Safety First

Safety Rules

Learning how to stay safe is an important part of your everday life. Safety is something you can practice at home, your school, work, at the store and anywhere. Knowing how to stay safe will keep you from getting hurt or hurting others.

Safety and First Aide

WARNING: This lesson is not intended to replace medical advice or intervention. If you are in need of assistance please contact your local medical expert or contact 911. This is purely informational expression and is not intended to replace professional assistance.

What You Need to Know in an Emergency

About First Aid Guides

Emergency Contact Sheet

First Steps to First Aid

While we will learn more about how to do first aid this video will give you a basic idea on what kinds of accidents lead to the need to have first aid.

Know Your ABC's of Safety

Part of remaining safe is knowing what to look for so that you can keep being safe. This ABC video looks at what you can do to make sure your day runs smoothly with safe practices throughout the day.

The Basics of First Aid

Accidents happen. Someone chokes on an ice cube or gets stung by a bee. It is important to know when to call 9-1-1 -- it is for life-threatening emergencies. While waiting for help to arrive, you may be able to save someone's life. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is for people whose hearts or breathing has stopped and the Heimlich maneuver is for people who are choking.

You can also learn to handle common injuries and wounds. Cuts and scrapes, for example, should be rinsed with cool water. To stop bleeding, apply firm but gentle pressure, using gauze. If blood soaks through, add more gauze, keeping the first layer in place. Continue to apply pressure.

It is important to have a first aid kit available. Keep one at home and one in your car. It should include a first-aid guide. Read the guide to learn how to use the items, so you are ready in case an emergency happens.

What is First Aid?

First aid is the assistance given to any person suffering a sudden illness or injury,[1] with care provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, and/or promote recovery. It includes initial intervention in a serious condition prior to professional medical help being available, such as performing CPR while awaiting an ambulance, as well as the complete treatment of minor conditions, such as applying a plaster to a cut.

Who can do First Aid?

First aid is generally performed by the layperson, with many people trained in providing basic levels of first aid, and others willing to do so from acquired knowledge. Mental health first aid is an extension of the concept of first aid to cover mental health. Anyone who knows some of the basics can help with first aide. In order to help someone in need of first aide you first have to know what is wrong and how you can help. This lesson will give you some of the more common things that people experience and basics in which you can help.

Warning Signs and Symptoms

Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure lasting two minutes or more
Fainting, sudden dizziness, weakness
Changes in vision
Difficulty speaking
Confusion or changes in mental status, unusual behavior, difficulty waking
Any sudden or severe pain
Uncontrolled bleeding
Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
Coughing or vomiting blood
Suicidal or homicidal feelings
Unusual abdominal pain he dispatcher.

Medical emergencies can be frightening and stressful. But knowing what to do in an emergency can help you effectively deal with the situation. Here you can find information about emergencies.

It is essential to know how to recognize the signs of a medical emergency—because correctly interpreting and acting on these signs could potentially save the life of a loved one—or your own life—one day. Many people experience the symptoms of an emergency, such as a stroke or a heart attack, but for various reasons (such as fear), delay seeking care right away. For many medical emergencies, time is of the essence, and delays in treatment can often lead to more serious consequences.

Emergency physicians believe it is the responsibility of every individual to learn to recognize the warning signs of a medical emergency. The following signs and symptoms and are not intended to represent every kind of medical emergency or substitute for medical advice from your physician, but rather to provide examples of common issues:

You also can learn to recognize—and act on— emergency warning signs by taking a first aid class and learning CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Your local hospital, American Red Cross or American Heart Association may conduct first aid courses in your area or can guide you to organizations that do so.

Should You Drive or Call an Ambulance

If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions about a person experiencing a medical emergency, or if you are unsure, it's best to call an ambulance, even if you think you can get to the hospital faster by driving yourself.

Does the person's condition appear life-threatening?
Could the person's condition worsen and become life-threatening on the way to the hospital?
Could moving the person cause further injury?
Does the person need the skills or equipment employed by paramedics or emergency medical technicians?
Would distance or traffic conditions cause a delay in getting the person to the hospital?

If you drive to the hospital, know the location and the fastest route to the nearest emergency department.

In Addition

Don't delay care by driving to a more distant hospital emergency department.
In many cases, you or the affected person will be treated in the community hospital emergency department, which is staffed and equipped to provide life-saving emergency care for patients of any age.
If necessary, a patient may be transferred to a hospital with special capabilities, such as a regional trauma or pediatric center.

