Choking
- For a conscious person who is sitting or standing, position yourself behind the person and reach your arms around his or her waist
- Place your fist, thumb side in, just above the person’s navel and grab the fist tightly with your other hand
- Pull your fist abruptly upward and inward to increase airway pressure behind the obstructing object and force it from the windpipe
- If the person is conscious and lying on his or her back, straddle the person facing the head. Push your grasped fist upward and inward in a maneuver similar to the one above.
- Repeat till the particle is expelled
Snake Bite
- Make the patient lie down, give him complete rest, calm and reassure him.
- If the bite is on the arm or leg, apply a constrictive bandage on the heart side of the bite tight enough to obstruct and stop the flow of the venom to all parts of the body.
- Do not tie the bandage too firmly
- If water is not available and you have no cracks on your lips, tongue and the inside of the cheeks, you can suck the wound and spit out the poisonous material repeatedly
- Wash the wound with soap and water
- Cover the wound with a sterile dressing
Drowning
- Do not get into the water unless you are a good swimmer and the water is safe
- Extend a long pole or branch to the person, or use a throw rope attached to a buoyant object, such as a life ring or life jacket. Toss it to the person, then pull him or her to shore.
- If the person’s breathing has stopped, give CPR.
Additional Tips
- Hospital number: 8888 or 8333 (always contact ambulance first, then proceed for first aid)
- Every hostel’s security guard should have a first aid kit. The General Secretary of the hostel is responsible for maintenance of the kit.
About the DMC:
The Disaster Management Committee, IIT Madras is a student-driven initiative to safeguard the institute by preparing it for any disaster with focus on recovery, mitigation, rehabilitation and response by using the latest technology. The committee aims to promote training, evacuation plans, mock drills and awareness generation amongst the residents of the campus. It also aims to create and maintain an institute-level disaster management plan. For more details, visit their facebook page. Another similar workshop is scheduled for 3rd November, to cater to a much larger audience.
