How to Perform Basic First Aid: Essential Skills Guide

Evidence-based first aid steps for choking, bleeding, burns, fractures, seizures, and cardiac arrest — plus when to call 911.

By Symptom Advisory Editorial Team — last reviewed September 1, 2026 — 8 min read

How to Perform Basic First Aid: Essential Skills Guide

Key Takeaways

  • Make sure the scene is safe and get consent before giving care.
  • For choking adults, use abdominal thrusts; for infants under one year, alternate five back blows and five chest thrusts.
  • Apply firm, direct pressure for bleeding and add layers rather than removing soaked dressings.
  • Cool minor burns under running water for about 20 minutes and never apply ice or butter.
  • Use RICE — rest, ice, compression, elevation — for sprains and strains, but seek care for suspected fractures or deformity.
  • During a seizure, clear the area, time the seizure, turn the person onto their side, and do not put anything in their mouth.
  • Hands-only CPR at 100-120 compressions per minute can save a life when an adult or teen is unresponsive and not breathing normally.
  • Call 911 immediately for severe bleeding, unconsciousness, chest pain, stroke signs, breathing trouble, major burns, or severe allergic reactions.

Basic first aid is not a substitute for professional medical care, but the first few minutes after an injury or sudden illness can change the outcome. This guide covers the evidence-based steps most adults can safely take for choking, bleeding, burns, fractures, seizures, and cardiac arrest until professional help arrives or the person reaches a medical facility.

If the person is not breathing, has no pulse, is bleeding uncontrollably, is unconscious, or is having a severe allergic reaction, call 911 immediately. If you are unsure how serious a situation is, call 911 anyway.

Before You Begin: Scene Safety and Consent

Make sure the scene is safe before approaching. Look for traffic, fire, electrical hazards, aggressive animals, or other people in distress. If the scene is unsafe, do not enter; wait for emergency responders.

If the person is awake and alert, explain what you are doing and ask for consent before touching them. For an unconscious adult or child, consent is implied because they would likely consent if they could.

If possible, use disposable gloves from a first aid kit to reduce infection risk. If gloves are not available and there is bleeding, use a clean cloth, plastic bag, or other barrier between your hands and blood.

Choking in an Adult or Child Over One Year

If a person cannot cough, speak, or breathe, they need immediate help. A person who is coughing forcefully should be encouraged to keep coughing; do not interfere.

For someone who cannot breathe or speak:

  1. Stand behind the person and wrap your arms around their waist.
  2. Make a fist and place the thumb side against the middle of their abdomen, just above the navel.
  3. Grasp your fist with your other hand and press inward with quick, upward thrusts.
  4. Repeat until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive.

If the person becomes unresponsive, call 911 if it has not already been done, carefully lower them to the ground, and begin CPR. Check the mouth for a visible object before rescue breaths, but do not do blind finger sweeps.

For infants under one year, use back blows and chest thrusts rather than abdominal thrusts. Place the infant face-down on your forearm, support the head and neck, and give five firm back blows between the shoulder blades. Then turn the infant face-up and give five chest thrusts with two fingers on the center of the chest. Repeat until help arrives or the object is expelled.

The American Red Cross and American Heart Association both recommend alternating five back blows with five chest thrusts for responsive infants.

Severe Bleeding

The priority is to stop the bleeding. Use firm, direct pressure with a clean cloth, gauze, or bandage on the wound. Maintain pressure for at least several minutes without lifting the dressing to look, because peeking can dislodge a forming clot.

If blood soaks through the dressing, place more cloth or gauze on top rather than removing the original layer. Once bleeding slows, apply a pressure bandage.

For life-threatening bleeding on an arm or leg where direct pressure does not work and a tourniquet is available, place the tourniquet two to three inches above the wound, not over a joint. Tighten until the bleeding stops and note the time. A tourniquet can save a life, but leaving it on too long can damage tissue; tell emergency responders the exact time it was applied.

Keep the person still, lying down if possible, and warm. Do not remove embedded objects, such as knives or glass, because doing so can worsen bleeding. Instead, stabilize the object with bulky dressings.

Burns

For minor burns from hot liquids, flames, or hot objects:

  1. Cool the burn under cool or lukewarm running water for about 20 minutes. Do this as soon as possible.
  2. Remove jewelry, rings, or watches near the burned area before swelling develops.
  3. Cover the burn with a clean, non-stick dressing or cloth.
  4. Do not apply ice, butter, toothpaste, oils, or adhesive bandages directly to the burn.

Seek emergency care for burns that are deep, cover a large area, involve the face, hands, genitals, feet, or a major joint, are caused by chemicals or electricity, or occur in very young or elderly people. Chemical burns should be flushed with large amounts of water for at least 20 minutes, and electrical burns require evaluation even if the skin looks minor, because internal damage can occur.