If you call an ambulance, keep in mind that even though the 911 system was introduced in 1968, the network still does not completely cover some rural areas of the United States and Canada. Find out if your community is covered, and if not, get the telephone number for the local Emergency Medical Services and post it by your phone. When traveling, check for local EMS numbers in the areas where you will be, so you have this information before you begin your journey.

Also, be aware it is important for people calling 911 from wireless phones to tell the emergency operator the location of the emergency, because a cell tower provides only very general information about the location of a caller. Some cars now are equipped with "smart" technologies that use global positioning system satellites and cellular technology to link vehicles to direct emergency help, but many are not.

When You Call for Help, Remember

Speak calmly and clearly.
Give the name, address, phone number, and location of the person in need (e.g., upstairs in the bedroom), and describe the nature of the problem.
Don't hang up until the dispatcher tells you to. The dispatcher may need more information.
Teach your children how to place an emergency call, in case you are seriously ill or injured.
For highway emergencies, know the nearest highway marker number, and if dealing with a wreck, know how to identify the lanes (e.g., northbound) on the highway so you can give that information to the dispatcher.

First Aid Supplies

A well-stocked first-aid kit can help you respond effectively to common injuries and emergencies. Keep at least one first-aid kit in your home and one in your car. Store your kits someplace easy to get to and out of the reach of young children. Make sure children old enough to understand the purpose of the kits know where they're stored.

You can buy first-aid kits at many drugstores or assemble your own. You may want to tailor your kit based on your activities and needs. A basic first-aid kit includes:

See a list of First Aide Supplies

Cardio, Pulmonary Resucitation (CPR)

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is a lifesaving procedure that is done when someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped. This may happen after drowning, suffocation, choking, or injuries. CPR involves:

Rescue breathing, which provides oxygen to a persons's lungs
Chest compressions, which keep the persons's blood circulating

Permanent brain damage or death can occur within minutes if a persons's blood flow stops. Therefore, you must continue CPR until the person's heartbeat and breathing return, or trained medical help arrives.

Causes

There are many things that cause a persons's heartbeat and breathing to stop. Some reasons you may need to do CPR on a child include:

Choking
Drowning
Electrical shock
Excessive bleeding
Head trauma or serious injury
Lung disease
Poisoning
Suffocation

Symptoms

CPR should be done if the person has the following symptoms:

No breathing
No pulse
Unconsciousness

Steps to First Aide

CPR on Children

How to Apply Bandages

Emergency Bandage known as Isreal Bandage

Learn More About Bullying

What is Bullying?

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

What is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Electronic technology includes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets as well as communication tools including social media sites, text messages, chat, and websites.

Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites, and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites, or fake profiles.

Online Safety

Your life is hectic: you go to school, spend time with your family, do your homework, hang out with friends, and carve out some time for yourself.

As you live your life online and off, some behaviors can help you be more successful: asking questions to help you figure out what's real and what's hype; thinking about things to do — or not — that can help you keep safe; figuring out ways to act that can help you treat others the same way you'd like to be treated. These articles and activities can help.

Online Safety Rules

Pesticides and Toxic Substances

What Is A Toxic Substance?

A toxic substance means any chemical or mixture that may be harmful to the environment and to human health if inhaled, swallowed, or absorbed through the skin. Did you know that some toxic substances are found in nature? There are naturally occurring toxins (poisonous substances coming from living organisms) found in certain plants like poinsettias and even some wild mushrooms and berries. However, the toxic substances contained in most everyday household products are synthetic which means they are man-made. The opposite of toxics substances are called non-toxic substances. Non-toxic substances are safe to use, and do not harm humans and the environment.

Many of the products you find in your home may have toxic substances. These products include:

drain cleaners;
oven cleaners;
laundry detergents;
floor or furniture polish;
paints, and
pesticides.

What is a Pesticide?

A pesticide is any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling or mitigating any pest or used for plant. Many pesitides are very harmful to people and animals. They can be toxic causing allergic reactions, breathing or skin irritations and sometimes death.

While these products are useful at home, some of the chemicals in these products can irritate your skin, eyes, nose and throat, or can even poison you - so be careful! Kids, you must think about the products you use at home - are they toxic? If they are, be careful when you use them. If you are unsure, please check with an adult before you use them.

Home and Forest Fires

HOME FIRES

Each year more than 2,500 people die and 12,600 are injured in home fires in the United States, with direct property loss due to home fires estimated at $7.3 billion annually. Home fires can be prevented!

To protect yourself, it is important to understand the basic characteristics of fire. Fire spreads quickly; there is no time to gather valuables or make a phone call. In just two minutes, a fire can become life-threatening. In five minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames.

