First aid is the immediate care given to a person who has been injured or has suddenly become ill until full medical treatment is available. It is usually administered immediately after the injury occurs and at the location where it occurred. The primary goal of first aid is to prevent death or serious injury from worsening, and the key aims of first aid can be summarized with the acronym of the three Ps: preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, and promote recovery.

First aid can be provided by anyone, and it involves making common sense decisions in the best interest of an injured person. Basic first aid techniques can help you cope with an emergency, and you may be able to keep a person breathing, reduce their pain, or minimize the consequences of injury or sudden illness until an ambulance arrives. It is a good idea to take a first aid course so that you can recognize an emergency and give basic first aid until professional help arrives.

The American Red Cross offers first aid certification classes that allow you to gain an understanding of first aid best practices for a wide range of conditions, including asthma emergencies, anaphylaxis, burns, choking, diabetic emergencies, external bleeding and severe trauma, environmental emergencies, heart attack, poisoning, neck, head and spinal injuries, stroke, and seizure. The classes typically cover information on administering CPR and using AEDs, allowing you to become certified in all three (first aid, CPR, and AED) in one convenient class.

The first step in any emergency is the recognition of the problem and providing help. When in doubt or when someone is seriously injured or ill, you should always activate the emergency response system by calling 911 in the United States, or your own locality’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) number.

In summary, first aid is the immediate care given to a person who has been injured or has suddenly become ill until full medical treatment is available. It involves making common sense decisions in the best interest of an injured person, and basic first aid techniques can help you cope with an emergency. It is a good idea to take a first aid course to gain an understanding of first aid best practices for a wide range of conditions.