You’ve got a medical emergency on your hands. The ambulance is on its way. Here’s what you can do till then

In Case Of Burn Victims
For a minor burn: Run cool water (not ice water) on it or soak the burnt area in a cool water tub or bucket for a few minutes.

Now clean the wound with mild soap and water and blot it dry with a clean cloth. Cover it with a sterile bandage.

For major burns: Call for medical help. Douse with water (don’t immerse and don’t use cold water as it causes circulatory shock). Wrap the person in non-synthetic material like freshly laundered bed linen, cotton cloaks or preferably bulky, sterile dressing to smother the flames. Don’t attempt to remove burnt clothing. Make sure the victim is breathing. If not, render CPR (see below). Keep talking to the victim. It is imperative that you keep calm.

Don’ts:
Don’t apply any home remedies like ointment, butter, ice, medications, fluffy cotton dressing, adhesive bandages, cream or oil spray. Don’t allow the burn to become contaminated. Avoid breathing or coughing on the burn. Do not give the victim anything by mouth, if it is a severe burn.

In Case Of A Heart Attack
Initiate CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation):
Place the person on his/her back on a rigid surface and clear all foreign matter from his mouth.
To clear the blocked airway, lift the chin with one hand and push down on the forehead so that the head is tilting backwards.

Bend over with your ear to the patient’s mouth to check if he/she is breathing.

If yes, then roll him/her on his/her side and wait for help.

If the patient is not breathing, use the mouth-to-mouth technique: With your thumb and forefinger, pinch the person’s nose shut. Keep the head tilted with the heel of your hand. The chin should be tilted upwards (as instructed before). Clamp your mouth on the patient’s, making an airtight seal and give full breaths (about 12 times a minute).

Check the carotid arteries (on either side of the voice box) to see if the patient is breathing. If not, you may have to give chest compressions (cardiac massage):

Ideally, someone trained in CPR should carry out this procedure.

With the middle and index fingers of your hand, find the notch where the bottom rims of the two halves of the rib cages meet at the middle of the chest. Now put the heel of one hand on the breastbone next to the fingers that found the notch. Put your other hand on top of the hand in position. Keep your fingers up off the chest wall.

Bring your shoulders directly over the breastbone and press down, keeping your arms straight. If the patient is an adult, depress the breastbone one and half to two inches. Then completely relax the pressure on the breastbone and let the chest rise to its normal level.

Don’t remove your hand from the breastbone. Relaxation and compression should take equal amounts of time.

If you are giving both rescue breathing and external chest compressions, the proper rate is 15 chest compressions to two breaths. You must compress at a rate of 80 to 100 times per minute.