medical scissors

Wound Care: Step by Step

Minor Wounds (cuts, scrapes)

1. Stop bleeding: Direct pressure for 3–5 minutes
2. Clean: Rinse with clean water for 5+ minutes
3. Disinfect: Apply antiseptic to wound margins (not deep inside wound)
4. Close: Adhesive bandage or wound closure strips
5. Monitor: Check daily for signs of infection

Signs of Wound Infection (require attention)

• Increasing redness around wound
• Warmth and swelling
• Purulent (pus) discharge
• Red streaks spreading from wound
• Fever above 38°C associated with wound

Red streaks from a wound (lymphangitis) are a medical emergency. They indicate spreading infection. This requires antibiotics and possibly hospital care.

Larger Wounds

1. Control bleeding (direct pressure, tourniquet for extremity if necessary)
2. Do not remove deeply embedded objects — stabilize them
3. Cover with sterile dressing
4. Seek medical care as soon as possible

Burns

Burn Classification

First degree: Red, painful, no blisters (sunburn level) Second degree: Blisters, intense pain Third degree: White or charred skin, may be painless (nerve damage)

Treatment

First degree:

• Cool with room-temperature water for 10–20 minutes
• Do NOT use ice, butter, or toothpaste
• Cover loosely with sterile dressing
• Ibuprofen for pain

Second degree:

• Cool water for 10–20 minutes
• Do NOT burst blisters
• Cover loosely — avoid pressure
• Seek medical care if larger than palm-sized or on face/hands/genitals

Third degree:

• Call 911 immediately
• Cover loosely with clean cloth
• No water or ointments
• Treat for shock

Fractures and Sprains

How to Tell

Fracture indicators: audible snap, significant deformity, inability to bear weight, extreme tenderness. Sprain indicators: pain with movement, swelling, bruising.

When uncertain: treat as fracture.

Fracture First Aid

1. Immobilize in current position — do not straighten
2. Apply SAM splint or improvise (straight stick + padding + wrap)
3. Check circulation below injury (pulse, sensation, color)
4. Ice pack (wrapped in cloth, 20 minutes on / 20 off)
5. Transport to medical care

When to Absolutely Seek Professional Care

These signs require emergency services regardless of crisis:

• Unconsciousness or altered mental status
• Difficulty breathing
• Chest pain
• Suspected spinal injury
• Head injury with confusion or vomiting
• Major blood loss
• Burns covering large area or involving face/airways
• Anaphylaxis
• Suspected heart attack or stroke

Basic Training Recommendation

Medical supplies without training are of limited value. The minimum training every household should have:

1. Standard First Aid course (Red Cross or equivalent): 1 day, covers CPR, choking, basic wound care
2. Stop the Bleed training: 2 hours, focuses on hemorrhage control
3. CPR certification: Ideally refreshed every 2 years

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