Treating someone who has been shot or stabbed is critical and requires immediate action to stabilize them until professional medical help arrives. Below are detailed first aid steps to help save a life. The priorities are to control bleeding, maintain breathing, and prevent shock while ensuring your own safety and calling for help. These steps are based on standard emergency protocols and aim to be clear and actionable.
General Principles
Ensure Safety: Confirm the scene is safe before approaching. If the attacker is still present or there’s ongoing danger, wait for law enforcement.
Call for Help: Dial 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately or instruct someone else to do so. Provide the location, nature of the injury (shot or stabbed), and number of victims.
Stay Calm: Focus on the tasks below to maximize the victim’s chances of survival.
Protect Yourself: Wear gloves if available (e.g., from a first aid kit) or use plastic bags to avoid contact with blood.
First Aid for Gunshot Wounds
Gunshot wounds can cause severe bleeding, internal damage, and shock. The primary goal is to stop bleeding and maintain vital functions.
Assess the Situation:
Check for responsiveness: Gently shake the victim and ask, “Are you okay?” If they don’t respond, they may be unconscious.
Look for all wounds. Gunshots often have an entry and exit wound. Check the entire body, including the back, sides, and limbs.
Control Bleeding:
Apply Direct Pressure: Use a clean cloth, gauze, or your hand to press firmly on the wound. If blood soaks through, add more layers without removing the original cloth.
Use a Tourniquet for Limb Injuries: If the wound is on an arm or leg and bleeding is uncontrollable, apply a tourniquet 2–3 inches above the wound (between the wound and the heart). Use a commercial tourniquet if available, or improvise with a belt or cloth strip and a stick to tighten it. Note the time it was applied and inform paramedics. Only use tourniquets for limbs, not the torso or neck.
Pack Deep Wounds: If the wound is large or gaping (e.g., in the torso), pack it with clean cloth or gauze to fill the space, then apply pressure. Hemostatic gauze (if available) can help clotting.
Check Breathing:
If the victim is not breathing, begin CPR if trained. For gunshot wounds to the chest, check for a “sucking chest wound” (air entering the chest cavity, causing a bubbling sound).
Seal a Sucking Chest Wound: Place an airtight material (e.g., plastic wrap, a credit card, or a chest seal from a first aid kit) over the wound and tape it on three sides to allow air to escape but not enter. Monitor breathing closely.
Position the Victim:
Lay the victim flat on their back unless they’re struggling to breathe, in which case elevate their head slightly.
If the wound is in the chest or abdomen, keep them still to avoid worsening internal injuries.
Prevent Shock:
Keep the victim warm with a blanket or jacket.
Elevate their legs 6–12 inches if there’s no spinal injury or leg wound, to maintain blood flow to vital organs.
Do not give food or drink, as this can complicate surgery.
Monitor and Reassure:
Keep talking to the victim to keep them calm and conscious if possible. Say, “Help is coming, stay with me.”
Check their pulse and breathing every few minutes. If they stop breathing, start CPR (30 chest compressions followed by 2 breaths, repeating until help arrives).
First Aid for Stab Wounds
Stab wounds can cause severe bleeding and damage to internal organs, especially if the object is still in place. The approach is similar to gunshot wounds but includes specific considerations.
Assess the Situation:
Check responsiveness and look for all wounds. Stab wounds may be small but deep, so don’t underestimate them.
Note if the object (e.g., knife) is still in the wound.
Control Bleeding:
If the Object Is Still in Place: Do not remove it. Removing it can cause massive bleeding. Stabilize the object with bulky dressings (e.g., rolled gauze or cloth) around it to prevent movement, and apply gentle pressure around the wound.
If the Object Is Removed: Apply firm, direct pressure with a clean cloth or gauze. If bleeding is severe and on a limb, consider a tourniquet as described above.
Pack deep or gaping wounds with clean cloth or hemostatic gauze, then apply pressure.
Check Breathing:
Stab wounds to the chest can cause a collapsed lung (pneumothorax). Look for difficulty breathing, unequal chest movement, or a sucking sound.
Seal a sucking chest wound as described for gunshot wounds (airtight material taped on three sides).
Position the Victim:
Lay them flat or slightly elevated if breathing is difficult. Avoid movement if the wound is in the torso or if a spinal injury is suspected.
If an object is impaled, position them to keep the object stable.
Prevent Shock:
Keep them warm and elevate legs if appropriate, as with gunshot wounds.
Do not give food or drink.
Monitor and Reassure:
Continuously monitor breathing and pulse. Start CPR if they stop breathing.
Keep them calm and reassure them that help is on the way.
Key Differences Between Gunshot and Stab Wounds
Gunshot Wounds: Often have entry and exit wounds, cause more internal damage due to bullet velocity, and may involve broken bones or organ damage. Exit wounds can be larger and bleed more.
Stab Wounds: May involve an impaled object, which complicates treatment. Bleeding may be slower but still life-threatening if a major artery or organ is hit.
Critical Tips to Save a Life
Act Fast: Severe bleeding can lead to death in 3–5 minutes. Controlling bleeding is the top priority.
Use Improvised Tools: If you lack a first aid kit, use clean clothes, towels, or even your hands to apply pressure. For tourniquets, use belts, ties, or torn fabric.
Don’t Move the Victim Unnecessarily: Movement can worsen internal injuries, especially with torso wounds or possible spinal damage.
Stay with the Victim: Continuous monitoring prevents deterioration. If you must leave to get help, ensure bleeding is controlled first.
Learn Basic Skills: If possible, take a first aid or “Stop the Bleed” course to prepare for such emergencies. These teach tourniquet use, wound packing, and CPR.
When to Stop
Continue first aid until:
Emergency services arrive and take over.
You are too exhausted to continue.
The scene becomes unsafe.
If the victim shows no signs of life (no pulse or breathing) after prolonged CPR, follow local guidelines (paramedics will advise when to stop).
Additional Notes
Infection Risk: While immediate focus is on bleeding and breathing, avoid contaminating wounds with dirty materials if possible.
Legal Considerations: In most places, providing first aid in good faith is protected under Good Samaritan laws, but only do what you’re comfortable and trained to do.
Emotional Impact: After the event, you may feel shaken. Seek support if needed.
These steps are designed to be practical and effective in a high-stress situation. If you have access to a first aid kit, use its contents (gauze, chest seals, tourniquets). If not, improvise with what’s available. Your quick action can make the difference between life and death.