First aid measures in case of fire

First aid for fire victims is:

• Keep calm and call the fire department and an ambulance by calling the number 192 or 193;
• Wet a clean cloth and tie it to your face, as if it were a mask, to prevent you from breathing in smoke;
• If there is a lot of smoke, crouch near the ground where the heat is lower and there is more oxygen, as picture 1 shows;
• Remove the victim safely from the fire and lay it on the floor, as shown in figure 2;
• If the victim's body is on fire, roll it to the floor until it goes out;
• Make sure the victim is breathing and if the heart is beating;
• Make room for the victim to breathe;
• Do not offer liquids.

It is essential to offer 100% oxygen mask to all victims who have inhaled smoke during a fire to reduce the chances of poisoning by oxygen monoxide, fainting and consequent death. Here's what to do when someone inhales a lot of smoke.

Mouth to mouth ressuscitation

If the victim can not breathe on his own, make a mouth-to-mouth:

• Lay the guy on his belly up
• Loosen the individual's clothing
• Stretch his neck back, keeping his chin up.
• Open the subject's mouth and try to see if there is any object or liquid in his throat and take it out with his fingers or tweezers
• Cap the guy's nose with his fingers
• Put your mouth in his mouth and throw the air coming from his mouth into his mouth.
• Repeat this for 20 times per minute
• Always be aware of the individual's chest to see if there is any movement

When the individual returns to breathe alone, withdraw his mouth from his mouth and let him breathe freely, but beware of his breathing, for he can stop breathing again, so it will be necessary to start over from the beginning.

Cardiac massage in adults

If the victim's heart is not beating, do a heart massage:

• Lay the victim on the belly floor up;
• Position the victim's head slightly backward, leaving the chin higher;
• Support your open hands one over the other, with your fingers up, you will use only the palm of your hand;
• Place your hands on the left side of the victim's chest (in the heart) and let your arms outstretched;
• Push your hands hard and quickly over the heart counting 2 jerks per second (heart compression);
• Do the cardiac compression 30 times in a row and then throw the air from your mouth into the victim's mouth;
• Repeat this procedure without interruption checking to see if the victim has breathed again.

It is very important not to interrupt the compressions, so if the first person who attended the victim gets tired of doing the cardiac massage, it is important that another continue to do the compressions in a relay scheme, always respecting the same rhythm.

Cardiac massage in infants and children

In the case of cardiac massage in children, follow the same procedure, but do not use your hands, but rather your fingers.

Useful link:

• Symptoms of respiratory intoxication
• Dangers of inhaling smoke from fire