Suspected Fractures, Sprains, and Strains

Use the RICE approach for many soft-tissue injuries: Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

  • Rest: Stop using the injured area.
  • Ice: Apply a cold pack wrapped in cloth for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, several times a day.
  • Compression: Use an elastic bandage to reduce swelling, but not so tight that it causes numbness, tingling, or color change.
  • Elevation: Raise the injured limb above heart level when possible.

If you suspect a broken bone, keep the area still and use a splint or sling only if you have been trained and the person needs to be moved. Do not try to straighten a visibly deformed limb. Apply a cold pack and seek medical care, especially if there is an open fracture with bone visible, severe pain, numbness, or the limb looks misshapen or pale.

Seizures

If someone is having a seizure, protect them from injury rather than trying to stop the movements:

  1. Ease the person to the floor if they are not already lying down and clear nearby objects.
  2. Place something soft and flat under their head, such as folded clothing.
  3. Turn them onto their side if possible to help keep the airway clear.
  4. Time the seizure.
  5. Do not put anything in their mouth, not even a finger or spoon.

Call 911 if the seizure lasts more than five minutes, the person has repeated seizures without waking up, they are injured, pregnant, or have trouble breathing afterward, or if it is their first seizure. Most seizures end on their own, but stay with the person and offer reassurance as they recover.

Cardiac Arrest and Hands-Only CPR

If an adult or teen collapses and is not breathing normally, call 911 and begin hands-only CPR.

  1. Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest, on the lower half of the breastbone.
  2. Place the heel of your other hand on top and interlock your fingers.
  3. Push hard and fast, at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
  4. Push at least two inches deep on an adult chest, allowing the chest to rise fully between compressions.
  5. Continue until emergency responders take over or the person shows signs of life.

If you are trained in rescue breaths, give 30 compressions followed by two breaths. If not, hands-only CPR is still highly effective and recommended by the American Heart Association for untrained rescuers.

If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available, turn it on and follow the voice prompts. Attach the pads as shown, make sure no one is touching the person during analysis, and deliver a shock if advised. Resume compressions immediately after a shock or if no shock is advised.

Fainting

If someone feels faint, have them lie flat on their back and elevate their legs. Loosen tight clothing and make sure the area is ventilated. If they faint, check that they are breathing and call 911 if they do not recover quickly, are injured in the fall, have chest pain, or have underlying heart disease.

Nosebleeds

Have the person lean forward slightly and pinch the soft part of the nose just below the bony bridge for 10 to 15 minutes without letting go. Do not tilt the head back, because blood can run down the throat. If bleeding does not stop after 20 minutes, seek medical care.

Eye Injuries

For chemicals in the eye, flush immediately with clean water or saline for at least 15 to 20 minutes and seek emergency care. For a foreign object, do not rub the eye; try to flush it out with clean water or saline. Cover the eye lightly and seek care if pain, redness, or vision problems persist.

When to Call 911

Call 911 without delay for:

  • Difficulty breathing or stopped breathing
  • Chest pain or signs of a heart attack
  • Signs of stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech)
  • Severe or uncontrolled bleeding
  • A person who is unconscious or not responding
  • A seizure lasting more than five minutes or repeated seizures
  • Suspected poisoning or overdose
  • Severe burns, electrical burns, or chemical burns
  • A major injury such as a head injury, spinal injury, or broken bone
  • Severe allergic reaction with trouble breathing or swelling
  • Suspected heat stroke (confusion, hot dry skin, collapse)

First Aid Training

This guide is a reminder, not a certification. Consider taking a course from the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or a similar organization every two years so that skills stay fresh. CPR guidelines can change slightly over time, and practice improves confidence in a real emergency.

Practical Checklist

  • Learn hands-only CPR technique
  • Practice the Heimlich maneuver
  • Know how to control severe bleeding
  • Understand burn classification
  • Recognize signs of shock
  • Keep first aid kit stocked
  • Save emergency numbers in phone
  • Take a certified first aid course

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need certification to perform first aid?

No certification is required to help someone in an emergency. Good Samaritan laws in all 50 states protect people who provide reasonable assistance. However, certified training improves your skills significantly.

How often should I refresh my first aid training?

The American Red Cross recommends refreshing first aid and CPR training every two years to maintain skill proficiency.

Should I move an injured person?

Generally no, unless they are in immediate danger (fire, traffic, structural collapse). Moving someone with a spinal injury can cause paralysis.

When should I use a tourniquet?

Only for life-threatening limb bleeding that cannot be controlled with direct pressure. Place it 2-3 inches above the wound and note the time applied.

Is mouth-to-mouth required for CPR?

Hands-only CPR (compressions without breaths) is recommended for bystanders and is nearly as effective as conventional CPR for adult cardiac arrest.

Sources & References

  1. First Aid Guidelines — American Red Cross link
  2. CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care — American Heart Association link
  3. Emergency Response Times — National EMS Information System link

Medical disclaimer

This article is health information for education only. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis or a treatment plan. In an emergency, call 911. Researched and drafted with AI-assisted tools and fact-checked by a human editor against the sources listed above. How we create our content.