It is important for at least one person in a household to be knowledgeable on how to handle emergency situations and basic first aid practices. This knowledge should be shared to other people in the home so that everyone can be ready to resolve a crisis situation.

It is also important to instill these practices in your children so that they know how to assist others in case anyone is in need. If they get into any accidents themselves, they will know what to do and how to treat themselves at least until an adult arrives to fully help them.

If you are a parent or are caring for an elderly parent, it’s important to learn how to manage emergency situations.

The following are some of the situations you or your children can find yourselves in that require first aid knowledge:

1. Fire

There are many things in the home that can cause fire. The kitchen stove, a match, and any source of electricity. Make sure to explain the risks of fire to your children. Keep small children away from direct sources of electricity and do not allow them to cook without supervision.

2. Poisoning

There are many products in the home that when ingested, could be fatal. Make sure you and your children know what to do in case anyone accidentally ingested a poisonous substance. Surface cleaners, bleach, detergent, and other cleaning materials are present in every household – make sure these are all far away from your toddlers who don’t know any better.

3. Drowning

You don’t need a pool to drown in water – make sure you are monitoring your small children in the bath. If you do have a pool at your home, do not let children swim without adult supervision and there should be a locking gate around the entire pool.

4. Bleeding

Anyone can incur a cut or a wound. Make sure people know what to do when there is bleeding, especially If it is a big wound. Children can be taught from a young age how to stop bleeding even on themselves.

5. Animal bites

There are some animals that inject poison when they bite. If you also have pets at home, they can accidentally bite you or your children. Have the necessary antiseptics ready and make sure your children can administer this to themselves in case you are not around and they get accidentally bitten by your pets.

It is best to not leave these things to chance. If no one in your household knows how to administer first aid, you can get classes from resources such as lifesavered.com to learn basic emergency responses, CPR, and more.