Heat and smoke from fire can be more dangerous than the flames. Inhaling the super-hot air can sear your lungs. Fire produces poisonous gases that make you disoriented and drowsy. Instead of being awakened by a fire, you may fall into a deeper sleep. Asphyxiation is the leading cause of fire deaths, exceeding burns by a three-to-one ratio.

Learn About Fires

Every day Americans experience the horror of fire but most people don't understand fire.

Fire is FAST!

There is little time! In less than 30 seconds a small flame can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire. It only takes minutes for thick black smoke to fill a house or for it to be engulfed in flames. Most deadly fires occur in the home when people are asleep. If you wake up to a fire, you won't have time to grab valuables because fire spreads too quickly and the smoke is too thick. There is only time to escape.

Every day Americans experience the horror of fire but most people don't understand fire.

Fire is FAST!

Fire is HOT!

Heat is more threatening than flames. A fire's heat alone can kill. Room temperatures in a fire can be 100 degrees at floor level and rise to 600 degrees at eye level. Inhaling this super-hot air will scorch your lungs. This heat can melt clothes to your skin. In five minutes, a room can get so hot that everything in it ignites at once: this is called flashover.

Fire is DARK!

Fire isn't bright, it's pitch black. Fire starts bright, but quickly produces black smoke and complete darkness. If you wake up to a fire you may be blinded, disoriented and unable to find your way around the home you've lived in for years.

Fire is DEADLY!

Smoke and toxic gases kill more people than flames do. Fire uses up the oxygen you need and produces smoke and poisonous gases that kill. Breathing even small amounts of smoke and toxic gases can make you drowsy, disoriented and short of breath. The odorless, colorless fumes can lull you into a deep sleep before the flames reach your door. You may not wake up in time to escape.

Only when we know the true nature of fire can we prepare our families and ourselves.

Before a Fire

CREATE AND PRACTICE A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN

In the event of a fire, remember that every second counts, so you and your family must always be prepared. Escape plans help you get out of your home quickly.

Twice each year, practice your home fire escape plan. Some tips to consider when preparing this plan include:

Find two ways to get out of each room.
If the primary way is blocked by fire or smoke, you will need a second way out. A secondary route might be a window onto a neighboring roof or a collapsible ladder for escape from upper story windows.
Only purchase collapsible ladders evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL).
Make sure that windows are not stuck, screens can be taken out quickly, and that security bars can be properly opened.
Practice feeling your way out of the house in the dark or with your eyes closed.
Windows and doors with security bars must have quick release devices to allow them to be opened immediately in an emergency. Make sure everyone in the family understands and practices how to properly operate and open locked or barred doors and windows.
Teach children not to hide from firefighters.

Smoke Alarms

A properly installed and maintained smoke alarm is the only thing in your home that can alert you and your family to a fire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.

During a Fire

Crawl low under any smoke to your exit - heavy smoke and poisonous gases collect first along the ceiling.
When the smoke alarm sounds, get out fast. You may have only seconds to escape safely.
If there is smoke blocking your door or first way out, use your second way out.
Smoke is toxic. If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your way out.
Before opening a door, feel the doorknob and door. If either is hot, leave the door closed and use your second way out.
If there is smoke coming around the door, leave the door closed and use your second way out.
If you open a door, open it slowly. Be ready to shut it quickly if heavy smoke or fire is present.
If you can’t get to someone needing assistance, leave the home and call 9-1-1 or the fire department. Tell the emergency operator where the person is located.
If pets are trapped inside your home, tell firefighters right away.
If you can’t get out, close the door and cover vents and cracks around doors with cloth or tape to keep smoke out. Call 9-1-1 or your fire department. Say where you are and signal for help at the window with a light-colored cloth or a flashlight.

If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop, and roll – stop immediately, drop to the ground, and cover your face with your hands. Roll over and over or back and forth until the fire is out. If you or someone else cannot stop, drop, and roll, smother the flames with a blanket or towel. Use cool water to treat the burn immediately for 3 to 5 minutes. Cover with a clean, dry cloth. Get medical help right away by calling 9-1-1 or the fire department.

ESCAPING THE FIRE

Make sure windows are not nailed or painted shut. Make sure security gratings on windows have a fire safety opening feature so they can be easily opened from the inside.
Consider escape ladders if your residence has more than one level, and ensure that burglar bars and other antitheft mechanisms that block outside window entry are easily opened from the inside.
Teach family members to stay low to the floor (where the air is safer in a fire) when escaping from a fire.
Clean out storage areas. Do not let trash such as old newspapers and magazines accumulate.

Forest Fires

Nationwide, more than 75,000 wildfires are reported each year. About nine out of ten fires are caused by people. Wildfires destroy homes and damage wildlife habitat and watersheds that provide drinking water for millions of people.

