Your Action Plan When Things Go Wrong

June 7, 2011 - PRLog -- Don't panic! That's the first and most critical piece of advice to follow when trouble shows up in your home. Sure, that's easier said than done, but when you're in a tight corner, unless it's a life-or-death moment, allow yourself five or 10 seconds to take a deep breath and mentally tell yourself not to panic. It may seem like you're burning up precious time but, believe me, you'll likely waste even more if you don't.

What you do next depends on the nature of the incident. This month we'll briefly go through some accident situations and what to do in those situations, it'll be split into 2 parts, with the next month covering more situations.

Accidents and First Aid

You'd probably be a unique person if you got through a lifetime without experiencing or encountering an accident that causes injury, either at home or in the workplace. My own collection includes being dropped on my head during a "fireman's carry" experiment conducted by my older brother, piercing my foot with a garden fork, and fainting after jumping up quickly from a crouching position after introducing a hammer-head to my thumb while building a rabbit hutch. And then, there's the rest of the family …

Your first decision is whether the incident calls for hospitalization or other medical attention. Loss of consciousness, heavy blood loss or vomiting of blood, inability to move all or part of the body (by the individual, not you, unless you're the victim), severe burns, damage to the eyes, head injuries (like the one I suffered) and breathing difficulties, all suggest a medical emergency and you should call 911.

Never try to move someone injured in a fall, though there may be other things you can do to provide temporary relief.

If the individual is able to move himself or herself without pain you might be able to take them to the ER if traffic congestion is not likely to be a problem on the way, but, if in doubt, wait for the paramedics.

Bottom line: If you're not sure, call 911.

If it's not that kind of an emergency, or if you can take some action before professional help arrives, here are some quick, basic guidelines on what you could do:

Burns: For minor burns, soak the affected area in cool (not iced) water for 5 to 10 minutes, then apply a soothing cream like aloe vera or antibiotic ointment (don't use oil or butter). Cover with a dry dressing. Seek medical help for more severe burns and don't try to remove any clothing stuck to the burnt skin or, indeed, do anything else. (See also "Sunburn" below.)

Bites and Stings: If stung, remove the stinger if you can. Apply an icepack to reduce swelling, followed by hydrocortisone cream and take an antihistamine pill (both of which you can buy over the counter). Severe reactions like breathing difficulty or swelling of lips and throat could indicate allergic or other problems and you should call 911. CPR may be necessary (see next section). You should also always seek medical advice about bites from animals or poisonous insects, or even a severe scratch from a cat.

Click here if you want to know more about health insurance or to get a free Tennessee Health Insurance quote. http://www.weinsuretennessee.com/tennessee-health-insurance/

# # #

Tennessee Insurance Services LLC finds competitive rates on various Tennessee Insurance products including auto insurance, home insurance, renters insurance, health insurance, commercial insurance and more. There are 6 locations across Tennessee in Nashville, Chattanooga, Memphis, Jackson, Murfreesboro and Cleveland. The Cleveland location is at 915 25th Street NW, Suite B, Cleveland, TN 37311. http://www.weinsuretennessee.com