Arson fires are set deliberately, but people cause fires in many ways: unattended campfires; fireworks; sparks from equipment or vehicles without working spark arrestors; or burning leaves and debris. Wildfires started by cigarettes tossed from cars or by children playing with matches can be deadly too. It’s everyone’s job to prevent human-caused wildfires.

It’s always wildfire season somewhere in the U.S. Be prepared! Know what to do before a wildfire strikes your area. Prepare your home and your community.

What To Do Before, During and After a Wildfire

Don’t think you have to worry about wildfires because you live in the ‘burbs? One-third of U.S. homes are in developments with natural topography, trees and vegetation, according to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. In recent years, homes in these areas have become common casualties of hard-to-control wildfires.

If you’re warned of an approaching wildfire or see one coming, round up your family to be sure everyone is accounted for, then:

Remove flammable materials like trash, furniture and vehicles from around your home.
Shut off the gas.
Be ready to soak roofs, shrubs and trees with water within 15 feet of buildings.
Close all windows and doors, and remove window coverings such as curtains or blinds
Fill pools, hot tubs, garbage cans or other large containers with water
Disconnect automatic garage door openers so if the power goes out, you can still open the door.
Monitor news reports so you know how much danger you're facing.
Keep lights on for visibility in smoky conditions. Distribute flashlights.
If you must leave, follow routes dictated by local officials. Wildfires can quickly change directions and your planned escape route may be blocked.

After a fire do not return home until it is safe to do so.

Camping Health and Safety Tips

Camping is a fun way to get family and friends together to enjoy the outdoors. Follow these tips to help ensure your camping trip is safe and healthy.

Domestic and Wild Animals

SAFETY RULE: Never approach a stange or wild animal. This is any animal you are not familiar with. always ask an adult familiar with the animal if you can or should approach the animal.

The Humane Society of the United States strongly opposes keeping wild animals as pets. This principle applies to both native and nonnative species, whether caught in the wild or bred in captivity. The overwhelming majority of people who obtain these animals are unable to provide the care they require.

They often grow to be larger, stronger, and more dangerous than owners expect or can manage. Even small monkeys and small cats such as ocelots can inflict serious injuries, especially on children. Wild animals also pose a danger to human health and safety through disease and parasites.

Baby animals grow up

Baby animals can be irresistibly adorable—until the cuddly baby becomes bigger and stronger than the owner ever imagined. The instinctive behavior of the adult animal replaces the dependent behavior of the juvenile, resulting in biting, scratching, or displaying destructive behaviors without provocation or warning.

Animals experience hunger, thirst, fear, sickness, injury and strong maternal instincts. They also develop individual behavior patterns such as kicking or biting. The handler should be aware of these behaviors and take necessary safety precautions, include using personal protective equipment.

Injuries usually occur when the victim does not expect it and all animals should be considered unpredictable. A lack of knowledge of animal behavior could put a handler into dangerous situations. Thousands of animal related injuries occur each year, some even resulting in death.

Transmittable Diseases

All animals, domesticated or wild, can be sources of human illness and parasitic infection. Diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans are known as zoonoses. Infections may result from direct or indirect contact with diseased animals, their manure, their urine, and their bedding, or through animal products (milk, meat, hides, hair). Infection may take the form of intestinal diseases, respiratory disorders, general ill health, or skin rashes. Table I lists the most common transmittable diseases.

In School

In school

School should be a place where we feel safe from harm. Many students attend schools that are very safe and comfortable places to learn. There still may be a time when you feel unsafe because other students use violence, or bullying, to harm you. Sexual harassment can also make you feel unsafe. Someone is sexually harassing you if he or she says or does anything sexual to make you feel uncomfortable. Some ways this can happen include:

making sexual comments or jokes
touching you in a sexual way
blocking your way or cornering you in a sexual way
forcing you to kiss him or her or do other things that make you uncomfortable

While it is very rare for an adult at school to harass or threaten students in a sexual way, you should let a parent or guardian know right away if an adult at school makes you feel uncomfortable. You have the right to feel safe and to be respected by your classmates and adults at school. If you ever feel afraid or threatened, tell a teacher, school counselor, parent/guardian, or other adult you can trust.

Violence

Have you ever felt unsafe at school? Have you ever been afraid to go to school? If someone has threatened you, tell a parent/guardian or teacher immediately.

Some students are starting to take safety into their own hands. The School Crime Watch is based on the Neighborhood Watch idea: It helps youth watch out for each other to make the entire school safer. It’s a student-led effort that helps young people take responsibility for their own school community.

At Home

Many people feel the safest at home. Even at home, though, there are some important steps you should take to protect yourself.

Always know who is at the door before opening it. If you’re home by yourself and do not recognize the person, do not open the door.
If you’re home by yourself, do not let others know. Only your parents should know you’re alone.
If you’re home by yourself and someone calls asking for your parents, tell him or her that your parents aren’t available and offer to take a message.
If a stranger wants to use your phone, tell him or her you can’t help.
If you arrive home and find that your home has been broken into, don't go in. Leave right away and call the police.
Keep your doors and windows locked at all times.
Keep emergency numbers for police, fire, and poison control handy.
If your house has an alarm system, make sure your parents show you how to use it.

In a Relationship

National Sexual Assault Hotline 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673)

National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233)

ChildHelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4663)

These hotlines are free, private, and open 24 hours a day.

As a teen, you will have relationships with a lot of people. These relationships will probably include friendships and dating relationships. Most of the time, these relationships are fun and healthy, and they make us feel good about ourselves. Sometimes, though, these relationships can be unhealthy. Unhealthy relationships can cause someone to get hurt physically or emotionally. The questions and answers below will help you understand how to spot an unhealthy relationship and how to change a bad situation.

What is a healthy relationship?

In healthy relationships, you and your friend or the person you are dating feel good about each other and yourselves. You do activities together, like going to movies or out with other friends, and you talk to one another about how you feel. These relationships can last a few weeks, a few months, or even years.

In healthy relationships, there is respect and honesty between both people. This means that you listen to each other's thoughts and opinions and accept each other's right to say no or to change your mind without giving each other a hard time. You should be able to let the other person know how you are feeling. You might disagree or argue sometimes, but in healthy relationships you should be able to talk things out to solve problems.

What are unhealthy relationships?

In an unhealthy relationship, you usually feel the exact opposite of how you feel when you're in a "healthy relationship." You and your friend do not usually feel good about each other and yourselves. Not all unhealthy relationships are abusive but sometimes they can include verbal, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. This can involve both people being violent or abusive toward each other or can involve only one person doing this to the other. Many times, a relationship is not unhealthy in the very beginning, but becomes so over time.

What is abuse?

Some people think that their relationship isn't abusive unless there is physical fighting. There are other types of abuse, though. Below is a list of different types of abuse.

Physical abuse is when a person touches your body in an unwanted or violent way. This may include: hitting, kicking, pulling hair, pushing, biting, choking, or using a weapon or other item to hurt you.
Verbal/emotional abuse is when a person says something or does something that makes you afraid or feel bad about yourself. This may include: yelling, name-calling, saying mean things about your family and friends, embarrassing you on purpose, telling you what to do, or threatening to hurt you or hurt themselves. Pressuring you to use drugs or alcohol is also abuse, as is keeping you from spending time with your friends and family.
Sexual abuse is any sexual contact that you do not want. You may have said "no" or may be unable to say no because the abuser has threatened you, stopped you from getting out of the situation, or has physically stopped you from leaving. This may include unwanted touching or kissing or forcing you to have sex. Sexual abuse includes date rape.

What are the signs that I am in an abusive or unhealthy relationship?

There are many signs that you could be in an abusive or unhealthy relationship. Take a look at the list of warning signs below and see if any of these describe your relationship.

Your friend or the person you are going out with:

gets angry when you talk or hang out with other friends or other dating partners
bosses you around
often gets in fights with other people or loses his or her temper
pressures you to have sex or to do something sexual that you don't want to do
uses drugs and alcohol, and tries to pressure you into doing the same thing
swears at you or uses mean language
blames you for his or her problems or tells you that it is your fault that he or she hurt you
insults or tries to embarrass you in front of other people
has physically hurt you
makes you feel scared of their reactions to things
always wants to know where you are going and who you are with

What do I do if a friend tells me that he or she is in an abusive relationship?

If your friend talks to you about his or her abuse, you can help by:

listening without judging or blaming
telling your friend that you believe him or her
telling your friend that it is NOT his or her fault
telling your friend that you are always there to listen if he or she wants to talk about it
reminding your friend of all the friends and family who care about him or her
letting your friend know that you are worried about his or her safety
telling your friend that you want to help him or her talk to a parent/guardian or other trusted adult right away
offering to go with your friend to talk to an adult
helping your friend make a safety plan (See the question "How do I get out of an unhealthy or abusive relationship?" above for tips on making a safety plan.)
sharing the number of the 24-hour National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233) or 1-800-787-3224 (TDD)
suggesting your friend take a self-defense class

Be sure not to take this on alone. Talk with a trusted adult, such as a school counselor, about how to help your friend.